Continental Micronesia at the very least wants to double its Honolulu-Tokyo service to two Boeing 747-200 jumbo jets a day, the airline said Friday.
However it has also asked the U.S. Department of Transportation for new authority to fly between Honolulu and Sendai in northeastern Japan, initially four times a week using DC-10-30 aircraft. The airline said it wants to gradually increase Sendai service to one flight a day.
It also wants the department to act on an application it says was filed two years ago for a daily DC-10-30 service between Honolulu and Osaka.
Mark Drusch, the airline's staff vice president of international and regulatory affairs, said the new services require both U.S. and Japanese approval but the key now is to get the U.S. Department of Transportation to start talking about passenger service with the Japanese.
Continental's announcement comes at a time when the two countries are grappling over passenger air service, involving Japan Airlines and United.
Air cargo talks between the two countries ended Wednesday with an agreement but it is unclear when they will get down to real talks about passenger airlines.
"What it really requires is that the DOT begin discussions with the Japanese, which to date the DOT has refused to begin," Drusch said in a telephone interview.
The department also should lift the restriction that keeps Continental's Tokyo service to one flight a day, he said.
Officials at the department could not be reached immediately for comment on Continental's application.
Airline connections between Japan and Hawaii have a major impact on the state's economy, particularly in light of several years of slump in tourism from the mainland, Drusch said.
"These services would have such an immediate impact that delaying discussions has a very negative impact on the economy of the state."
Continental Micronesia is also proposing four times a week Boeing 727-200 service to each of three other Japanese cities, Hiroshima, Niigata and Okayama, from Guam and Saipan and said it hopes to move later to daily services on those routes.