Japanese carriers change flight path

From Flight International

DATE: 03/04/09

SOURCE: Air Transport Intelligence news

Japanese carriers change flightpaths to avoid North Korea missile

By Leithen Francis

Japanese carriers are changing flightpaths to Europe and Hawaii in response to North Korea's planned missile launch later this month.

All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines (JAL) have announced that all flights to Europe and Hawaii will operate on a different flightpath for the period 4-8 April.

This is in response to the planned launch by North Korea, the carriers say.

ANA operates to London, Paris and Frankfurt; while JAL operates to Amsterdam, Rome, Paris, Milan and London.

North Korea has said publicly it is launching a satellite but the USA and other countries say it is really a missile test.

South Korean carriers such as Asiana Airlines and Korean Air have since early last month altered flightpaths in response to concerns over North Korea.

The carriers made the changes at the behest of the South Korean Government which on 6 March issued a public statement ordering the country's airlines to bypass North Korean airspace on international flights.