From AP via The Washington Post:
United Airlines won tentative approval on Tuesday to operate the first nonstop daily flight between Washington and Beijing, a 14-hour trip that links the countries’ capitals as their economies become more intertwined.
The Department of Transportation’s final OK would give UAL Corp.’s United a route coveted by executives and government officials and potentially worth $200 million a year.
Washington-based fliers who make regular trips to Beijing applauded the news.[Full Text]
-Also see comments from Shanghaiist blog
