Airline asking to delay new route from US to Beijing

US Airways has notified Pennsylvania congressmen that high fuel prices are forcing the airline to seek a one-year delay in starting a route between Philadelphia and Beijing.

The Tempe, Ariz.-based airline was given approval last year by the U.S. Transportation Department to create the route. The airline said it would do so next year. It would be its first service route to China.

The Associated Press has obtained a copy of a note from an airline executive to members of Congress.

The executive writes that the cost for fuel to run the route would be more than $90 million a year. The original estimated fuel cost was about $50 million.

A message has been left for comment from US Airways Group Inc.

businessweek.com