American Airlines Group Inc. will keep the right to fly between Los Angeles and Tokyo's Haneda airport, after federal regulators rejected claims by Delta Air Lines Inc. that the privilege should be revoked because American failed to begin service quickly enough.
American has until March 27 to begin the flights to Haneda airport, the U.S. Transportation Department ruled. The carrier said this month that it would begin daily service starting Feb. 11, after securing favorable arrival and departure times from Japanese officials.
The U.S. decision was the latest development in an almost yearlong spat between the carriers for one of only four existing routes between the U.S. and Haneda, which many business travelers prefer over Narita International Airport in Chiba Prefecture because it is closer to the capital. Delta gave up one of those routes to American in June after a fight between the two airlines, but argued in an Oct. 1 filing that its rival should cede the route after it didn't start service within 60 days.