As air cargo operations continue to grow at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, international passenger flights are dropping off, according to officials.
Last year, Korean Air dropped its regularly scheduled flights to Anchorage, and Japan Airlines operates only seasonal flights.
"We dropped our flights from three times a week in March of last year to a seasonal service," said Dae-Chul Lee, regional manager for Korean Air. "Our plan is to offer flights to Seoul from June 24 through the end of August next year, three times a week."
Airport officials confirm the plan, and add that Japan Air, which now over-flies Alaska from New York and Chicago, will offer flights only in the summer months.
"Yes, (Korean Air) ended their transit flights and this summer began operating seasonal service from Seoul to Anchorage, three days per week," said Linda Close, marketing manager for the airport.
This leaves only Taiwan-based China Airlines to make regular flights to Asia from Anchorage.
"China Airlines currently operates between Anchorage and Taipei four days a week," Close said.
International travel experts, however, doubt that even the summer services will be maintained.
"I doubt very much that Korea will continue that seasonal service," says Yoshi Ogawa, president of International Travel Consultants in Anchorage. "Their enplanement numbers were low, and the flights were not very profitable."
Ogawa applauds the service to Taipei, however. "China Airlines has a very successful connection to the Asian and South Pacific destinations through Taipei," Ogawa said. "You can go anywhere you want from Taipei, and there are many different connections into Japan also."
Ogawa thinks the political connections created by Alaska Gov. Frank Murkowski and the Taiwanese may be driving Chian Airlines' interest in keeping the flights to Alaska.
Travelers wishing to make destinations like Japan, China and Southeast Asia can use China Airlines, or fly south to Seattle or Portland and use traditional carriers, which over-fly Alaska to Asian destinations, according to Ogawa.
Official total numbers on international passenger flight enplanements from 2004 and 2005 at the Anchorage airport were not available.
Rob Stapleton can be reached at
rob.stapleton@alaskajournal.com.
