AA, Delta and Hawaiian Gain Routes to Tokyo's Haneda

In a show-cause order issued today, the Department of Transportation is proposing to award four routes to Tokyo’s downtown Haneda Airport to American Airlines at New York, Delta Air Lines at Los Angeles and Detroit, and Hawaiian Airlines at Honolulu when the airport’s fourth runway becomes operational later this year. Also applying for Haneda slots were Continental Airlines, Continental Micronesia and United Airlines.

The opportunities were negotiated in connection with the U.S.-Japan Open Skies agreement, which was concluded last December, the DOT reports. They permit U.S. carriers to introduce a total of four daily roundtrip services at Haneda. Previously, U.S. carriers serving Tokyo have been limited to using Narita Airport, which is considerably farther from the city.

The Department said selecting Hawaiian Airlines, which currently does not serve Japan, would add a new competitor to the U.S.-Tokyo market. Delta’s planned flight from Los Angeles would serve the largest West Coast and mainland U.S. market to Tokyo. Delta’s flight from its Detroit hub would provide Haneda access to a broad area in the central and eastern United States. American’s New York flight would serve the second largest mainland U.S.- Tokyo market and would also promote competition among several major airline alliances.

If the proposed decision were made final, the selected carriers would be required to begin Haneda operations by January 29, 2011. Visit www.DOT.gov.