Northwest Airlink operator Express Airlines will begin flights between Memphis and Monterrey, Mexico, on 1 April, with twice daily weekday and daily weekend flights using Bombardier CRJ200s. Israeli private airline Arkia plans to introduce charter flights to two long haul destinations in an attempt to compensate for a decline in incoming traffic from European destinations. It will begin flights to Bahia, Brazil, and in March to Phuket, Thailand, with a technical stop using Boeing 757-300s. Arkia also wants to operate charters to the USA but has not set an implementation date. Northwest Airlines is to increase services to China, adding a third weekly Detroit-Shanghai Boeing 747-400 flight on 1 April. A third weekly US-Shanghai all-cargo flight will be added at the same time, using a 747-200 freighter. The US airline began codesharing on alliance partner Air China's domestic flights on 18 December. United Parcel Service (UPS) is seeking a rapid clearance from the US Department of Transportation (DoT) to enable the US cargo carrier to start services on much-coveted routes to China on 1 April. From then, UPS will initiate six weekly round trip all-cargo flights to Beijing and Shanghai from Ontario, California and Newark, New Jersey, via Anchorage, Alaska. UPS says the Chinese Government must be formally notified by 17 January to process all the necessary documents in time. German charter airline Condor is expanding its European network for its 2001 summer schedules which begin at the end of March. New destinations include Burgas and Varga, Bulgaria; Chania, Crete; Lamezia Terme, Italy; and Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia. A weekly service to Fairbanks will also be introduced. Delta Air Lines is suspending flights connecting New York LaGuardia Airport with Montreal; Knoxville, Tennessee; Portland, Maine; and Providence, Rhode Island. The move follows the recent introduction of a slot lottery at the congested airport.
Source: Flight International
