VIRGIN Australia has received further support in its application for a slot at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, from Qld Tourism Minister Kate Jones, while the Australian Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development has voiced confidence in the airline’s capability in obtaining the necessary approvals.
Responding to a request from the International Air Services Commission (IASC) for further information, the department said it considers VA is “reasonably capable of obtaining the relevant licences, permits and other approvals required to operate on and service the Australia-Tokyo (Haneda) route and using the capacity that VA has sought”.
Virgin Australia has gone up against rival Qantas in an application for one of two daylight slots at Haneda Airport, which have been opened up by a revised air services agreement (TD 17 Sep, TD 18 Sep).
In its response to the IASC, the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development also said that in the event operations were unable to be established or sustained, the unutilised slot would then be allocated to another airline, but noted this would ultimately be a decision for Japanese authorities.
Qantas has applied for both available daily frequencies, stating in a submission earlier this month that it was “the only no risk option” and it would deliver “operational certainty and more capacity compared to the proposal outlined by Virgin Australia” (TD 03 Oct).
Qld Tourism Minister Kate Jones backed Virgin, emphasising the new service had “potential to deliver significant and sustained benefits for travellers and Australian exporters, maximising the opportunity to boost tourism and trade flows”.
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Source: traveldaily