Tokyo opens second international airport
2010-11-01
Tokyo Haneda Airport, which had previously only catered to domestic flights, recently opened a $1.3 billion international terminal.
Haneda Airport is closer to the city center than the Tokyo's existing international airport, Narita Airport, USA Today reports. Haneda is only a half-hour train ride from the center, and the new international terminal should make it easier for international visitors to reach downtown.
Some international carriers have already made plans to serve the airport, including the luxury Singapore Airlines, All Nippon Airways, American Airlines and Delta. Prior to the construction of the new terminal, Haneda was already Japan's busiest airport, serving 60 million passengers a year. The addition of the international terminal will boost Haneda's capacity by 35 percent, according to the news provider.
The Japanese government approved the expansion in an effort to respond to increasing competition from other Asian hubs and carriers. In particular, the addition of the new terminal is expected to benefit Japan Airlines, which is in bankruptcy protection due to years of inefficient operations, according to the Associated Press.
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