I think I was right, it really is all about the slots. We want to keep as many as we can, and now it seems JAL may want some or to give some of ours away. Good old LM better not give any away. I thought JAL was the one in trouble??? We have a guaranteed number of slots we have to keep in our Joint Contract we just signed, and only LM could try to give those away. Don't do it LM, just don't do it.
Bye Bye--General Lee
First, the Open Skies accord WILL effect these rights. I am sure that politically they do not want to admit it. Joint ventures make a lot of these rights null anyway.
Second, as you have indicated slots are very important. Actually NWA's initial slots were at Haneda and were moved to NRT at the request of the Japanese government. It does not appear that they want to entertain the idea of us moving some or all of those slots back. They want Haneda for home turf advantage.
Third, the only real way to combat this "protectionist" element of the open skies that our government has agreed to is to partner with JAL or ANA. Anyone else will just not have the access. Hence where we are with JAL today.
As you know Haneda is close, and a lot more accessible than NRT. Yes, there is a high speed train, but ppl are about convenience. It will put a major damper on our NRT operation if we cannot have some sort of access to Haneda beyond the four slots a day that the OPEN Skies Accord is giving US carriers.
Andyd:
would it be a good deal to trade a few NRT slots for Haneda slots...even swap...AND pick up the int'l routes they are dropping along with some heavy metal on the cheap?
Read above. It would be great if we could just swap back. If the Japanese government allowed that, we would not need JAL. They are being protectionists. Open Skies should allow us unlimited access to Haneda, but the current form that the US government has agreed to does not.
As for what routes we get and what planes. There is rumor, and good rumor. Simply, it is just rumor until everyone signs on the dotted line. From the initial leanings, it appears that we may give up a few of the Beach destinations for some ULH flying. That would be an increase of staffing.
I assume we will see an official announcement after the MEC meeting where the whole Council give its direction to the MEC Leadership who will in turn direct the negotiating committee to arrive at at TA for this JV. If it falls apart, it falls apart. There are other options.