Jet waits for clearance from China

Beijing: China and the US are set to be connected by an Indian carrier for the first time, if Jet Airways is cleared by the Chinese authorities to fly its proposed Mumbai-Shanghai-San Francisco route.
This would also be the first direct flight link between the commercial capitals of India and China, two of the world’s fastest growing economies. Air India currently operates flights on a Mumbai-Delhi-Bangkok-Shanghai route.
Mr Naresh Goyal, Chairman of Jet Airways, says the airline is ready to start operating the flights on a daily basis from as early as next month. However, the Chinese government is still to give clearance.
The reasons for the foot-dragging on the Chinese side is that New Delhi is currently blocking the entry of Chinese cargo carrier Great Wall Airlines to Mumbai and Chennai, reportedly due to the fact that key nuclear facilities are located near these two airports. The Indian government’s move springs from the fact that one of the former owners of the airline in question — China Great Wall Industry Corporation — was blacklisted by the US for alleged transfer of missile technology to Iran.
12/01/08 Pallavi Aiyar/Business Line

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Categories: Foreign Jan 2008, Jet Airways Jan 2008, New Jan 2008