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DELTA AIRLINES DROPS TOKYO TO PORTLAND FLIGHTS
Delta Air Lines this week announced that it will drop its direct flights from Japan to Portland, Oregon.  This comes in the wake of months of growing criticism of INS actions at the Portland airport, including the arrest and strip search of a Chinese businesswoman a few weeks ago.  Stories about this incident are available in previous issues of the bulletin at http://www.visalaw.com/00sep1/6sep100.html and http://www.visalaw.com/00aug4/18aug400.html. 

According to a Delta spokesperson, the route has lost $10 million over the past year.  The number of people using this route has dwindled as news of the actions of INS officers at the airport spreads.  Many Asian business travelers refer to Portland as Deportland.  While Delta says its decision was motivated solely by economic considerations, it does allow that the reputation of the INS may be a factor in the decreasing number of people using the flight.

Oregon officials are upset with decision, fearing that it may weaken ties between the state and Asian countries.  Also, the withdrawal of one of the Portland airport’s few international flights is a significant loss of prestige.  State officials had offered Delta $5 million in various incentives to keep the flight, but the airline estimates it will save $40 million by dropping it. 
 
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