urbanMSP

There's not a lot of SkyTeam presence at HND. Mostly China Eastern to Shanghai, Korean to Seoul, nothing else intra-Asia, nothing replacing SIN/BKK/etc.

The reason why Delta is freaking out is because they don't have a Japanese partner for onward connections, like UA and AA have with ANA and JAL.

I wonder if Delta might choose to keep the NRT flight for connections on the Asia side, and add the HND flight for Tokyo destinations - best of both worlds. I don't know if there is enough traffic to justify both; I know Delta's original argument was that some flights being moved to HND would destroy the possibility of connections and hence weaken the hub, but if there's enough demand to maintain both then that would eliminate that argument. I expect there isn't, but it could still turn out that we get the HND and keep the NRT, at least until they figure out how to get a direct ICN (or major Chinese city) flight.

I'm guessing that those one stop connections on Delta will now (or in the new future) be through Seattle, not Tokyo.

If MSP is lucky, we may be able to add some more non stop connections.

MSP may see another carrier enter from a different Asian city. ICN has been discussed.

I see this as a product of where the market is heading, from NRT to HND, based upon the agreement between the US and Japan. DL may need to find a partner, in this case, or they may be stuck in this current situation. We, the customer in MN, might lose out if this goes poorly for Delta, unfortunately. I'm sure the market will sort itself out and DL will find a way to make it work. As we have read in the DOT ruling, if it does not, however, AA will be the lucky victor as the backup at DFW.

I'm guessing that those one stop connections on Delta will now (or in the new future) be through Seattle, not Tokyo.

If MSP is lucky, we may be able to add some more non stop connections.

I'm sure that's the case long term. The NRT hub is dying. I just hope they cover those flights somewhere else before they get rid of MSP-NRT. But that seems very unlikely to me.

Mildly relevant I'll say returning through SEA blows. The re-screening there is a serious pain in the ass and nothing one wants to deal with after a 12 hr flight.

Just for reference, here's Delta's current Asia Pacific flight structure. [PDF]

I would imagine Intra-Asia flying for Delta has to move to HND in order to support flights to the other destinations. Otherwise, there would not be enough traffic flow into those routes.

Nope. That's not happening. MSP-HND is a dead end route (for Skyteam, at least) on the Asian side. That won't change any time soon.

So how will Delta feed its NRT-SIN flight, for example?

Well, like MNdible says it seems like things are changing. Maybe, once the A350s come on line DL flies SIN-SEA in lieu of SIN-NRT. Or they just leave SIN completely and rely on Korean Air for connections through ICN (are Korean and Delta still feuding?). But yeah, for SIN-NRT to work they need to keep enough feed going.

The suggestion has been that it doesn't make sense for Delta to hub in Tokyo anymore; that the advance of new types of aircraft and changes in the marketplace mean you can fly a plane from multiple markets in the US directly to the locations in Asia. There's also been a lot of chatter that Delta will continue building its new Asian hub in Shanghai.

This article focuses on the impacts of the 787 (which Delta doesn't even fly yet), but it's still reflective of the changing thinking of the industry.

So that story linked to this, which at the moment doesn't appear to include MSP since there are no Dreamliners operating here, but is pretty phenomenal nonetheless.

Airport codes? Love em. Can't get enough of em. Gimme all the airport codes

For those not familiar with airport codes. HND-Tokyo Haneda, NRT-Tokyo Narita, SIN-Singapore, ICN-Seoul Incheon, SEA-Seattle, MSP-Minneapolis/St Paul, DFW-Dallas/Ft Worth.

I usually try to use city names instead of airport codes, but since a core part of this discussion is the distinction between Tokyo's two airports - and the previous discussion was between London's two airports - it's hard to avoid using them.

Sun Country (December 16th) and Delta (December 17th) to start seasonal service to PBI/West Palm Beach.

To anyone's knowledge, has MSP had any nonstop service to Palm Beach, post NWA? If not, interesting that we now have two carriers. Also interesting is DL going after SY here (DL announced after SY) when they have usually left each other alone.

I mean, if they're going after Icelandair (they are) then clearly they're willing to go after anybody to protect their network. Interesting because I got the sense that post NWA MSP was aiming to be nobody's fortress hub, while keeping as much Delta hub as possible. Looks like Delta wants to be a fortress hub here? I love that Delta is suddenly looking to aggressively invest here, just hope they don't push the others out.

https://www.google.com/maps/@44.8957902 ... a=!3m1!1e3

Airport nerds: What is the deal with this little two-block neighborhood off 28th Avenue? Why weren't these houses ever removed? Is there any interesting story here? Does the City of Minneapolis have any type of documented opinion on this area?

It would seem both a horrible place to live, and also a pretty ideal place to build some new light industrial property. Said industrial property would almost certainly be a net positive for property taxes, assuming it would remain private property and not owned by MAC.

So what gives? Is it just the land that time forgot? Who the hell would buy a house here today?

28th used to be the main road into Wold Chamberlain field before the new terminal along hey 5. There were at least a few more blocks south and some commercial properties. I imagine they're just leftovers and quite affordable. Maybe air force families?