Delta’s application to begin new service to Haneda Airport in Tokyo has received a strong endorsement from the chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

“I am persuaded that Delta is best positioned to offer the most competitive service to Haneda from the most U.S. cities,” wrote U.S. Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minn., in a letter to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood this week. “Awarding the slots to Delta, furthermore, would preserve healthy competition among airlines flying between the United States and Japan.”

The DOT is expected to make its decision on the slots within a few months. Haneda is being opened to transpacific flights for the first time since 1978 under a new Open Skies accord between the U.S. and Japan. The airport, one of the busiest in the world, was limited to domestic service after Narita Airport was completed.

Haneda is a preferred airport for business travelers flying to and from Tokyo, because of its location near the city’s central business district. Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways account for more than 80% of the airport’s traffic.

Under the Open Skies agreement, four takeoff and landing slots at Haneda will be awarded to U.S. carriers. Delta has applied for service to Seattle, Detroit, Los Angeles and Honolulu. American, United, Continental and Hawaiian airlines also have applied for slots.

In his letter, James Oberstar recommends that slots be awarded to Delta, which he says will provide the greatest benefit to consumers.

“No other applicant proposes to launch Haneda flights with such a diversity of connection opportunities from secondary cities in every region of the United States,” he wrote. “I support efforts to bring more choice to more U.S. air travelers in more cities, and I hope DOT recognizes the benefits to U.S. consumers of Delta’s proposal.”

He also notes that awarding slots to American, United or Continental could hurt competition, because those airlines already have a significant presence at Haneda through their alliance partnerships with JAL and ANA.

“An award of the slots to Delta would avert this asymmetry and would preserve competitive balance,” he wrote. “A decision to award slots to Delta is the equitable decision.”

First time I've ever heard Oberstar say anything constructive or helpful. I guess anything is possible.

Gotta' agree there...Senator from one of the most prolific employers in his home state (MN), yet he seldom enthusiastically supports us, only grudgingly it seems. Maybe this is a harbinger of better things to come, both from him, and for Ma' Delta!
Chuck

Maybe all of the lobbying that DALPA and DAL has been doing up in DC is finally paying off! :eek:

Before anyone harps on the "why are we doing the Companies work for them" routine....

DAL is paying all the trip loss pay for the people we send to DC, so in essence DAL Inc. is "hiring" DALPA to lobby.....Yet if we want to push some things harder than a corp. does, DAL Inc. can just say "its labor, we can't control what they are doing!!!":D

Let's us play the game to our advantage, and get paid by someone else to do it!!!

HELP. How do I order missing approach plates. I need all SFO charts. Very confused

I know this has been covered before, but I can't find the previous posts regarding this topic. When one goes from say 3rd year to 4th year pay, and they were hired say April 20 07, do you get the new pay scale from April 1st on or May 1st or from April 20th? Thanks in advance.

Login to Deltanet.

From the Flight Operations page, on the left side under the heading "Flight Ops Resources" click on the link for "Manuals and Library Services."

Middle and bottom of the page you'll find the heading "Manual Service Forms." Click on the link "Pilot Manual/Revision Order Forms."

Click on the link for "Jepp Replacements"

Hope this helps!

Don't forget that you can also print a temporary copy of the chart you need...

From Flight Operations page, on the left side under heading "Pilot Tools" click on the link "Flight Kit."

From the Flight Kit page, you'll find a username and password for the Jepp online service where you can print charts. Comes in really handy.

Thank you very much. Got it

Or go to the Jep web page and download the SFO plates. I think the Delta password is on the Deltanet.