Dogfight over Tokyo: JAL, ANA vie for 20 landing slots at Haneda

What a mess JAL made. Many good people suffered here too in addition to the major waste of tax payer money.

Actually the political system is to blame for JAL's harsh situation. Over the years, whenever provincial airports opened, JAL was obligated, through tacit agreement among politicians and bureaucrats, to run services there regardless of profitability.

A few decades of fulfilling this social responsibility destroyed the airline's finances.

Wish there were more international flights to Europe from Haneda.

JAL does not deserve the slots at Haneda.

JAL employees are still condescending to customers. They are not friendly in the sky.

This underlines what an embarrassing crap airport Narita is.

Moby, Narita isn't crap. It's just too darn far from the center of things. Good luck to both. As long as there are more choices, it can't be bad for the consumer.

JAL should get nothing until they pay back the charity the received from the tax payers.

Why don't they just auction the slots like any sensible county. He who pays wins. So does the taxpayer.

JAL and ANA have more than enough slots. It's time to allow foreign airlines a chance to enter the market. The slots they are allowed now are ridiculous (Hawaiian and Delta flights arriving in Haneda at 23:30). Here is a good link about Delta's CEO talking about Japan and their closed skies when it comes to foreign companies.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=207186577

Create another runway out of noman's land--the sea, and add another shuttle monorail to the inner part of the city is the answer. A win win win win solution - - -vitalizes Abenomics, increases employment, attracts foreign tourists, reminds Japanese people once again how good they are at dealing with Mother Nature in such a nice, gentle way.

@JeffLee

A few decades of fulfilling this social responsibility destroyed the airline's finances.

That's certainly NOT the only thing that destroyed the airline's finances... Although I've heard there has been some progress, I would still hesitate to use JAL after my first - and last - experience. Sitting in Business Class, I had the audacity to ask a passing attendant if I may have a glass of water (in Japanese) and was told : "I'm busy now ! Later...."

In a previous post concerning JAL Cabin Attendants, I suggested sending them for training to ANA CA schools... There is no comparison in the "difference" !

H_Man: The timing of the slots are irrelevant to this story. NO airline, and that includes JAL and ANA can operate international flights further than HK during daytime hours. There are slots opening up for daytime long haul flights next year and they will be subject to the same bilateral agreements currently in place. Please do some proper research before making anti Japan comments for the sake of it. Yes, I have heard Deltas CEO interview. I also suggest you do some research on the fifth freedom rights that the American Airlines (Delta and United) have through Japan that were put in place post 1951 and how lucky they are to possess them.

theResidentAug. 24, 2013 - 09:59PM JST

There are slots opening up for daytime long haul flights next year and they will be subject to the same bilateral agreements currently in place

Great news for all foreign airliners. Thanks.

I'd like to see Haneda and Narita open middle afternoon landing slots to foreign airlines like Delta and Hawaiian. That way, people arriving will be able to get into downtown Tokyo at reasonable hours.

I'm at a lo$$ to $u$$ out how thi$ i$$ue could po$$ibly be $olved.

This underlines what an embarrassing crap airport Narita is.

Narita is not a crap airport. Sheremetyevo is crap. Detroit is crap. Newark is crap. Narita is inconvenient. Narita could handle a lot more flights if they had two full runways.

A few decades of fulfilling this social responsibility destroyed the airline's finances.

That, and at one time operating about 100 747s.

I also suggest you do some research on the fifth freedom rights that the American Airlines (Delta and United) have through Japan that were put in place post 1951 and how lucky they are to possess them.

And he should consider how no Japanese airline has anything like that in America.

JAL is part of the "good old boy network" in Japan and they always get what they want.

I have to agree with Jeff Lee this time. JAL lost major money being forced to fly to unpopular destinations domestically within Japan.

I got scared when I started reading the title.

Why not auction the slots and allow foreign airlines to bid too?

@Scrote: You want them to auction domestic/domestic slots to Foreign carriers?

I wish JAL would add an LAX to Haneda direct flight like ANA has....sure beats LAX to Narita!