Northwest to resume flights to Osaka

By Dan Nakaso
Advertiser Staff Writer

Northwest Airlines will resume its daily nonstop service between Honolulu and Osaka, Japan, beginning in April but on a temporary, seasonal basis.

Northwest canceled the flight in October as part of an industry-wide shakeup from the Iraq war and the outbreak of SARS, which disrupted airline travel throughout Asia.

The Osaka flight will resume April 28 through Oct. 30 as Northwest officials monitor the market, said spokesman Kurt Ebenhoch.

"It's been a very difficult and challenging year to navigate," Ebenhoch said.

Northwest, the world's fourth largest airline, makes more flights to Japan than any other U.S. carrier.

Ebenhoch did not specify the specific issues that prompted Northwest to resume Flight 15 and Flight 16 but said, "we wouldn't make this kind of change if we didn't believe it would be a success."

Flight 16 will leave Osaka at 9 p.m. and arrive in Honolulu at 9:25 a.m. the same day. Flight 15 leaves Honolulu at 12:30 p.m. and arrives in Osaka the next day at 4:50 p.m.

Passengers will travel on a DC10-30 plane with 26 business class and 243 coach class seats.

Reach Dan Nakaso at 525-8085 or dnakaso@honoluluadvertiser.com.