Delta Air Lines has made some additional reductions in transpacific flying. Primarily focused on cuts to Tokyo and Seoul, the airline is rationalizing capacity in a market that has been quite slow to recover. As current travel restrictions are expected to keep a damper on bookings for a bit, Delta is choosing to cut capacity in this market and focusing on Europe for a big summer.
Delta makes additional transpacific cuts
Delta Air Lines loaded a schedule update this weekend seen on Cirium. There are several major cuts impacting the carrier’s operations to Tokyo and Seoul. Namely:
- Honolulu (HNL) to Tokyo (HND) pulled until the end of October
- Los Angeles (LAX) to Tokyo (HND) pulled until the end of October
- Minneapolis (MSP) to Seoul (ICN) pulled until the end of October
- Minneapolis (MSP) to Tokyo (HND) pulled until the end of October
- Portland (PDX) to Seoul (ICN) pulled until mid-September
- Portland (PDX) to Tokyo (HND) pulled until the end of October
This is on top of some other frequency reductions:
- Atlanta (ATL) to Seoul (ICN) reduced to three weekly operations in May, going up to four weekly in June
- Detroit (DTW) to Seoul (ICN) goes down to three weekly in May, five weekly in June, and six weekly in July
- Seattle (SEA) to Seoul (ICN) goes down to four weekly flights in April and May, and six weekly flights in July
Cuts to two of Delta’s big Asian hubs
Seattle and Tokyo are big Asian hubs for the airline. Before the crisis hit, Delta was awarded additional operating rights at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport (HND), which is closer to the city center and preferred by travelers ending their trips in Tokyo. Delta, being the only major US airline without a partner that has a connecting hub at Tokyo Narita (NRT), Delta successfully advocated and moved its entire Tokyo operation over to Haneda in 2020.
While Haneda is not a major connecting hub, it receives service to several of Delta’s major hubs…