Details About ANA and JAL’s Plans with New Tokyo Haneda Daytime Slots Emerge

At the beginning of September 2019, the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) finalized the details of allocation of 50 new daytime slots pairs at Tokyo Haneda. These slots, allocated to nine countries, were split equally between Japanese and foreign airlines.

Yesterday, Daily Aviation reported details of ANA and JAL’s likely plans with their portion of the slots.

New Details About ANA and JAL's Plans with Newly Allocated Tokyo Haneda Slots Emerge
ANA was awarded 13.5 of the slot pairs allocated to Japanese airlines. JAL was awarded 11.5.

Newly Available Tokyo Haneda Daytime Slots

The 50 newly available slot pairs were allocated to flights between Tokyo Haneda and:

  • United States (24 rotations a day)
  • China (8 rotations a day)
  • Russia (4 rotations a day)
  • Australia (4 rotations a day)
  • India (2 rotations a day)
  • Italy (2 rotations a day)
  • Turkey (2 rotations a day)
  • Finland (2 rotations a day)
  • Scandinavia – Denmark, Sweden, and Norway (2 rotations a day)

At the same time, MLIT also announced that there would be two additional nigh time slot pairs to India.

Of the 25 daytime slots available to Japanese airlines both ANA and JAL were awarded the following: United States (6), China (2), Russia (1), Australia (1), India (0.5). Half a slot pair in the case of India will be used in conjunction with half of a nighttime slot pair.

In addition to the above, ANA was also awarded the slots to Italy, Turkey, and Scandinavia. JAL was awarded the slots to Finland.

In total, ANA was awarded 13.5 of the new daytime slots available to Japanese airlines while JAL was awarded 11.5.

ANA and JAL’s Plans with the New Slots

ANA and JAL will use the newly awarded slots to both move some of their operations from Narita to the more convenient Haneda as well as to launch flights to new destinations.

While neither of the airlines has confirmed their plans with the slots which will be available starting from 2020 summer schedule – i.e. from March 29, 2020 – Japanese aviation news media Daily Aviation reported some details.

ANA Haneda Daytime Slot Plan
ANA is expected to, among other changes, increase frequency of Sydney flights to double daily.

According to the report, the chances are that ANA will use its US slots to:

  • Move Washington DC, Houston, Seattle, and San Jose flights from Narita to Haneda
  • Add frequency on one of its existing Haneda flights, either Los Angeles or Chicago

It will use its Australian slot to increase frequency to Sydney to double daily. This will be in addition to codesharing on Virgin Australia’s Brisbane flights.

ANA will also launch flights from Haneda to Qingdao and Shenzhen. As for the European slots, ANA is expected to launch flights to Milan in Italy and Stockholm in Sweden.

As for JAL, the report states that its US slots will be used to:

  • Launch Chicago, Los Angeles, and Boston flights in addition to existing Narita flights
  • Move Honolulu and Dallas flights from Narita to Haneda
  • Add frequency on one of its existing Haneda flights, either New York, Los Angeles, or Chicago

JAL will also move its Melbourne flights from Narita, increase frequency to Shanghai, and launch flights to Dalian.

JAL Haneda Daytime Slot Plan
JAL is expected to move its Melbourne flight from Haneda to Narita.

Summary

Once the 50 new daytime slots become available in March 2019 – and airlines start using them – getting to Tokyo will, once again, become a bit more convenient.

That’s both in terms of passengers arriving from cities that are currently served out of Narita but will be moved to Haneda having an easier access to Tokyo city center, as well as in terms of potential new destinations like Stockholm that currently don’t have a non-stop link with Tokyo.

In addition to that, it will also become more convenient for passengers to reach domestic destinations which are not served from Narita.

As an aviation enthusiast, the thing I am excited about the most is the influx of new foreign carriers to Haneda. Whether that means Virgin Australia that hasn’t served Japan before or Finnair that currently serves Narita and other destinations in the country.

That said, I also look forward to having more ANA and JAL options out of the easier-to-access Haneda airport.

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