Gov. Gregoire celebrates new direct flight to Japan

For Immediate Release: June 7, 2010

SEA-TAC � Gov. Chris Gregoire today helped celebrate the inaugural flight between Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Kansai International Airport near Osaka, Japan � Delta Airline�s newest non-stop flight to Asia. The new daily service is the second international route to Asia inaugurated by Delta Air Lines in the last four days.

�This is great economic news for Washington state � and will lead to further job creation as our state recovers from the national recession,� Gregoire said. �This flight will carry business leaders in both directions, creating new relationships that will open new doors on both sides of the Pacific. That will only lead to greater economic activity in both nations at a time when we need it most.�

To celebrate today�s event, Gregoire issued a proclamation announcing today as �Delta Airlines� Day,� recognizing that Delta�s new flight will �enhance Asian trade, tourism, investment and educational exchange for the people, business and government of our state,� and the new flight �will add jobs and economic development for the state of Washington.�

Delta currently has international flights from Seattle to Tokyo, Amsterdam and Paris. Along with the addition of a nonstop route to Beijing, China on Friday, June 4, Delta Air Lines is positioning Sea-Tac as a major West Coast gateway to Asia. Delta Air Lines recently merged with Northwest Airlines, becoming the world�s largest airline. The airline expects to eventually employ 2,000 people in the Puget Sound area alone.

The direct flight to Japan will begin daily service using Boeing 767-300 aircraft.

�Washington state builds the airplanes that makes international flight possible for business people,� Gregoire said. �And those flights have helped build the relationships that fuel the modern, global economy.�

In her effort to promote international trade, Gregoire has pushed for more international flights leaving Seattle � and has been influential in establishing new direct flights to Asia, Europe and Mexico.