Continental Wins Seattle-Japan Route

The Transportation Department on Thursday awarded Continental Airlines the highly contested air route between Seattle and Japan, complying with a court decision directing that the route be given to the airline.

The awarding of the route, which currently is being flown by United Airlines, has been highly controversial. Continental, United and American Airlines all were seeking it on a permanent basis.

Opponents of the ruling have 10 days to petition the department to reconsider its decision, DOT spokesman Bob Marks said.

United issued a statement saying it was encouraged that the ruling allowed for a reconsideration request, adding that the company “strongly believes that the merits of the case clearly support United’s retention of the route.”

A department administrative law judge had recommended Continental for the route originally, but a succession of senior department officials overruled the judge, choosing first United and then American.

Continental filed suit because it had not been given the route, and a federal appeals court ruled in late August that the original administrative law judge’s recommendation should stand.

The Seattle-Tokyo route had previously been flown by Pan American World Airways, but United assumed the route temporarily when it purchased Pan Am’s Pacific division in 1986.

The Transportation Department approved United’s acquisition of the Pan Am routes only under the condition that the Seattle-Tokyo route be dealt with separately.