It's official... beginning 6/10 with DC10-30, transitioning to 330-200 in the fall.

Here's a link to the news

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040107/cgw014a_1.html

Good to hear NW is beginning to expand their west coast service. Perhaps this means PDX will receive more Hub-PDX flights?

aloha

Think a MR might be in order (from the NW press release):
...
SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY FARE, TICKET CHANGE POLICY OFFERED

In celebration of Northwest's new Portland-Tokyo nonstop service, the airline is offering a special introductory fare of $319 each way from Portland to Tokyo or Nagoya, Japan. Northwest is also offering introductory fares from Portland to Beijing, Busan, Hong Kong, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore or Taipei for $379 each way, Bangkok for $404 each way and Manila for $494 each way.

Introductory fares are also being offered from other Pacific Northwest cities such as Bend/Redmond, Eugene and Klamath Falls, Ore., as well as Spokane, Wash., at slightly higher fares.

Example fares are each way, per passenger, based on a roundtrip purchase in coach class. Fares shown do not include a federal excise tax of $3.10 per segment flown that will be imposed on each flight segment. A segment is defined as a takeoff and a landing. Passenger Facility Charges (PFCs) of up to $18 roundtrip, departure/arrival and customs and immigrations fees of up to $80 USD apply. September 11 security fees of up to $10 roundtrip per person may apply and additional terms and conditions apply. For a complete list of terms and conditions, see below.

Customers currently holding tickets for travel June 10, 2004 and beyond on connecting itineraries from Portland or other Pacific Northwest cities to Japan and Asia will be able to change to Northwest's new Portland-Tokyo nonstop service without paying an administrative change fee, provided changes are made by April 30, 2004.

...

The announcement also states that NW is opening a WorldClub on the D concourse.

Of course this can only be used for their single Tokyo Flight. As it is on the other end of the airport from NW's domestic gates.

I thought PDX was the airport code for Deportland, at least when DL had a PDX-NRT flight. Any truth to it?

Maybe there's a move to the D concourse planned for convenient connections?

Other unconfirmed rumors.....

I'm also hearing of a rumors of a nonstop Honolulu and/or Maui flight from Portland. If this turns out to be true, World club won't just be servicing Tokyo flights, but more....

That is presuming that the entire NWA operation doesn't move to D. Partners Continental & Delta are in D already and I bet the airport would run a shuttle for Alaska passengers. We'll see.



[This message has been edited by WebTraveler (edited Jan 07, 2004).]

That is definately getting ahead of ourselves. I think Maui and Honolulu would be a stretch since it is unlikely the market can sustain another set of non-stop flights. Hawaiian already has its Honolulu and Maui non-stops in place. We can hope.

The more likely hope would be increased service to Newark on Continental (it is just rotten now) as well as a possible Memphis hub flight to Portland to connect to the Tokyo flight. This might even persuade Alaska to increase some of its flights to certain destinations like Las Vegas. Let's hope the ripple effect is a bump in quality air service.

PDX has always seemed to be a underutilized airport, something that none of the other big west coast cities can say.
It should be easy and hassle free to take advantage of additional flights. That is,
as long as the INS doesn't start hanging up the NRT flights like they did with Delta.

Portland - Maui ns is going to happen using 757's per my very good friend who is NWA 757 Capt.



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The non-stop fare out of PDX to NRT is almost double the fare if you connect PDX-LAX-NRT. I pulled up fares for two different times in July and they both priced out this way (was checking for a possible MR).

Many Japanese traveller would not choose to land at PDX unless it's their destination.
The biggest reason is, rumor concerning PDX
immingration has been widely spread since
many DL passenger were denied entry at PDX.
From NRT, transit through MSP/DTW is much more convenient to most cities.

I doubt there are enough traveller to Oregon
from other Asian countries.

The route depends on how they fill the plane with US originating passenger.

[This message has been edited by orientflyer (edited Jan 08, 2004).]

Is that the old Delta CRC they're moving into? I heard that was a pretty nice club.