Following the conclusion of a pact reached between Japan and the US in December 2009, slots at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, are to become available for international airlines. This also falls in line with the opening of a new runway later this year at Haneda that will allow for long-haul international flights.
The airlines applying for slots are:
- Continental and its wholly-owned subsidiary Continental Micronesia: Continental will operate a Boeing 777 from Newark while Continental Micronesia would operate a Boeing 767-400.
- United is seeking to operate Boeing 777 equipment from San Francisco.
- Delta is applying for four of the five slots, to serve Seattle, Detroit, Los Angeles and Honolulu with a mixture of Boeing 747-400 and Airbus A330 -300 equipment.
- Hawaiian is seeking to operate Boeing 767-300 equipment from Honolulu.
- American is seeking to operate Boeing 777 equipment from New York’s John F Kennedy Airport and Chicago’s O’Hare Airport.
The carriers anticipate starting flights to Haneda in late 2010. Haneda Airport, officially named Tokyo International Airport, is 11 miles from the center of downtown Tokyo.