President Clinton seeks one, but people following the negotiation scene think he will wind up settling for less. If the less is an increase of only a few dozen flights a day between Japan and the U.S., they mostly will be gobbled up by service to the mainland and cities not now directly connected to Japan, not added to our approximately 165. We now have government-controlled access that limits flights. It benefits primarily United and Northwest Airlines on our side. Even with open skies we might not see as great a boost as some would hope.
Airlines look for the profitable routes.
We are not a major business destination, where the highest fares can be charged. Our high loads are made up of lower-paying vacation travelers. Paul Casey, former president of the Hawaii Convention and Visitors Bureau and now president of Hawaiian Airlines, thinks our biggest growth in Asian visitor traffic could come from resumption of nonstop service to Hong Kong. That's permitted now. But no airline sees sufficient profit potential in resuming it.