National business
Northwest seeks more landing slots at Narita

Bloomberg News Service

TOKYO — Northwest Airlines Corp., the biggest foreign carrier in Japan, is bidding for more landing rights at the country's biggest international airport as it tries to expand flights to Asia.

The fourth-biggest U.S. carrier wants the extra slots at Tokyo's Narita airport in part to link the hub to more airports in the region, Richard Anderson, chief executive of Northwest Airlines told a press briefing in Tokyo.

"We would utilize those slots most likely to increase services to other points in Asia," Anderson said.

Northwest Airlines holds 12 percent of landing slots at the airport behind Japan Airlines Co., which holds a quarter, but ahead of Japan's No. 2 airline, All Nippon Airways Co., with an 8 percent share. The U.S. carrier is hoping to press its case for new slots even as slowing economic growth begins to cut demand.

"We are seeing some softness here in Japan," Anderson said, adding that the drop in demand growth "has been greater in the U.S."

The opening of Narita's first new runway will add 50 percent to existing capacity when it opens next May. That will give Japanese and overseas carriers their first big chance to add flights since the airport opened in 1978, raising competition for passengers.

Northwest's rivals for the extra slots include Japan Airlines, Asia's biggest airline, and All Nippon Airways, among other carriers. All Nippon, the country's largest domestic carrier, last month said it wants to make Narita the base for expanded international operations, including as much as tripling its overseas flights.

Rival AMR Corp.'s American Airlines last week said it wants to get new access at Narita, and plans to open a new route between Tokyo to New York from May.