TokyoTomo Travel Guide

U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) officially granted on July 6 four new routes between Tokyo’s Haneda Airport and U.S.A. to American Airlines (AA), Delta Air Lines (DL) and Hawaiian Airlines (HA). These four new routes, which had been provisionally approved by DOT on May 7 this year, include American Airlines’ Haneda/New York route, Delta Air Lines’ Haneda/Los Angeles and Haneda/Detroit routes and Hawaiian Airlines’ Haneda/Honolulu route. Meanwhile, Japan’s Civil Aviation Bureau (CAB) at Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) reminded that Hawaiian Airlines will still have to apply for a CAB approval for the “International Air Transport Services by Foreign Nationals.” Also, these three carriers which include American Airlines and Delta Air Lines are requested to submit to Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) the respective new or revised business plans, whichever applicable, and file the respective air fares with MLIT.

Hawaiian Airline has meanwhile announced its first flight from Haneda Airport slated for October 31 this year. Mark B. Dunkerley, President & Chief Executive Officer at Hawaiian Airlines had said during the media briefing held on May 19 that although the airline’s first priority was to obtain an official approval to operate one flight per day, it was hopeful to add the second frequency in the foreseeable future in order to expand its Japan route. In efforts to foster its relationship with travel agencies, he added, Hawaiian Airlines intends to finely tune the ratio between its direct sales and the agency sales. Aircraft to be put into service will be Boeing B767-300ER configured with 264 passenger seats. The airline also plans to introduce a 294-seater Airbus A330-200 later on.

American Airlines (AA) has also revealed that it is scheduled to launch its inaugural flight from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport on January 12 next year. Aircraft to be introduced on the new Haneda/U.S. route will be Boeing B777. Meanwhile, Japan Airlines (JL), a member of the same Oneworld alliance, plans to operate new services between Haneda and San Francisco and also between Haneda and Honolulu starting from October 31 this year. Consequently, Oneworld will be able to enhance its route network between Tokyo’s Haneda and U.S.A.

Delta Air Lines has not yet released its inaugural flight date. The airline intends to announce its flight schedule within the next few weeks, however. Masaki Ito, Director of Sales, Japan at Delta Air Lines, Inc. has told the Travel Vision News that its new Haneda/U.S. routes should provide passenger-friendly schedules especially for business travelers, adding that the airline is convinced of the possibility of attracting new market segments in the Japan market. He has also told the Travel Vision News that he would like to draw attention to the new routes and suggest a new travel style different from its current Narita/U.S. route, taking advantage of the airline’s late evening departures from Haneda Airport. With a quickly growing seat capacity from Tokyo’s Haneda, the airlines concerned must make concerted efforts together with travel agencies in order to create and boost travel demand, capitalizing on the newly granted routes between Haneda and U.S., emphasized Ito of Delta Air Lines.

Source: Travel Vision

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