Originally Posted by RealHJ

The HA HNL-NRT was the only flight making it possible for same-day connections (to all the popular destinations from HNL, like PEK, PVG, HKG, TPE, etc.). The JL flight (only one!) comes in too late. With HA HNL-NRT gone, it's a major blow for so many residents and visitors, no longer being able to make same-day connections (some destinations can be still served via FUK, but the timing for connections there only works on the return, not on the outbound). It's likely to have a measurable blow on the economy.

What a shame and disgrace on the irresponsible officials that the merger was allowed to go through without DoT or anyone else putting in any restrictions on AS not being able to remove HA int'l routes from HNL (domestic routes doesn't matter, there is plenty of competition there from multiple airlines, but the int'l routes are integral for onward connections and often HA is the only option that works).

DL alone used to have six daily flights HNL-NRT. 3x 747 and 3x A330. Now DL has 0. UA had one, now zero. HA had a few, now zero. JL NRT flight also seems very unstable and often is not loaded in schedules. Yet no one was paying any attention and let AS get its paws on HA without putting any restrictions on place on critical int'l route, like NRT, cuts.

Originally Posted by RealHJ

Japan market is practically irrelevant for NRT flights. NRT is predominantly connections, given that HND is impractical for that and simply doesn't serve many destinations altogether. Just look at where pax go when a flight lands at NRT. Majority go to security for onward connections. Others go out and then for domestic connections (much easier and quicker at NRT than the horrid HND). Only a few actually step out into Narita.