In Wake of Service Reductions, DOT to Evaluate Delta’s Use of Seattle-Tokyo Route

The U.S. Department of Transportation will evaluate whether or not Delta can keep a route from Seattle to Tokyo after a winter service reduction.

A transpacific route to Asia operated by Delta Air Lines is under investigation after the legacy carrier significantly reduced its scheduled service for the winter months. In an eight-page order signed Monday by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Assistant Secretary for Aviation and Internal Affairs Susan L. Kurland, the DOT announced it will investigate the use of a route between Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND) currently awarded to Delta.

The order was put forward after a motion for the investigation was filed by Delta competitors American Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines. Both airlines claim that Delta intends to fly the route only 17 times in approximately six months over the winter, which defeats the purpose of holding the slot at HND. In 2010, the DOT successfully negotiated for four slots at HND, which were awarded to Delta, Hawaiian and United Airlines.

A portion of the DOT order read:

In light of Delta’s extensive winter-season Seattle-Haneda service cutbacks … the Department believes that the public interest requires a fresh examination of whether the best use of the Seattle-Haneda opportunity is to allow Delta to retain the slot pair … or whether the public interest would be better served by reallocating the slot pair for service from another U.S. city by another U.S. carrier or by Delta.

The order comes one month after Delta announced its plans to increase business out of SEA. Delta president Richard Anderson told employees that SEA would be an important gateway for the airline to Asia and the carrier could occupy as many as 30 gates.

American spokesman Matt Miller told The Dallas Morning News that the carrier was pleased by the DOT order, while Delta spokesman Trebor Banstetter affirmed to the newspaper that the route in question was in “full compliance with DOT regulations.”

[Photo: Delta Air Lines]