Northwest Airlines Corp. said Thursday it will halt three trans-Pacific flights from Kansai International Airport from the end of September, citing a drop in passengers amid the prolonged economic downturn.
The major U.S. airline said it will terminate flights bound for Seattle, Kuala Lumpur and Kaohsiung in Taiwan. There are currently three to four round-trip flights a week on the routes.
"The route changes are part of Northwest's strategy to enhance revenues and reduce costs in the face of declining business travel resulting from the slowing economy," Philip Haan, an executive vice president of the firm, said in a statement.
"Even though Northwest is suspending service to these markets at the present time, we intend to return," Haan said.