Replacing JAL proving to be a harder nut to crack

Replacing the Tokyo-Saipan flight service currently operated by Japan Airlines is proving to be complicated and difficult due to the limited number of slots available at the Narita International Airport.

Commonwealth Ports Authority executive director Carlos Salas disclosed yesterday that at least 37 countries are currently requesting a slot to operate at the Tokyo airport.

An airport slot provides a carrier the right to land or take off from an airport.

According to Salas, not only is the Narita International Airport congested as it is, but numerous countries or airlines are also queuing for an airport slot.

“That’s really a constraint both Continental Airlines and Northwest Airlines have for additional flights from Narita. Tokyo is a major hub. It hosts airlines from practically every country in the world,” he said.

Salas said JAL, which is set to cease its regular scheduled flights to and from Saipan beginning Oct. 1, was planning to use its slot at Narita airport for the airline’s other routes.

“They’ll take their slots with them. Unfortunately, they cannot be forced to give up their slot for any other airline planning to replace their current Tokyo-Saipan service,” said Salas.

CPA, he added, is now talking to all concerned government and business officials in Japan and the CNMI to help Saipan airlines get an airport slot at Narita.

Salas also said that JAL had yet to issue an official announcement regarding its impending pullout.

JAL, which has promised to make a formal announcement in July 2005, has been reportedly mulling the possibility of at least continuing charter service to the Northern Marianas.

In early June, however, the airline’s Saipan office informed all of its travel agencies of an Oct. 4 deadline for all flight reservations. All reservations made after this date will be placed on wait list status, according to JAL.

Currently, JAL provides daily DC10 flights between Narita and Saipan and daily Boeing 767 flights from Kansai to Saipan.

Northwest has already announced a plan to replace JAL’s Kansai-Saipan service beginning Oct. 1.

The new flight, which provides direct daily access from Osaka, will be serviced by 182-seat aircraft. This represents 66,430 seats per year, a 38 percent drop from the current JAL service, which has 293 seats.

JAL is also widely expected to cut service to Honolulu, Guam, Bali, Ho Chi Minh City, and other international destinations because of the company’s financial difficulties.