Four Airlines Bid to Increase Service to Tokyo

United, American, Hawaiian and Delta are vying for limited daytime arrival slots at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport.

Flight expansion at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport (HND) is underway, with four airlines competing to add daytime flights to HND’s roster.

In 2010, American Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines were granted permission to take off and land at HND between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. However, each airline has applied to increase the number of daytime flights arriving into HND. This would mean six flights arriving into Tokyo, with five arriving between 6 a.m. and 10:55 p.m. The airlines filed their bid for slots last Thursday.

American has proposed two daily flights, one from Dallas/Fort Worth and the other from Los Angeles. While LA is an obvious departure point for Asian flights, the carrier was asked to explain Dallas as its second gateway city. Speaking to USA Today, President Scott Kirby said, “Being able to serve the preferred airport in Japan from our largest hub is high on our priority list.”

Meanwhile, United opted to increase flights from San Francisco and Newark, seeking to expand its Asian destination roster from the city’s Liberty International Airport, which already serves Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong.

While Delta has bid for three daily flights from Atlanta, Minneapolis and LA, Hawaiian will continue its daily daytime service from Honolulu. However, it’s proposing another flight from Honolulu which would operate four times a week plus a Kona route, which would operate three times a week.

Despite filing bids days ago, the carriers are wasting no time in lobbying for their respective routes.

Delta has said that, as American and United are partnered with Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways, these carriers already offer five more daytime services on Japanese aircraft. Delta has said that it should have a larger share of slots at HND to offer a competitive service to Tokyo.

Meanwhile, authorities at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) have said that they support services to Tokyo with American and Delta from LAX.

As the tussle continues, authorities at HND will have much to think about over the coming weeks and months.

[Photo: Tokyo Haneda International Airport, Enrique Perrella]