▁( N or thern ▁Mar iana ▁Islands ), ▁by ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁the ▁current ▁bil ater al ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁countries ▁will ▁expand ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁US ▁air lines ▁flying ▁to ▁China ▁from ▁four ▁to ▁nine ▁air lines ▁and ▁from ▁ 5 4 ▁passenger ▁fl ights ▁week ly ▁to ▁ 2 4 9 . ▁ ▁Neg oti ations ▁for ▁an ▁open ▁sk ies ▁agreement ▁were ▁scheduled ▁to ▁begin ▁not ▁later ▁than ▁March ▁ 2 5 , ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁according ▁to ▁a ▁treat y ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁countries . ▁ ▁For ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁awards , ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Transport ation ▁awarded ▁routes ▁at ▁one ▁time ▁instead ▁of ▁considering ▁one ▁year ▁at ▁a ▁time . ▁United ▁and ▁D elta ▁object ed ▁un success fully ▁to ▁have ▁the ▁process ▁separated . ▁▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁expansion ▁One ▁award ▁to ▁a ▁new ▁entr ant , ▁an ▁air line ▁not ▁flying ▁to ▁China , ▁was ▁decided . ▁D elta ▁applied ▁for ▁Atlanta – Sh ang hai ▁using ▁ 7 7 7 - 2 0 0 ER ▁initially ▁then ▁ 7 7 7 - 2 0 0 LR ▁when ▁they ▁are ▁delivered ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁North west ▁applied ▁for ▁route ▁authority ▁as ▁a ▁new ▁entr ant , ▁claim ing ▁that ▁although ▁it ▁f lies ▁to ▁China , ▁it ▁does ▁so ▁via ▁Japan ▁and ▁not ▁non - stop . ▁It ▁en vision