Northwest Airlines Re-Establishes Anchorage's Scheduled Air Link with Tokyo

A ribbon-cutting ceremony and the blessing by a Shinto priest marked the re-establishment of Anchorage's scheduled air link with Tokyo after a 14-year hiatus. Northwest Airlines' nonstop flight from Tokyo to Anchorage, which was a highly sought-after service by Alaska officials, is expected to boost tourism and business links between the state and Japan, its biggest trading partner. The flight is a crucial development for the city, which was once a major hub for international flights but saw a decline in the early 1990s.

Key Takeaways:

• The new nonstop flight is expected to bring in an estimated $7 million direct economic impact to Anchorage this summer, with approximately 4,200 passengers arriving on the flight.
• The flight cuts travel time from Seattle to Tokyo by three hours, making it a more efficient option for travelers.
• The flight will run weekly through the summer, with a Boeing 747-200 aircraft carrying 142 passengers and a crew of 16.
• The new flight is part of Northwest Airlines' efforts to improve access to and from other Asian destinations for travelers.
• Adults and children accompanying the fifth and sixth graders from Sand Lake Elementary School praised the direct flight, citing reduced travel time and the elimination of the risk of getting lost in Seattle.
• The flight from Tokyo to Anchorage will last approximately 6 hours and 11 minutes, with Thursday's flight having only a couple of open seats.
• Charter flights have continued to link Anchorage and Japan, but the new nonstop service will be the first scheduled service between the two cities since the early 1990s.

Statistics:

• 4,200 passengers are expected to arrive in Anchorage on the new direct flight to Tokyo this summer, generating an estimated $7 million direct economic impact.
• 142 passengers boarded the first Boeing 747-200 aircraft on Thursday's flight, which has a seating capacity of 370 passengers.
• The flight will operate weekly through the summer, with a crew of 16 and a flight duration of 6 hours and 11 minutes from Tokyo.
• Approximately 1.5 million international passengers passed through Anchorage International Airport at its peak, mainly on flights refueling in Anchorage.
• The airport now services about 700,000 international passengers per year.
• The Anchorage-Tokyo flight is the first nonstop scheduled service between Tokyo and Anchorage since airlines stopped using Anchorage as a refueling stopover in the early 1990s.

Sources:

• "Northwest Airlines' Nonstop Tokyo Service Slated to Start". Daily News Reporter Mike Hinman (2006)
• Northwest Airlines' website
• Anchorage International Airport's website