DOT AWARDS U.S./FRANCE FLIGHTS TO AMERICAN, DELTA, UNITED

DOT AWARDS U.S./FRANCE FLIGHTS TO AMERICAN, DELTA, UNITED    The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded U.S./France service rights to American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Air Lines.
   The DOT awarded American and Delta seven weekly flights each, and granted United the right to serve Paris from New York.
   American may expand its services to Paris from Chicago and provide new service to Paris from San Jose, Calif. Delta may expand its service to France from New York and Atlanta. The airlines may use the rights at either or both of the cities proposed in any combination.
   Seven of the new flights were made available as part of the U.S.-France bilateral aviation agreement reached in April 1998. The remaining flights became available when Tower Air ceased operations in February.
   United plans to operate its service under a code-share agreement with foreign-airline partners Lufthansa German Airlines and British Midland Airlines.
   Through the awarded rights, U.S. airlines will be able to introduce 49 new weekly flights to France and nine U.S. cities will have new or increased service, the DOT said.