Just like with the LH PDX-FRA flight, it's all about Nike - and other business's in the Portland region. They put up enough confirmed seats in premium classes and it honestly doesn't matter how many Asian tourists come to Portland.

wow. NRT for twice the price of a SIN run. if you're paying a fare dubbed a "low" in a NW press release, you're probably paying too much.

The good news for Japanese pax is that once they've successfully negotiated immigration in PDX, they'll still have the opportunity to transit through MSP/DTW if they want to get to any destination beyond the west coast http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Along the lines of what mymiles2go said, it's all about Portland being able to tell the business community that it has direct service to Asia. However, in order to keep the PDX-NRT service viable in the long run, I would think that having other west coast traffic feeding into it would be necessary. Since most of the west coast destinations served by AS are also available from SEA, I hope that the Port of Portland and/or NW can work with immigration officials to reverse any existing negative perception.


[This message has been edited by abaraff (edited Jan 09, 2004).]

Those "introductary" fares aren't anything special. I flew for $100-$200 less per flight last year, and from Phx, no less.

This is straying from the topic, because it would be a 5+ hour connection from the NRT-PDX flight and I don't think it's even a NW codeshare, but in searching CO's online timetable it looks like they are running a second PDX-EWR non-stop starting 6/10 (CO585 and CO284 the other direction). Is this just a seasonal service expansion?

The timing is very interesting in that in coincides with the new PDX->NRT flight.

Does this one leave in AM to arrive in time for the PDX->NRT departure? I believe the existing one leaves in the PM.

This has to be a "committed seats" deal, like LH FRA/PDX. The issue is, assuming insignificant East-bound tourism through PDX, what has changed since DL pulled the plug?

[This message has been edited by Eidetic (edited Jan 09, 2004).]

Maybe Northwest has a lower cost structure http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

I thought Delta flew an MD-11 and if I'm right, that's more capacity than a DC10 or A330-200 so that means higher costs. And if what everybody says about customs is true and it's improved, then perhaps more Asian tourists will come through. Plus I bet they have their landing fees covered for a while. So if you add that on to guaranteed seats then it's much more likely to succeed, at least for a while.

One last ramble: NW has a bigger presence in NRT than DL does at NGO. This means less staff costs due to volume, an established connection infrastructure and probably better brand awareness.

[This message has been edited by bergamini (edited Jan 09, 2004).]

That's $768 plus taxes. You can go on Expedia right now and score a [West Coast gateway]-HKG RT for about $595 all in. For goodness' sakes.

PDX got a reputation for overzealous INS operations a few years ago, which resulted in the local chief being canned.

The intro fares are way too high.

<The issue is, assuming insignificant East-bound tourism through PDX, what has changed since DL pulled the plug?>

The BIG difference is Northwest has a big fat hub called Tokyo. Delta's service was basically point to point.

Isn't that pretty standard really? Don't think I've ever seen a mileage run type fare advertised.

Yes, it does go to 2 flights a day in the summer. PDX-EWR is a NW codeshare. Some booking engines don't always recogize it. Then also CO could code share on the NRT flight just the same. Not really straying from the topic. This flight will likely produce other flights for connections. Delta used to have a host of n/s flights to PDX from all over the country when they had Asia service that are gone now. SFO-PDX, LAS-PDX, BOS-PDX to just name a few,.

[This message has been edited by WebTraveler (edited Jan 09, 2004).]

Good point.

"From Northwest’s Tokyo hub, Portland travelers will be able to make single connections to the airline’s Asia/Pacific network which includes Bangkok, Thailand; Beijing; Busan, South Korea; Guam; Hong Kong; Manila, Philippines; Nagoya, Japan; Saipan, Mariana Islands; Seoul, South Korea; Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; Singapore and Taipei, Taiwan."
Source: http://www.nwa.com/corpinfo/newsc/20...720041264.html