United Airlines Eyes Hawaiian’s Tokyo Hanadea Slots

United Airlines has applied for Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND) slots, which have been given back to the United States (US) Department of Transportation (DOT) by Hawaiian Airlines. The slots are effective April 2, 2024, meaning that if the DOT grants United Airlines permission to operate the flights, it could start using the timings from that date.

Connecting Guam

In the DOT filing, the airline proposed to operate the first-ever direct connection between Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport (GUM) and HND. United Airlines argued if the DOT were to award the nighttime-only slot to it, it would be able to utilize the “valuable asset” in its highest and best use, adding that Hawaiian Airlines had underutilized it when it had the slot pair in its possession.

The carrier supported its argument with several facts, including that it had already applied for five of seven Hawaiian Airlines’ nighttime-only frequencies in September 2023. At the time, its application was based on the allegation that the Hawaii-based carrier underutilized the five frequencies. Furthermore, no other airline has applied or expressed interest in applying for the slots, making it an uncontested application for United Airlines.

Photo: United Airlines

Still, the DOT rejected the airline’s application without prejudice. The airline cited the Department, which said in September 2023 that if an opportunity arose, the company was free to try its luck once again. As such, following Hawaiian Airlines informing the DOT that it will return its nighttime slot at HND to fly to Honolulu Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) and Kona International Airport (KOA) four and three times per week, respectively, United Airlines is applying for the slot.

“United remains as ready and eager as before to make use of this valuable slot that would otherwise go underutilized and applies to use the nighttime slot pair and all seven frequencies, effective May 1, 2024, to institute Guam – Haneda – Guam service based on the same proposed schedule and merits of the route as previously noted.”

The airline noted that the Guam government’s support for the application is included by reference from its application in September 2023. United Airlines also detailed the landing and departure times from and to GUM and HND during the summer and winter seasons:

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Connecting Guam to Japan

Once again, United Airlines reiterated that no other airline has expressed interest in operating the frequencies, so the DOT should immediately grant them to the carrier. Furthermore, the Department should do it as soon as possible, arguing that since it was the exclusive interested party in the frequencies in the past, the DOT should not spend more government resources “given the extensive public record already on file, including local Guam Government support, and lack of interest in this slot pair by any other party.”

The market between GUM and Japan is currently served by three airlines: United Airlines, Japan Airlines, and Asiana Airlines. The three airlines have scheduled 3,223 flights from GUM in 2024, with destinations including Tokyo Narita International Airport (NRT), Nagoya Chubu Centrair International Airport (NGO), Kansai International Airport (KIX), and Fukuoka Airport (FUK).

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