American Airlines Inc. has said it is set to operate daily direct flights between Tokyo's Haneda airport and John F. Kennedy airport in New York "in the coming months" as U.S. authorities recently granted the company tentative approval for the route.
American beat United Airlines Inc. in a competition for a takeoff and landing slot at Haneda after Delta Air Lines Inc. discontinued flights connecting the airport with Portland, Oregon.
The U.S. Transportation Department said in the decision, dated Friday, that it found both American and United presented "attractive proposals" for using Haneda but American's proposal "would enhance competition and better achieve our principal objective of maximizing public benefits."
United had sought to fly between Haneda and Houston.
American already operates two codeshare flights a day between Haneda and JFK using Japan Airlines Co. planes.
Related coverage:
Small jet overshoots at Japanese airport, causing runway closure
Airline resumes flights to quake-hit airport in central Japan
U.S.-bound ANA plane returns to Tokyo after man bites cabin attendant
