TokyoTomo Travel Guide

Following the Japan-U.S. aviation talks which took place from October 26 to 29 in Tokyo, the U.S. embassy held a media briefing on October 30. John Byerly, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Transport Affairs, who had attended the aviation talks said that he would expect, with cautious optimism, that both countries reach an agreement at the next meeting slated for the beginning of December this year in Washington DC, citing that both parties made further progress in exchanging constructive opinions.

The aviation talks focused on four burning issues: 1) Conclusion of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the full open sky policy 2) Feasibility of approval of ATI (Antitrust Immunity) regarding alliance partnerships between Japanese and US carriers 3) Expansion of late evening and early morning arrival and departure slots slated for October next year at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport for the Japan/U.S. routes and 4) Distribution of landing and take-off slots to be increased at Narita International Airport. ”It is a package deal. No agreement will be made unless all four issues are agreed upon,” said Byerly, indicating that it is the position of the U.S. Government.

Read more…

The agreement came after the Japanese and Swiss aviation officials met in Tokyo on July 1 and 2 that a Swiss carrier is granted additional traffic right to serve the Narita/Switzerland route with two additional weekly flights once the departure and arrival slots are expanded at Narita in March 2010. Presently, Swiss International Airlines (LX) operates seven weekly flights between Narita and Zurich. The bilateral air agreement allows a Japanese carrier to enjoy the same traffic rights.

In addition to the existing traffic rights from/to Narita and Kansai, the new agreement allows a Swiss carrier to operate to the third airport including Chubu International Airport Centrair. In expanding the code share network that currently connects Switzerland via European destinations including Frankfurt and London, both parties agreed to increase the number of destinations and flights concerned. Currently, four cities are weekly served by 56 code-share flights and, as per the new agreement, the number of European cities to be weekly served by 112 code share flights will increase to eight in total.

Source: Travel Vision

Travel Vision Inc. provides information on the travel industry in Japan via "Daily Travel Vision", a Japanese-language e-mail newsletter, and the "Travel Vision" website. There are nearly 110,000 people working in the Japanese travel industry, and Travel Vision is proud to be bringing travel news to more than 30,000 people through Daily Travel Vision.

Negotiations on Japan-France bilateral aviation agreement were conducted in Tokyo on October 22nd and 23rd, 2008, in which both countries agreed to permit one flight each per day between Haneda, Tokyo and Paris during late-evening and early-morning hours after the opening of Haneda’s 4th runway which is slated for October 2010. This is the first such case on the Japan/ Europe route.

The agreement will also permit Airbus A380 into Narita, Tokyo by Air France. ANA, on Japan side, has been studying A380 operation and the agreement will permit the same to ANA. In addition, the agreement will permit flight increase by Air France on Kansai, Osaka/ Paris route from the present 7 weekly flights to 14 from 2011 summer schedule. It will also eliminate restrictions on code-sharing and permit code-sharing flights with airlines of third countries.

With reference to a series of achievements in the agreement, Air France commented, “The Haneda traffic right will mean expanded potentiality for Air France in addition to Narita and we welcome it”. However, when it comes to the timing of Haneda operation, Air France remains cautious by saying that it is not at the stage for telling anything concrete yet and is studying its possibility.

Earlier, Claude Thenevin, former general manager for Japan, Air France and KLM, released the fact that Air France was discussing with Narita Airport Authority on the introduction of A380, however, the public relations office limited itself to a statement that although Air France aims for a start-up of A380 service in 2010, no definitive date is set at the present time.

Source: Travel Vision

Travel Vision Inc. provides information on the travel industry in Japan via "Daily Travel Vision", a Japanese-language e-mail newsletter, and the "Travel Vision" website. There are nearly 110,000 people working in the Japanese travel industry, and Travel Vision is proud to be bringing travel news to more than 30,000 people through Daily Travel Vision.