The U.S. and Japanese governments postponed talks about access to one of Tokyo's airports, the outcome of which Delta Air Lines said could threaten Minnesota's only nonstop flight to Asia.
U.S. Department of Transportation officials decided to delay Tuesday's scheduled meeting in which the agency and counterparts from Japan were expected to advance a plan to increase access for U.S. airlines at Tokyo's close-in airport, called Haneda.
Delta says its rivals, American and United airlines, would benefit more from such a move because both have a Japanese partner airline. Carriers with a Japanese airline partner can sustain a handful of flights — all that any U.S. carrier would get in the Haneda expansion — using connecting flights with their partners.
But Delta, which lacks a Japanese airline partner, wouldn't be able to survive at Haneda and might also see its operations at Tokyo's Narita International Airport threatened.
Delta was not given a reason for the delay in the government discussions.
"The threat remains imminent," said Kate Modolo, a Delta spokeswoman. "They are trying to figure out new dates to meet and the issue is as important as ever."
A DOT spokeswoman said the U.S. requested the postponement in order to allow more time to evaluate the situation.
Last week, Minnesota politicians, including Gov. Mark Dayton, told the DOT that the expansion of Haneda routes would be unfair to Minnesota businesses and the state's economy.
