Singapore Airlines opens flights to Tokyos Haneda, will others finally follow?
On November 11 Singapore’s flag carrier, Singapore Airlines, announced it will launch a twice-daily service to Haneda Airport, marking another step towards a second major international airport for Tokyo. The services will start in October 2010, with no details released as to flight times or aircraft type. Singapore currently offers a twice daily flight to Tokyo’s main hub, Narita Airport, which handles nearly all the country’s international traffic. The move follows a recent proposition by the Japanese government of permitting Haneda to handle more international traffic to allow the more convenient but domestic-focused airport to become Japan’s second international hub. “Haneda has more domestic flight connections and is nearer Tokyo’s business districts,” stated a spokesperson for Singapore Airlines. “The new flights will cater for growth in demand and boost travel between Singapore and Japan for both business and tourism.” Foreign low-cost airlines have not received a warm reception
