Hawaiian Airlines lands first slot pair awarded at Tokyo Haneda Airport. The Department of Transportation announced the award last Friday May 13, giving Hawaiian Airlines the rights to operate an overnight route from Tokyo that will be split between Honolulu (4 times a week) and Kona, Hawaii (3 times a week). The awarding of the slot pair came over objections from both Delta Air Lines and United airlines. Those airlines argued that all slots should be awarded at the same time. The DOT still has five daytime slot pairs to award at Haneda Airport, which is much closer to downtown Tokyo that the Narita International Airport. Narita is where the vast majority of international flights operate from. U.S. air carriers had been restricted to night time departures and arrivals at Haneda Airport previously, but a new aviation agreement between the U.S. and Japanese governments opened up 5 new daytime slots at Haneda Airport, plus 1 new additional night time slot. The U.S. announced the awarding of that additional night time slot to Hawaiian Airlines early, as it was the only airline that actually applied for it. American, Delta, and United all applied for the new day time slots.
American Airlines, which already flies an overnight route from Los Angeles International Airport to Tokyo Haneda Airport, has requested the rights to fly daytime routes to Haneda from both DFW International Airport and LAX International Airport. There are currently also two additional daily flights to Tokyo Narita Airport operated by American Airlines’ joint venture partner Japan Airlines. American, Delta, Hawaiian, and United have submitted a total of eight route proposals for the five daytime slots to be awarded at Haneda Airport, with the DOT to determine who will get the slot pairs.
Hawaiian Airlines faces challenges in Kona
Hawaiian Airlines already had one night time slot pair at Haneda Airport, which now gives Hawaiian Airlines two over night “redeye” flights. The over night flights work well on routes to Hawaii better than to the mainland due to the difference in time zones and flight duration. However, there are challenges ahead for the airlines plans for 3 flights a week to operate to Kona, on the big island of Hawaii. The Kona Airport does not currently have the customs enforcement infrastructure required. The state of Hawaii is working on getting the Kona Airport facility up to date with the federal requirements for secure customs. It is possible if the facility is not ready in time that a temporary exemption could be made, or that customs could be handled prior to departure at Haneda Airport in Japan.Homeland Security has been very reluctant to make any customs exceptions in the past, so Kona and Hawaii are under a tight deadline to get the airport facilities completed.
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