Delta to fly between Shanghai, Seattle in 2013

Delta Air Lines Inc plans to launch its fourth China-United States route in July 2013.

The application for the route between Shanghai and Seattle has already been sent to the US Department of Transportation, the carrier said on Friday.

The airline will run daily flights on the new route. The first flight is planned for July 17, 2013 from Seattle to Shanghai.

The company will use Boeing 767-300ER aircraft with 208 seats, including 36 seats in business class, 29 in premium economy class and 143 economy class seats.

The carrier also will add flights on the route between Beijing and Detroit from the current five flights a week to daily flights from Dec1.

By July 2013, Delta will operate 46 flights weekly on China-US routes.

"The economic environment is good and the particular dynamics of this market support the addition of this service," said Richard Anderson, CEO of Delta.

Solid demand from Chinese passengers on the routes is also an important factor behind the new flights, said Mandy Zhou, Delta's general manager for China.

"The increase of passengers on the current flights is obvious because of the US's new visa policy," she said.

Part of the applicants for non-immigrant visas can now be exempted from interviews , according to a new visa policy, which was adopted on Feb 13.

wangwen@chinadaily.com.cn