On December 28, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters announced a decision to select US Airways to inaugurate its first U.S.-China service in 2009 as well as to award additional U.S.-China passenger flights to American Airlines, Continental Airlines and Northwest Airlines, also for 2009.

The awards are the result of an agreement signed in July by Peters and her Chinese counterpart to open up new opportunities between the two countries that will double the number of daily flights allowed between the U.S. and China over the next five years.

US Airways will fly between Philadelphia and Beijing, while American, Continental and Northwest each will use the awards to add a new daily flight to their existing U.S.-China service. American will begin Chicago-Beijing service, Continental will operate a new flight between Newark/New York and Shanghai, and Northwest will fly between Detroit and Shanghai. All 2009 services must begin on or about March 25, 2009.

The new agreement with China also will result in two new daily flights to begin next year. In September, Peters announced final decisions awarding Delta Air Lines a new daily flight between Atlanta and Shanghai and United a new daily San Francisco-Guangzhou service. Both carriers plan to begin the new flights in spring 2008.

Also, on December 28, U.S. Department of Transportation announced that air passengers no longer will be able to pack loose lithium batteries in checked luggage beginning Jan. 1 once new federal safety rules take effect. The new regulation, designed to reduce the risk of lithium battery fires, will continue to allow lithium batteries in checked baggage if they are installed in electronic devices, or in carry-on baggage if stored in plastic bags.

Common consumer electronics such as travel cameras, cell phones, and most laptop computers are still allowed in carry-on and checked luggage. However, the rule limits individuals to bringing only two extended-life spare rechargeable lithium batteries, such as laptop and professional audio/video/camera equipment lithium batteries in carry-on baggage.