Originally Posted by
Dieuwer
So, the only way to get to HND from the East Coast on an US-flagged carrier is to fly via MSP? (And not being insane like flying to LAX first...)
Yes that is correct. In their tentative finding, the DOT said they first gave all carriers their incumbent slots, though that is not what they originally set out to do in the original proceeding, then they looked at the remaining 4 applications (AA-DFW, DL-MSP/ATL, and UA-EWR) to determine the 5th daytime slot. UA was not chosen because ANA serves EWR combined with them having a JV with ANA and AA was not chosen at DFW (except as backup MSP authority) because MSP gives better competition with ANA at ORD, less circuity for most of the country east of the Rockies, and because of AA's JV with JAL.