Hawaiian Airlines has received a preliminary decision from the U.S. Department of Transportation to allocate a new slot to the airline for expanded service to Haneda Airport. This is a critical step toward gaining rights to provide additional service between Honolulu and Tokyo before the start of the 2020 Olympic Summer games. The allocation is contingent upon the successful conclusion of consultations by the Government of Japan with affected local governments and communities.
“Although we are disappointed that the tentative award does not grant our full request for three new routes, Hawaiian looks forward to the opportunity to expand its service between Tokyo Haneda and Honolulu,’’ said Peter Ingram, president and CEO of Hawaiian Airlines. “With this new service we will be able to better serve the needs of guests traveling between Honolulu and Haneda as well as those connecting beyond these gateway cities.”
The U.S. DOT’s Order to Show Cause issued on May 16, invites comments on the DOT’s preliminary decision within two weeks and Hawaiian Airlines will continue to press for additional slots during this time.
