Allocates 12 Slot Pairs For Both U.S. And Japanese Airlines

U.S. and Japanese delegations met Wednesday in Tokyo to sign an agreement that would increase daytime services between Tokyo’s Haneda Airport and U.S. destinations. The proposed amendment to the U.S.-Japan Open Skies Agreement allocates 12 new slot pairs (12 arrivals and 12 departures daily) for U.S. air carriers and 12 new slot pairs for Japanese air carriers.  

For U.S. carrier service, the U.S. Department of Transportation issued a final decision on August 9, 2019, selecting four U.S. airlines to provide the 12 new daytime services as follows:

• American Airlines: Dallas/Fort Worth; Los Angeles
• Delta Air Lines: Seattle; Detroit; Atlanta; Portland, Ore.; Honolulu
• Hawaiian Airlines: Honolulu
• United Airlines: Newark, N.J.; Chicago O’Hare; Washington-Dulles; Los Angeles

These new services are expected to begin on or around March 29, 2020, with the beginning of the IATA Summer 2020 traffic season, and in time for the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics, so passengers will benefit from Haneda’s convenient access to downtown Tokyo.

In a statement, Airlines for America welcomed the agreement. "Japan is one of the most important global markets for U.S. carriers. Enabling all U.S. carriers to compete for access at Haneda – one of the world's largest and busiest airports – helps to improve international relations with our Japanese partners, while yielding immense benefits for the traveling and shipping public," the statement said.

"U.S airlines connect the world like no other industry can, and this new agreement with Japan reflects the critical role aviation plays as a driver of jobs and economic growth in the U.S. and throughout the world."

(Source: News releases)

FMI: www.dot.gov
www.airlines.org