sky_throwaway

Logged in to check on some flights today and noticed that three different AA flights scheduled over next 6 months to Tokyo were cancelled.
Looks like DFW to NRT is still there on AA metal. At least for now. Else-wise it's just JAL to LAX.

Anyone know what happened? I call EXP desk to work on re-booking and they seemed surprised.

sky_throwaway

Might have answered my own question. Geeze they moved quick :
https://www.dallasnews.com/business/...teway-to-asia/

VFR

It's a strong possibility, given the joint business with JAL. The AACargo widebody schedule only lists LAX-HND as operating until 24 Oct.

Interestingly enough, they are still flying a cargo-only 77W on LAX-NRT-HKG every day. Unless they are using the passenger compartment for cargo, it seems like they should sell seats on it.

FlyingChuck

Looks like LAX-HND flights start up again March 27th. Perhaps related to the recent news/rumors that Japan won't open to tourism until April?

N830MH

No, they won’t open the tourism until Spring 2021 or summer. They won’t know for sure.

cesco.g

This also seems to be in line with AA's overall pullback from LAX.

dvs7310

If you're not using upgrades, better off on JL anyway franky. But I suspect this is more due to Japan saying they won't open for tourism until the last minute before Olympic preparations than anything else. Japan's govt is determined to make the Olympics happen so they won't risk mass importation of the virus until then.

Fortunately, they just recently said that staring in Nov. that those of us living here should be able to re-enter quarantine free from any country. So internally I think we're opening up again soon, just not to non-residents.

ernestnywang

Sorry to revive this thread.

Currently, AA is selling its LAX-HND flights eff. end of Oct. AA27 eff. 29OCT and AA169 eff. 31OCT, respectively. I'm especially interested in taking AA169 in first week of Nov. Anyone has any clues or insider information how likely AA will actually operate AA169 then?

Thanks in advance!

dvs7310

I have no insider knowledge but frankly I will be surprised. AA has been axing schedules left and right and it doesn't sound like Japan will be open yet.

But just book it, best case you get re-scheduled on JL which is better anyway, worst case you get sent via DFW and can either accept or cancel. I'd put my money on you getting rebooked on JL.

Having said that, who knows, maybe they are feeling a bit of capacity pinch and will operate it anyway, open borders or not. We're on the DFW flight in a couple of weeks, both Business and Premium Economy have been zeroed out for weeks already, both directions. Can't really tell about economy but looking fairly full, only paid seats are still open on the seat map for non-status members.

dw

I just flew from LA to BKK via Tokyo on JL- flights were fairly full and most were transit passengers, with very few people terminating in Tokyo. With the state CX is in right now, there’s a real lack of oneworld capacity between North America and Asia, so hopefully AA will run the flight for the transfer traffic even if Japan is still not fully open. (Plus, with the JL/AA JV, whether it’s run or not is going to be coordinated with JL and they have their own recent traffic numbers to analyze.)

ESpen36

I thought I remember reading that AA was not planning to restore much LAX-Asia flying after the pandemic, since the Asian carriers already have plenty of capacity on those routes (and most foreign visitors from Asia prefer to fly their home country carriers, especially when there is a language barrier). Would love to hear otherwise!

Also, you can always fly to Asia routing over the Atlantic, via London on BA, or via the Middle East on QR...especially if originating on the East Coast. Adds a bit of flying time and mileage, but avoids the uncertainty of Japan and China's pandemic circumstances.

ernestnywang

Thank you!

I will likely have connections before and after that would make AA169 crucial to my itinerary, hence my question. I have no doubts AA would be willing to rebook or reroute me, but it would make my itinerary quite inconvenient.

355F1

We are booked on AA169 LAX-HND for March 2023—used 4 expiring SWUs confirmed at booking so I hope Japan opens up fully by then!

dvs7310

There's never been any uncertainty about Japan in that regard, transit passengers have always been allowed and even on separate tickets if you wanted to do that. Just because you can't enter doesn't make it uncertain, Japan never stopped flights for excess COVID positive pax like HKG and China. JL and NH both hold flights for late arriving pax since they can't enter Japan. QR was no different for the first half of the pandemic, you couldn't enter Qatar back then either.

Raralith

Woah, my wife and I were about to do the same except for February 2023, but we didn't have a plan if Japan didn't fully open by then. May I ask what your plan is if Japan doesn't open by March? Book new tickets somewhere else and roll the SWU's?