DOT Proposes to Allow Delta to Keep the Seattle-Haneda Route Provided That it Operates Daily Service Year-Round

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) today proposed to permit Delta Air Lines to retain its authority to provide daily service between Seattle, Washington and Tokyo’s downtown Haneda Airport, but subject to additional conditions designed to ensure that Delta maintains a daily service in the Seattle market year-round.

DOT initiated this proceeding in late 2014 after it learned that Delta planned extensive winter season cutbacks for its Seattle-Haneda service.  Instead of the daily service it had proposed in winning the route in a 2013 selection proceeding conducted by DOT, Delta would operate the service for approximately only one week every 90 days between October 2014 and late March 2015.  American Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, citing Delta’s failure to serve the route as it had proposed, each proposed to replace Delta and committed to operating daily flights from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport to Los Angeles and Kona, Hawaii, respectively. 

In consideration of Delta’s recommitment to year-round daily service, DOT tentatively determined that it was in the public interest to permit Delta to retain the Seattle-Haneda route.  However, any failure by Delta (absent DOT authorization) to operate any Seattle-Haneda flight, year-round, in either direction, would constitute a violation of its authority.  Additionally, any failure by Delta (absent DOT authorization) to perform Seattle-Haneda service on two days of any seven-day period would mean the immediate loss of Delta’s authority.

DOT selected American Airlines’ proposal to provide Los Angeles-Haneda service as a backup should Delta fail to meet its requirements in serving the Seattle market. 

Objections to the tentative decision are due by April 6, 2015.  If objections are filed, answers to objections will be due April 13, 2015.  The tentative decision and other documents in the case are available on the Internet at www.regulations.gov, docket DOT-OST-2010-0018.

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DOT 26-15