Photo: PR Times
travel

Delta adding more flights between Japan and U.S. in anticipation of relaxed travel restrictions

13 Comments
By Casey Baseel, SoraNews24

There are two international airports in the Tokyo area, Narita and Haneda. Given the choice, though, just about any traveler would prefer their flight to be going through Haneda. That’s because Haneda is actually located within the Tokyo city limits, just a half-hour train ride from the Yamanote loop line that marks the city center. Narita, on the other hand, is actually in Chiba Prefecture, Tokyo’s neighbor to the east, requiring a full hour to get to downtown Tokyo on a train that costs more than 10 times as much as the ride from Haneda, and if you can’t catch the express, the Narita-to-downtown ride will take you nearly two hours.

So it’s good news for travelers that Delta has just announced that it’s not only increasing its number of direct flights between Haneda and the U.S., but even adding a new route, as it expects significant increases in passenger numbers between the two countries to increase before the end of the year.

Delta’s press release cites “anticipation of relaxed travel restrictions” as the reason why it will be resuming non-stop flights between Haneda and Los Angele’s LAX. Starting October 31, Delta will be operating three flights a week along the route, with departures from LAX at 9:45 a.m. on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays and arriving the next day at 3:10 p.m. in Japan, and flights departing Haneda at 4:50 p.m. on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays and arriving at 10 a.m. the same day.

On December 1 Delta will begin operating the Haneda-Los Angeles flights every day. Frequency bumps are coming even sooner for the airline’s already-in-operation flights between Haneda and Seattle, Detroit, and Atlanta, which will go daily from October 30. Finally, on December 2, a new Haneda-Honolulu route will begin service, with flights every day.

While Delta hasn’t given any reason more specific than “anticipation of relaxed travel restrictions,” it’s worth noting that Japanese citizens and residents can already travel more or less freely between Japan and the U.S., which suggests that Delta is expecting movement on the long-awaited loosening of restrictions on inbound foreign travelers into Japan before the year is done.

Source: PR Times via IT Media

Read more stories from SoraNews24.

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© SoraNews24

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

13 Comments
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Do they know something we don't about the stupid pcr tests?

7 ( +9 / -2 )

This effusive love of Haneda's location always seems to pop up in articles about Tokyo's airports, but shockingly, not everyone lives smack dab in the middle of Tokyo. If you're in much of Chiba, Ibaraki, or in many of Tokyo's northern and eastern suburbs, Narita's going to work out much better, and you won't have to drive/take trains through the middle of Tokyo either. But Narita's not in the big fancy city, so it gets overlooked.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Great! Hopefully that signals that the JGov is ready to end the sakoku soon!

5 ( +7 / -2 )

@Taki Mata - I think its safe to assume that the airlines are being given a quiet 'heads-up' - especially as larger planes on routes are being re-instated, and routes are returning almost on a weekly basis as Winter Schedules are being firmed up. Personally, I don't see the visa waiver being re-instated for a whole (so, still no tourists), but I do see the pre flight PCR test and daily cap being abandoned, especially as the Government is looking to reclassify Covid.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

@Taki Mata: No, I agree the whilst the removal of the PCR test would not 'significantly' boost numbers into Japan, i think it will remove reluctance to travel. I do know of several people now, both on business and pleasure who have been stuck abroad testing positive pre flight. The costs do (obviously) mount up the longer you are stuck.

I think the large majority of long haul travel IS business anyway now as tourists on a budget do have reluctance to travel with the costs of even having to have one acceptable PCR test at their destination. If you look st seat maps on long haul flights at present , business class cabins are a lot more occupied than economy cabins even with the inflated prices.

I don't see unrestricted tourism returning until the inevitable northern hemisphere winter surge in Covid and Flu has passed - regardless of how the Japanese classify Covid.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

ok and now lets talk abt bad side of story.

jpy is very low at this moment,if Tarosan will change his salary getting every month for last 30 years into usd will find out that he is not that "rich" as before.so may opt for trip to Nara or so.cheaper,closer.

another thing.everyone who wants visit USA these days must be vaccinated.in case if you are free man and did not fall into moderna pfizer "sales campaign"-bad luck.you are not welcome.so in this case better fly to Tahiland or Australia...and enjoy free travel.

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

I’m sure their ticket prices aren’t coming down to what they used to be, any time soon.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Overpriced tickets and Corona isn’t a big thing (now) but Monkey Pox is and for those riding camels?

There’s a desk for you too…

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Yeah that's great...........

Now how about international flights that fly into ANY WHERE OTHER THAN Tokyo?!?!

Does every individual REALLY have to transfer from Tokyo to get home?

I mean people DO live in Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Hokkaido, etc etc.

Can we get some new direct flight paths?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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