Airlines eye booming Asia-Pacific travel market
27 December 2010As Asian economies boom, U.S. carriers are courting long-haul travelers with more frequent service, cushier seats and amenities.
In February, Delta Air Lines will begin flying between the U.S. and Tokyo’s Haneda airport, three months after Hawaiian Airlines became the first U.S. carrier to do so. Delta also plans to resume Atlanta-Shanghai service after suspending it last year, and expand flights between China and Japan. American Airlines is launching flights between New York and Haneda next month, and between Los Angeles and Shanghai in April.
The expansion comes as domestic travel begins to recover, but not as quickly as travel in Asia-Pacific. The region already passed North America last year as the largest aviation market in the world. It remains the “‘most profitable region of the world for airlines'” because of its strong economic growth, according to the International Air Transport Association, which represents 230 carriers.
source: USA Today