Northwest Airlines has
filed a request with the U.S. Department of Transportation for broad
authority to serve India. As its first priority, the airline intends to
pursue service from Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport to
Bangalore (via Amsterdam) beginning in October, subject to government
approval. Phil Haan, Northwest executive vice president of international, alliances,
and information technology and chairman, NWA Cargo, said, “The global
network that Northwest offers customers through its partnerships with
SkyTeam member airlines would only be enhanced by additional service to
India.” Haan added that “Northwest looks forward to the final signing of
the Open Skies Agreement between the U.S. and Indian governments.”

Northwest, through its joint venture partnership with KLM Royal Dutch
Airlines, has provided service to India since October 1997, and currently
offers two daily flights from Minneapolis/St. Paul to Mumbai, via
Amsterdam. Northwest/KLM also offers daily service from Amsterdam to New
Delhi.

Northwest customers in more than 180 U.S. cities can take advantage of the
airline’s India service with convenient domestic connections at the
airline’s hubs at Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul, and Memphis to Amsterdam.
Convenient connections to India also are available through Northwest
gateway cities including New York, San Francisco, and Seattle.
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