Japan Airlines (JAL) and Japan Air System (JAS) have won regulatory approval for their planned merger but must give up 12 daily slots at Tokyo's Haneda Airport and co-operate with start-up carriers.
Japan's Fair Trade Commission (FTC) approved the merger at the end of April. After weeks of negotiations with the commission, JAL and JAS presented a revised merger plan that included concessions. They agreed to give up nine turnaround (18 single) slots at Haneda at the time of integration and three more turnaround slots in February 2005 if the initial nine "are not sufficient for new entrants". Haneda, Asia's busiest airport, primarily caters to domestic flights.
They have also agreed to make some of their facilities available to new carriers, including boarding bridges, gate spots, check-in counter space and maintenance areas at Haneda and, if necessary, at other airports.
Following approval of the merger Japanese independent carrier Air Do is to open negotiations with All Nippon Airways (ANA) on an alliance that could lead to equity ties. Air Do, also known as Hokkaido International Airlines, was launched in 1998, but has been in financial trouble ever since. Air Do operates two Boeing 767-300ERs between Sapporo and Tokyo. ANA, Japan's biggest domestic airline, opposed the JAL/JAS merger.
Source: Flight International
