Thursday, April 24, 2014

ANA offers red-eye Haneda - Okinawa 'Galaxy Flight'.

On April 23rd, All Nippon Airways (NH/ANA) announced adjustments to their Summer 2014 schedule, the first version (ANA releases Summer 2014 domestic schedule.) of which was released on January 22nd. The revised timetable sees frequency increases on routes to popular summer destinations, including a new midnight round-trip between Tokyo/Haneda (HND/RJTT) and Okinawa/Naha (OKA/ROAH) branded 'Galaxy Flight'.
Boeing 777-381 JA754A 'Peace Jet' taxies for departure at Haneda. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

Frequency increases:
Fukuoka (FUK/RJFF) – Tsushima (TSJ/RJDT) from 4 to 5 daily. *Aug/8 – 18.
Nagoya/Chubu Centrair (NGO/RJGG) – Sapporo/New Chitose (CTS/RJCC) from 6 to 7 daily. *Jul/18 – Sep/30.
Naha – Ishigaki (ISG/ROIG) from 8 to 9 daily. *Jul/18 – Aug/31.
Sendai (SDJ/RJSS) – New Chitose from 4 to up to 5. *Jul/3 – Aug/31.
Haneda – Naha from 10 to 12 daily. *Jul/18 – Aug/31.
Haneda – Saga (HSG/RJFS) from 4 to 5 daily. *From Jul/1. 

Frequency reductions:
Haneda – Kobe (UKB/RJBE) from 3 to 2 daily. *Jul/18 – Aug/31.

The new red-eye-timed flights connecting Japan's capital with the Ryukyu island have actually been operated since July 2012, but only with belly cargo and no passengers, feeding ANA Cargo's scissors hub at Naha. Now these flights' passenger cabin is being offered for a limited time during the peak summer vacation travel period, taking advantage of Naha's 24-hour airport capability. Either Boeing 777-300s or 787-8s will operate the flights. Although it will be the first red-eye domestic flight for ANA, Skymark Airlines (BC/SKY) has operated seasonal red-eye flights on the same route since 2005, albeit sporadically.

NEW red-eye Haneda – Naha timetable:
NH999 HND 0000 – 0230 OKA 773/788 Daily *Jul/18 – Aug/31.
NH1000 OKA 0440 – 0700 HND 773/788 Daily *Jul/18 – Aug/31.

Unlike other typical domestic flights leaving Haneda, NH999 will not be accepting electronic check-in nor walk-through 'Skip' service, and passengers must be checked-in at Counter 15 in Terminal 2 before 2330. The Premium Class cabin will not be opened, as won't lounges which will be closed at that time of the day. Onward check-in will not be offered and pets will not be allowed for check-in. Return leg NH1000 will look more like normal flights, except for not accepting pet check-in and keeping the Premium Class cabin closed.

NH999/1000 will allow for convenient through-connections at ANA's expanded international operations at Haneda (ANA's Summer 2014 international expansion.). One-way fares will start from as low as 9,700 JPY (very affordable for a Haneda flight with ANA) for 60-day-advance tickets and 20,700 JPY for last-minute.

Source: All Nippon Airways, April 23rd. (in Japanese)
Source: All Nippon Airways, April 23rd. (in Japanese)

*Post edited/updated on April 25th.

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