Delta Air Lines is looking to remove bag recheck requirements for passengers flying from Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND), from where the airline flies to six points in the United States, easing the process for domestic transfers within the country.
Dealing with a challenging experience
Jeff Moomaw, the Vice President of Asia at Delta Air Lines, told Japan-based The Mainichi that the carrier was looking to eliminate the baggage recheck requirement for travelers flying between HND and the US, as well as those hopping across the Pacific Ocean from Seoul Incheon International Airport (ICN).
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According to Moomaw, the airline is currently working with Japanese and US authorities to introduce the change at the end of 2024. The executive noted that anyone who has traveled with an onward connection within the US knows that rechecking baggage was a “difficult” experience, with the airline hopefully eliminating it “soon.”
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Rechecking baggage upon arrival
Currently, passengers not traveling through preclearance airports approved by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have to recheck their bags when entering the US from an international destination. According to CBP, preclearance operations began in Toronto, Canada, in 1952 and have since expanded to Aruba, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, Ireland, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In total, there are 15 preclearance airports globally.
Kevin K. McAleenan, Deputy Commissioner at the CBP, said that the US needs to secure international travel while also facilitating growth and providing a pleasant experience for those arriving in the country.
“International travel to the U.S. continues to grow at 4 percent to 5 percent each year since 2009. We need to encourage this growth while addressing threats to commercial aviation as early as possible in the travel cycle.”
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Delta Air Lines network in Japan
According to data from the aviation analytics company Cirium, Delta Air Lines has 42 weekly flights originating at HND and landing in the US in April 2024. The six airports are Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW), Honolulu Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP), and Seattle Tacoma International Airport (SEA).
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The airline does not serve any other airport in Japan. Meanwhile, it operates flights to four US airports from ICN: ATL, DTW, MSP, and SEA. While in April, Delta Air Lines has scheduled ten weekly flights from ICN to ATL, totaling 31 weekly itineraries between ICN and the US, by May, the carrier will operate 14 weekly flights from ICN to ATL. As such, the carrier will operate 35 weekly one-way flights from ICN to the US.
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