United: Help Us Get Into China

Not to be outdone by American, United yesterday emailed its Mileage Plus members a similar plea to sign a petition to help the airline fly from Washington to Beijing (see last post). United, with the support of the governors of Virginia and Maryland and the mayor of Washington DC (as well as other economic organisations) set up a website to explain their petition.

United is petitioning the Department of Transportation to be allowed to be the first domestic carrier to have a direct route between Washington, D.C. Dulles (IAD) and Beijing, China (PEK). Right now, 28 other world capitals have this route to Beijing; Washington, D.C. deserves to be next!

We are asking our members to please add their name and support to this initiative. It will only take a few moments of your time.

Simply click here to read our petition. Then add your name and address below to the form.

Thank you in advance for your participation.

Here's the text of the petition:

The Honorable Maria Cino
Acting Secretary
U.S. Department of Transportation
400 Seventh Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20590

RE: Docket 2006-25275

Dear Madam Secretary:
I am writing to express my solid support for the application by United to initiate the first nonstop capital-to-capital service between Washington, D.C. Dulles (IAD) and Beijing, China (PEK), effective March 25, 2007.

If approved, United's application would create the first capital-to-capital service between the United States and China. This would not only be the most efficient route for the residents of the Washington, D.C. area, but provide an easy connection from cities throughout the eastern half of the United States.

The capital-to-capital route serves to enhance and strengthen the economic and political relationships between our two countries, and opens a welcome, and necessary, door to China. I respectfully ask that the Department grant United's application for the Washington Dulles to Beijing route. Thank you for your attention to their application.