In what could provide a much-needed boost to the still lagging Japanese visitor arrivals, United Airlines is launching a highly sought-after flight from the Tokyo-Haneda airport to Guam on May 2.
The first Guam to Haneda flight is scheduled to depart May 1.
United Airlines has scheduled a media event at the Tokyo-Haneda airport with a gate celebration and ribbon-cutting to kick off the inaugural Haneda to Guam flight, which the airline said is the first route of its kind.
Flights depart Haneda at 11:55 p.m., arriving on Guam at 4:40 a.m. the next morning.
Return flights depart Guam at around 7 p.m. and arrive at Haneda at 10 p.m.
United Airlines has been seeking a slot at Japan’s largest and busiest airport for some time, and the U.S. Department of Transportation approved the route and issued a notice of action on Feb. 17.
In an interview shortly after,…