DOT TENTATIVELY SELECTS POLAR AIR FOR HONG KONG CARGO SERVICE

DOT TENTATIVELY SELECTS POLAR AIR FOR HONG KONG CARGO SERVICE    The U.S. Department of Transportation has tentatively selected Polar Air Cargo to provide all-cargo services between Hong Kong and Seoul, South Korea.
   Polar will operate three weekly flights between the cities.
   Under the 1995 U.S.-Hong Kong air services agreement, U.S. carriers are allowed to operate up to eight weekly round-trip all-cargo flights between Hong Kong and cities in a third country. This operation is known as “fifth-freedom” rights.
   Previously, five of these eight flights were given to Federal Express and the remaining three to Air Micronesia. Air Micronesia has ceased its service in the market, making three flights available for reallocation.
   The DOT received applications for the service slots from Northwest Airlines, Evergreen International Airlines, UPS and Federal Express. All applications sought three weekly flights except Federal Express, which asked for one.