American Airlines and Japan Airlines issued the following statement yesterday, October 25:
We applaud the efforts taken by the governments of Japan and the United States in signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that moves the process yet another step toward establishing full Open Skies between our countries.
By signing this MOU, the governments are clearing the way for flights to begin operating between Tokyo's Haneda Airport and the U.S., which is terrific news for our employees, customers and investors and for the people of both nations.
Full Open Skies, which is expected in coming weeks after an official signing ceremony, will be the result of a multi-stage process that began more than a year ago. We believe officials in both governments should be commended for their diligence, hard work and foresight in setting out the framework that will bode well for the future of aviation between Japan and the United States.