Hawaiian Airlines and Japan Airlines have formally applied for anti-trust immunity to form their proposed transpacific joint venture.
If granted it will be Hawaiian’s first international joint venture and the first US JV outside of the big three carriers, Delta, American Airlines and United.
Hawaiian and JAL will then be able to coordinate some flight operations, sales and marketing activity and pool their costs and share revenue generated on applicable routes.
The carriers have filed applications with Japan’s ministry of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism and the US department of transportation and can only proceed when both grant permission.
The application promises ‘a cascade of consumer benefits including lower fares, increased capacity and enhanced consumer choice.’
They say it will result in up to 350,000 more passengers visiting Hawaii.
Hawaiian and JAL expect to receive approval later this year and plan to launch the JV by mid-2019.
"We have long admired JAL’s excellent service. This joint venture will combine two premier brands in the highly competitive Japan-Hawaii market," said Peter Ingram, president and CEO of Hawaiian Airlines.
JAL flies non-stop to Honolulu from Tokyo Haneda and Sapporo.
