Airlines fight for nonstop to China

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Four U.S. communities are seeing red. And a cadre of public relations personnel, politicians and statisticians are working hard to keep it that way.

Beginning next year air travelers will have the option of flying to China on a new nonstop route from Washington, Newark, N.J., Dallas or Detroit. Four airlines -- American, Continental, Northwest and United -- are bidding for the service, with each proposing service from a U.S. city.

The U.S. Department of Transportation will grant only one winner and is expected to announce its decision by the end of the year.

In the meantime, the bidders are locked in a frenzied effort to convince the agency they deserve the right to establish a new link to the world's most populous country.

"This is a highly sought-after route, and all of the airlines are taking this very seriously," said Darryl Jenkins, an airline industry analyst who is working on American's proposal. "This is the best and most intense [route] competition I've ever seen."

United Airlines is touting its proposed route between Washington Dulles International Airport and Beijing as a "practical and symbolic connection that will facilitate face-to-face contact" between the U.S. government and its Chinese counterparts.

American Airlines says its plan for service between Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and Beijing should win because it would provide the only nonstop service to China from the southern U.S.

Continental says its Newark-Shanghai service would be superior because it would link the New York City area with Shanghai -- two of the world's largest financial centers.

And Northwest says its Detroit-Shanghai route would provide easy connecting service to 95 other U.S. airports, compared with 48 for American, 43 for United and 39 for Continental.

"It's an interesting situation for the DOT because all four airlines have put together good proposals," Mr. Jenkins said.