5 ms·

AeroMexico has a monopoly on flights from Latin America to Asia. (Technically, you can fly from Brazil to Abu Dhabi or something, but only AM goes to east Asia.

AeroMexico has a monopoly on flights from Latin America to Asia. (Technically, you can fly from Brazil to Abu Dhabi or something, but only AM goes to east Asia.) The AM flights run from Mexico City to Narita (a third-tier city in Japan) and Shanghai, usually on 787s. They may add Peking. Similar services are available connecting through LAX, SFO, or DFW and those are often faster if you're going to other Asian cities or connecting into MEX on the way. But somehow those AM flights usually carry ticket prices 30-50% higher than the equivalent service through US airports. That's often a $500+ premium. And the flights still fill up. AM catering may be a bit better in economy than on US carriers but the service is mostly identical. Turns out, that's what it's worth to avoid US airport procedures. The value in the market for avoiding TSA, the lack of sterile transit, US customs and immigration, intrusive slow humiliating US embassy visa operations, and the random nightmares passengers are treated to once in a while is about $500. A bargain, really.

JimboOmega 10y ago
Narita is the main airport for international flights to Tokyo. It's a bit of a hike to Tokyo proper, but there's a dedicated train. Anyway, I would imagine there are a lot of travelers (business, in particular) sensitive to time but not so much to price, for whom a direct flight is worth a few hundred $ - there was a solid market for the concord, remember. Anyway saving the connection, and a "normal" customs/security experience is probably the bigger factor. Incidentally, compare prices for flights to Vancouver and Seattle sometime.
- WildUtah 10y ago
  Tokyo International Airport at Haneda is the main airport for international flights to Tokyo -- at least for Japanese carriers. Foreign carriers are exiled to Narita -- a US$200 cab ride away -- as a protectionist measure. Haneda is right next to downtown Tokyo. --- The price difference persists for connecting flights from airports outside MEX and to destination airports outside NRT and Shanghai so it isn't based on direct flights. Though SkyTeam partnership connections in Asia are much less useful now that Delta has abandoned the NW network and most of its own intra-Asia network.
  - germanier 10y ago
    International carriers are moving capacity from Narita to Haneda just as Japanese airlines added more flights from Haneda since the new runway opened. The latter still operate a lot of international flights from Narita. Only US carriers seem to mostly not get Haneda slots but they are decreasing capacity in Narita as well as they now offer less connecting flights via Japan than they used to. There are currently negotiations and the Japanese authorities have agreed to assign more slots to American carriers. The problem seems mostly Delta, who would like to move their complete hub to Haneda which would take a large share of available slots there. Delta is lobbying hard (including loud in public which is a big no-no in Japan) for not increasing capacity for their competitors. [1] In 2013 the US was allocated Haneda slots but they could not agree on a distribution among their carriers, so they remained vacant. The problem at Haneda seems to be as much US-internal fights as Japanese protectionism. (Sure, Japanese carriers have more than 2/3 of all slots of Haneda. Personally, I think it's fine that a country's carriers are given preferred access where capacity is limited.) [1]: http://centreforaviation.com/analysis/delta-air-lines-our-way-or-no-way-attitude-risks-subverting-us-japan-interests-on-haneda-flights-262177 http://centreforaviation.com/analysis/delta-air-lines-our-wa...
    - WildUtah 10y ago
      Or the airport could do the right thing for its customers and auction slots to the highest bidder. Industrial central planning and picking protected industries continues to be a disaster for Japan (and every place else that tries it), decades on.
  - aninhumer 10y ago
    >a US$200 cab ride away It seems a little disingenuous to quote the taxi price when there are numerous train services available, of which the fastest still only costs ~$25. I'm not disputing your wider point, but it's not helped by throwing in misleading facts like that.
    - WildUtah 10y ago
      I meant to point out how far away it is, not to imply that taxis are a good choice. They are not. Tokyo and its surrounding countryside towns even as far away as Narita have the world's best train system and you should always prefer it. So I strongly endorse your advice to any travellers reading.

JimboOmega 10y ago

Narita is the main airport for international flights to Tokyo. It's a bit of a hike to Tokyo proper, but there's a dedicated train. Anyway, I would imagine there are a lot of travelers (business, in particular) sensitive to time but not so much to price, for whom a direct flight is worth a few hundred $ - there was a solid market for the concord, remember. Anyway saving the connection, and a "normal" customs/security experience is probably the bigger factor. Incidentally, compare prices for flights to Vancouver and Seattle sometime.

WildUtah 10y ago
Tokyo International Airport at Haneda is the main airport for international flights to Tokyo -- at least for Japanese carriers. Foreign carriers are exiled to Narita -- a US$200 cab ride away -- as a protectionist measure. Haneda is right next to downtown Tokyo. --- The price difference persists for connecting flights from airports outside MEX and to destination airports outside NRT and Shanghai so it isn't based on direct flights. Though SkyTeam partnership connections in Asia are much less useful now that Delta has abandoned the NW network and most of its own intra-Asia network.
- germanier 10y ago
  International carriers are moving capacity from Narita to Haneda just as Japanese airlines added more flights from Haneda since the new runway opened. The latter still operate a lot of international flights from Narita. Only US carriers seem to mostly not get Haneda slots but they are decreasing capacity in Narita as well as they now offer less connecting flights via Japan than they used to. There are currently negotiations and the Japanese authorities have agreed to assign more slots to American carriers. The problem seems mostly Delta, who would like to move their complete hub to Haneda which would take a large share of available slots there. Delta is lobbying hard (including loud in public which is a big no-no in Japan) for not increasing capacity for their competitors. [1] In 2013 the US was allocated Haneda slots but they could not agree on a distribution among their carriers, so they remained vacant. The problem at Haneda seems to be as much US-internal fights as Japanese protectionism. (Sure, Japanese carriers have more than 2/3 of all slots of Haneda. Personally, I think it's fine that a country's carriers are given preferred access where capacity is limited.) [1]: http://centreforaviation.com/analysis/delta-air-lines-our-way-or-no-way-attitude-risks-subverting-us-japan-interests-on-haneda-flights-262177 http://centreforaviation.com/analysis/delta-air-lines-our-wa...
  - WildUtah 10y ago
    Or the airport could do the right thing for its customers and auction slots to the highest bidder. Industrial central planning and picking protected industries continues to be a disaster for Japan (and every place else that tries it), decades on.
- aninhumer 10y ago
  >a US$200 cab ride away It seems a little disingenuous to quote the taxi price when there are numerous train services available, of which the fastest still only costs ~$25. I'm not disputing your wider point, but it's not helped by throwing in misleading facts like that.
  - WildUtah 10y ago
    I meant to point out how far away it is, not to imply that taxis are a good choice. They are not. Tokyo and its surrounding countryside towns even as far away as Narita have the world's best train system and you should always prefer it. So I strongly endorse your advice to any travellers reading.