Both Japanese and U.S. carriers steadily are expanding their service in and out of North American gateways to Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya, and beefing up connections between Japan and other points in Asia. At the same time, the airlines are competing hard for business travelers by introducing new enhancements to their in-flight services on transpacific routes.
None of this comes as a surprise to airline analyst Robert Mann, president of R.W. Mann & Co. in Port Washington, N.Y., who noted that there is a general trend for airlines to expand and upgrade their international service. "This is where the premium travelers are and where there is no competition from low-cost carriers," he said. "Added to this is the fact that business travel to Asia has recovered from the effects of SARS and Iraq. We're seeing more investment in long-haul aircraft and services. Carriers are also increasingly using Japan as a connection point for China—a place where many airlines are eager to expand."
Figures from the International Air Transport Association also indicate why air service to Japan is expanding. According to IATA, passenger traffic to and around Asia/Pacific increased 20.6 percent in 2004 over 2003 levels, well above the world average of 15.3 percent.
Among airlines expanding their transpacific service is Japan Airlines, which in March added three flights a week to its existing daily service between Chicago and Tokyo's Narita Airport. All flights use Boeing 747-400 aircraft. "Demand is up and we're seeing very good numbers now," said Carol Anderson, a JAL spokeswoman based in Los Angeles. "Things were very challenging post-9/11 and then with SARS, but the past 11 months have showed good figures."
In contrast to existing daily flights, which depart Chicago at 11:35 a.m., the new flights to Tokyo depart at 2:10 p.m., allowing more connections from other North American cities. "They also allow for better connections from Japan to cities in Southeast Asia," Anderson said. From Narita, the new flights have midafternoon departure times that allow passengers to make same-day connections to Chicago from Beijing, Seoul, Shanghai and Taipei.
JAL also increased its Japan-China service in March by expanding its connection service through Beijing to six cities in China: Changchun, Harbin, Shenyang, Urumqi, Wuhan and Zengzhou. The airline also will increase its service between Tokyo and Qingdao, China from five flights a week to daily service in July.
Nagoya's recently-opened Central Japan International Airport
(BTN, March 21) has been a focal point for new service because of the added gates available. Continental Airlines in December jumped into the Nagoya market with daily service out of Honolulu.
United Airlines, which originally planned to inaugurate daily San Francisco-Nagoya service in June, bumped the new service up to late March. According to Graham Atkinson, United's senior vice president of worldwide sales and alliances, San Francisco-Nagoya service was moved up to coincide with the 2005 World Exposition Aichi, a world's fair near Nagoya.
United also has introduced daily service between Nagoya and Taipei, a continuation of the new San Francisco flights. Using Boeing 777 aircraft, the service offers one-stop, same-plane service between San Francisco and Taipei via Nagoya
Also launching service to Nagoya is American Airlines, which inaugurated daily service out of Chicago on April 3. Furthering its presence in Japan, American will restore daily service on Nov. 1 between Osaka and Dallas Fort Worth, using DFW's new International Terminal D, scheduled to open next summer.
At the same time, the airlines are upgrading seating and amenities on some of their routes to Japan. JAL enhanced transpacific flights with sleep-flat seats in business class cabins. In May, the airline will introduce high-speed Internet connectivity on some flights on its New York-Tokyo route.
Continental has installed BusinessFirst seats on its Boeing 777 flights to Tokyo from Newark and Houston. Northwest Airlines, which recently installed upgraded entertainment systems and World Business Class lie-flat seats on its transpacific routes, also has put new long-range Airbus A330-200 aircraft on its San Francisco-Tokyo route.
Airport Growth Sparks Battles
Not all service enhancements affecting Japanese air travel are happening on routes across the Pacific. Following the recent addition of a new terminal at Tokyo's Haneda Airport, the fourth-busiest airport in the world, Japan's two major carriers, Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways, are engaged in heated competition to woo passengers on domestic flights with new services.
All Nippon Airways, the primary occupant of the new $650 million Terminal Two, is promoting the terminal's efficient design features and amenities, which include electric carts at passengers' disposal and multiple boarding bridges at individual gates. The airline also installed 52 self-checkin machines that allow passengers to print boarding passes by scanning a cell phone or mileage card installed with an integrated circuit chip.
At the same time, ANA has upgraded its business class Super Seat service to Super Seat Premium on many domestic flights out of Haneda. The service enhancements include separate checkin, larger luggage allowance, larger seats, more leg room, hot towels, slippers and upgraded meal selections.
With ANA in its new quarters, Japan Airlines doubled the size of its passenger facilities at Terminal One by spreading into both wings of the facility. The airline has installed new amenities that include self-checkin machines and added security gates, boarding bridges and ticket counters. The airline also is opening three new luxury lounges at Haneda later this year.
Coinciding with the opening of Terminal Two is the opening of a new hotel at Haneda, the 387-room Haneda Excel Hotel Tokyu. Directly connected to the shopping and dining area of Terminal Two, the hotel offers an onsite restaurant and access to sports facilities that include indoor and outdoor swimming pools, fitness center, massage treatments and saunas. In-room amenities include satellite TV, minibars, coffee makers, express checkout and voicemail.