Delta to add Seattle-Osaka, Drops SEA-HKG
Jun 14, 2018, 8:14 am
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Delta to add Seattle-Osaka, Drops SEA-HKG
Delta, Seattle’s largest global airline, is adding nonstop service to Osaka-Kansai (KIX), Japan, starting in 2019, complementing its existing international network.
“As Seattle’s global airline, Delta offers service to the top destinations throughout Asia, and additional access to Japan is important for our Seattle customers as well as the business community throughout Washington state and beyond,” said Tony Gonchar, Delta’s Vice President — Seattle. “We’re pleased to offer another key business destination with our new nonstop Osaka service from Seattle.”
Delta will fly the new route with one of the airline’s Boeing 767-300ER equipped with 25 fully flat-bed seats in Delta One, 29 seats Delta Comfort+ and 171 seats in the Main Cabin. Every seat has access to Wi-Fi, free personal in-flight seatback entertainment screens and power ports. Meals, created in partnership with Delta’s Michelin two-star consulting chef Norio Ueno will be featured in all cabins of service.
Schedule details will be released at a later date. Delta today at Osaka offers daily service to Honolulu, making Seattle its second nonstop U.S. destination from the Japanese city.
Delta has made the difficult business decision to cease Seattle-Hong Kong service, with the last flight out of Hong Kong on Oct. 4. Delta will continue to serve Hong Kong from Seattle via Seoul-ICN, with its joint venture partner Korean Air.
“As Seattle’s global airline, Delta offers service to the top destinations throughout Asia, and additional access to Japan is important for our Seattle customers as well as the business community throughout Washington state and beyond,” said Tony Gonchar, Delta’s Vice President — Seattle. “We’re pleased to offer another key business destination with our new nonstop Osaka service from Seattle.”
Delta will fly the new route with one of the airline’s Boeing 767-300ER equipped with 25 fully flat-bed seats in Delta One, 29 seats Delta Comfort+ and 171 seats in the Main Cabin. Every seat has access to Wi-Fi, free personal in-flight seatback entertainment screens and power ports. Meals, created in partnership with Delta’s Michelin two-star consulting chef Norio Ueno will be featured in all cabins of service.
Schedule details will be released at a later date. Delta today at Osaka offers daily service to Honolulu, making Seattle its second nonstop U.S. destination from the Japanese city.
Delta has made the difficult business decision to cease Seattle-Hong Kong service, with the last flight out of Hong Kong on Oct. 4. Delta will continue to serve Hong Kong from Seattle via Seoul-ICN, with its joint venture partner Korean Air.
I am bummed about Hong Kong but Osaka is a neat addition.
Jun 14, 2018, 8:22 am
#3
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https://news.delta.com/delta-add-sea...orean-air-2019
I am bummed about Hong Kong but Osaka is a neat addition.
I am bummed about Hong Kong but Osaka is a neat addition.
Jun 14, 2018, 8:22 am
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Seems shirt sighted. As it was DLs choice of making you route through SEA is what IMO killed HKG traffic. Find it strange that the other airlines can make it work, just not DL.
Jun 14, 2018, 8:30 am
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Jun 14, 2018, 8:55 am
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There also are much, much stronger ties between Seattle and Japan or Korea. The Hong Kong overseas population is largely settled north of here in Vancouver, and that route is served by many airlines at crazy cheap airfares.
It’s also worth noting that the Xiamen SEA-SZX flight likely siphoned off some of the HKG profitability, too.
I loved this flight because it was one of the best “business class hours per global upgrade certificate” value routes, and I had a 100% success rate clearing over multiple attempts. But I recognize that’s a sign that a route isn’t doing well, and I can understand dropping it now that KE is a viable partner alternative.
In many ways, Delta is starting the process of returning to the status quo of the old NRT connecting hub - just in Korea instead. I do wonder if this is the high water mark of the Seattle international expansion for DL...
Looking forward to the KIX flight returning, though. I find Kansai far more intriguing to visit than Tokyo these days and am hoping for a good inaugural deal on the new flight...
It’s also worth noting that the Xiamen SEA-SZX flight likely siphoned off some of the HKG profitability, too.
I loved this flight because it was one of the best “business class hours per global upgrade certificate” value routes, and I had a 100% success rate clearing over multiple attempts. But I recognize that’s a sign that a route isn’t doing well, and I can understand dropping it now that KE is a viable partner alternative.
In many ways, Delta is starting the process of returning to the status quo of the old NRT connecting hub - just in Korea instead. I do wonder if this is the high water mark of the Seattle international expansion for DL...
Looking forward to the KIX flight returning, though. I find Kansai far more intriguing to visit than Tokyo these days and am hoping for a good inaugural deal on the new flight...
Jun 14, 2018, 8:58 am
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I guess time will tell if KIX can sustain itself this time. It wasn't dropped that long ago, so maybe a new business contact has been landed in order to bring it back. Crazy to think that DL won't serve such a major financial hub with its own metal but with UA/AA having such a strong presence, I can imagine DL simply wasn't able to compete.
Jun 14, 2018, 9:00 am
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interesting ... SEA-HKG operates with an A330-200 for years, finally switches to a 777 in March- and 3 months later the station gets whacked altogether? Too much airplane for the route? Is this where the equipment is coming from to fund the MSP-ICN startup?
Jun 14, 2018, 9:00 am
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I guess time will tell if KIX can sustain itself this time. It wasn't dropped that long ago, so maybe a new business contact has been landed in order to bring it back. Crazy to think that DL won't serve such a major financial hub with its own metal but with UA/AA having such a strong presence, I can imagine DL simply wasn't able to compete.
Jun 14, 2018, 9:01 am
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Does anyone have experience with how DL rebooks for trips on routes which are cancelled? I'm headed to SIN in Nov, SEA-HKG in D1 and HKG-SIN on a separate ticket with CX. My assumption is they will rebook me SEA-ICN-HKG but I'd like to get SEA-NRT-SIN to avoid having a 2 stop trip in both directions.
Jun 14, 2018, 9:04 am
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I am going to HKG using SEA RT in middle September 2018. So glad I got in under the wire as I turned down riding the 350 to ICN/PVG, etc with the long layovers and late night arrival in HKG.
This move by Delta will compound my annual trips to China.
This move by Delta will compound my annual trips to China.
Jun 14, 2018, 9:13 am
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I have no doubt DL will continue to hold onto at least one HKG slot for future purposes as well as Cantonese-FA's, but I'm curious whether or not this route would ever be viable again in the future.
CX tried SEA before and it didn't work out, and YVR has much greater frequency.
Time will tell what the future holds I suppose, though as it stands, most of the efficient routings I see into HKG bookable on DL remains to be routed through PVG on MU.
CX tried SEA before and it didn't work out, and YVR has much greater frequency.
Time will tell what the future holds I suppose, though as it stands, most of the efficient routings I see into HKG bookable on DL remains to be routed through PVG on MU.
Jun 14, 2018, 9:13 am
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DTW didn't work but could it again? What about ATL? Does DL want to get into that ULH flying again?
MSP seems like the only other hub that might work but it would be mostly connecting traffic.