American applies to operate LAX-Haneda route

American Airlines has applied to operate a daily nonstop service between Los Angeles and Tokyo Haneda. The carrier has formally submitted an application proposing the year-round route to the United States Department of Transportation (DOT). US airlines are only permitted to operate a total of four daily round-trip services to Tokyo Haneda, as per the US-Japan bilateral agreement. Currently, two of these are provided by Delta Air Lines from Los Angeles and Seattle, with the other two by United Airlines from San Francisco and Hawaiian Airlines from Honolulu. Last month, the DOT launched proceedings to determine whether Delta's current service between Seattle and Haneda should be reallocated to another airline. American wants the DOT to discontinue Delta's Seattle route and transfer authority over to AA so that it can operate a Los Angeles to Haneda service. Should it receive the goahead, American will roster a B777-200 aircraft onto the route. Scott Kirby, American's president, said: "With only four authorised daily flights for US airlines between Haneda and the United States, it is imperative that American be allowed to compete. "We are the only US global network carrier without the authority to operate our own aircraft at Haneda. "American's proposed Los Angeles to Haneda service will increase competition in the Haneda market and make the most of under-utilised operating rights by giving millions of consumers and shippers a new, viable travel option to Haneda that they don't have today." American will this summer add a second daily service onto its Philadelphia to London Heathrow route (see news, November 24). aa.com Graham Smith