Northwest to offer daily nonstop seasonal service between Seattle and Osaka

Northwest Airlines today announced that it will offer daily nonstop service between Seattle and Osaka, Japan from June 1 through October 5, 2003.

The flights are conveniently timed for vacationers between the two cities, as well as those making connections to and from dozens of destinations via the Seattle hub of Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, Northwest's alliance partners. The flight will also connect with Northwest service from Osaka to Taipei, providing Seattle-Taipei customers with a second single-connection schedule option.

"Seattle-Osaka service is another example of how Northwest offers travelers the most options to Japan," said Phil Haan, executive vice president of international, sales and information services. "We are pleased to offer Osaka-destined travelers the opportunity to fly with Northwest, the carrier with the most flights and more than 55 years of experience serving Japan."

Flight 95 will depart Seattle at 12:30 p.m. and arrive in Osaka the following day at 3:25 p.m. Flight 96 will depart Osaka at 5:00 p.m. and return to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport at 10:35 a.m.

The flight will be operated with a DC10-30 aircraft, with 26 seats in Northwest's World Business Class and 243 seats in coach class.

Seattle - Osaka service through Honolulu offered year-round

Northwest also announced that it has connected the schedules of its Seattle-Honolulu and Honolulu-Osaka flights, providing travelers with a year-round option on Northwest between Seattle and Osaka.

Beginning April 6, 2003, Northwest flight 925 will depart Seattle at 8:40 a.m., and arrive Honolulu at 11:30 a.m. Osaka-bound customers will be able to connect to flight 15, departing Honolulu at 12:30 p.m., arriving Osaka at 4:50 p.m. the following day.

On the return, Northwest flight 16 will depart Osaka at 9:00 p.m., and arrive Honolulu at 9:25 a.m. the same day. Seattle-destined customers will be able to connect to flight 924, departing Honolulu at 1:15 p.m., arriving Seattle at 9:50 p.m.

Northwest's alliance with Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air connects Northwest's flights out of Seattle with Alaska and Horizon's extensive schedule throughout the northwest United States. In addition, Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air customers can earn and redeem frequent flyer miles on Northwest flights, and members of Northwest's WorldPerks frequent flyer  program can earn and redeem mileage on Alaska and Horizon-operated flights. The alliance also provides members of each carrier's airport lounge programs, such as Northwest's WorldClubs, with reciprocal access.

Northwest serves more of Asia

Northwest offers service to more Asian destinations and flights to and within Asia than any other U.S. airline. The airline operates a hub at Tokyo's Narita Airport that connects the U.S. gateways of Detroit, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York JFK, San Francisco and Seattle, to key destinations such as Bangkok, Beijing, Busan, Guam, Hong Kong, Kaohsiung, Manila, Saipan, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore and Taipei. Northwest also offers nonstop service from Nagoya to Detroit and Manila, and from Osaka to Detroit, Honolulu and Taipei.