All Nippon Airways (ANA) has applied for government approval to operate services between Tokyo and Ho Chi Minh City, as part of a codeshare with Vietnam Airlines from 27 March. The new route will be operated twice weekly using a Boeing 777-200ER in a three-class configuration. Continental Airlines and Delta Air Lines have revealed plans for flights to Buenos Aires after they were selected by the US Department of Transportation (DoT) for a new US-Argentina air service. Under a phased-in open skies agreement reached by Argentina and the USA in November, seven additional frequencies will become available to carriers of either country in April, followed by a further seven in December. Subject to final government approval, Delta will begin daily services between Atlanta and Buenos Aires in April and Continental will inaugurate daily flights from New York Newark in December. Southwest is withdrawing services from San Francisco on 5 March as a result of mounting delays and cancellations at the airport. The airline currently has 14 daily departures from the airport. Eight of these will be shifted to Oakland and two to Sacramento, Orange County in California. Salt Lake City and Las Vegas will each receive an additional daily departure. The USA and Israel have reached a new bilateral aviation pact that provides for code-sharing services between the two countries. The agreement also allows carriers from each country to enter into code-sharing pacts with third-country carriers. Two third-country code-sharing arrangements may begin immediately, with one more being added on 1 April 2002 and another a year later. In addition, Israeli carriers will be able to serve Montreal and Toronto in Canada in conjunction with flights to or from the USA. Israel will now be allowed to provide direct service to 11 US cities, three more than were previously authorised.
Source: Flight International
