Australia's Qantas drops Sapporo flight plan over labor shortages

TOKYO/SAPPORO, Japan -- Australia's Qantas Airways has joined a number of carriers dropping plans for flights to and from regional Japanese airports as an acute fuel shortage looms over the rebound in tourist traffic to Japan.

Earlier this year, Qantas had been assessing recommencing seasonal flying to Sapporo for the next ski season in Hokkaido in the north. But a specific plan did not materialize due to supplier constraints at the airport, including labor shortages. Qantas did not schedule any flights.