Delta To Halt Some Flights From Japan

By MarketWatch

ATLANTA -- Delta Air Lines said Thursday it plans to suspend some service to Japan starting next week amid reports of rising flight cancellations as the country struggles to contain a potential nuclear disaster.

Shares of Delta fell two percent in recent trading, while shares of its US competitors for the Japanese market — United Continental Holdings and AMR Corp., the parent of American Airlines — also declined.

Deutsche Lufthansa AG and Air France KLM suspended flights to and from Tokyo earlier this week, rerouting their customers to other airports in the country. Some Chinese carriers also reported suspensions.

United Continental halted flights to Sendai earlier in the week. The Chicago-based airline also noted that travel demand to Japan had declined following last week’s destructive earthquake and tsunami.

American, which has the least exposure to Japan among US carriers that fly there, said it was maintaining its normal schedule.

Japanese officials are fighting to regain control over the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant south of Sendai, which was just 80 miles west of Friday’s 9.0-magnitude quake. The plant is around 150 miles north of Tokyo.

Amid worries about radiation, Narita Airport, located just north of the city, was reportedly overwhelmed by thousands looking to exit the country.

There was also a government warning of a possible blackout for Tokyo due to the cutback in the country’s power production, which could lead to disruptions of the city’s mass-transit system.

Airlines recently extended their cut-off dates for customers who wish to reschedule their Japanese flights without paying a fee.

Atlanta-based Delta said its daily flight from nearby Haneda Airport to Los Angeles and Detroit would be put on hold starting Wednesday and Thursday, respectively, and customers will be redirected to flights out of Narita.

“Given recent events in Japan, it is more efficient for us to run our operations from our hub at Narita,” said spokesperson Betsy Talton, in an email.

Delta said it has the capability to reinstate Haneda service on short notice, if needed.Read more: MarketWatch