NWAC Northwest Airlines (MM)

Northwest Applies for New Authority to Fly to India Airline Plans to Serve Bangalore MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Northwest Airlines (NASDAQ:NWAC) 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. Northwest Airlines is the world's fourth largest airline with hubs at Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Memphis, Tokyo and Amsterdam, and approximately 1,500 daily departures. Northwest is a member of SkyTeam, an airline alliance that offers customers one of the world's most extensive global networks. Northwest and its travel partners serve more than 900 cities in excess of 160 countries on six continents. A 2004 J.D. Power and Associates study of airports ranked Minneapolis/St. Paul, one of Northwest's largest hubs, fourth among large domestic airports in overall customer satisfaction. DATASOURCE: Northwest Airlines CONTACT: Northwest Media Relations, +1-612-726-2331 Web site: http://www.nwa.com/

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