On November 2nd, Vanilla Air [JW/VNL] launched thrice-weekly service to Hong Kong [HKG/VHHH] from their hub at Tokyo/Narita [NRT/RJAA]. Frequency will gradually increase, becoming daily from February 1st and then double daily from February 21st, coinciding with the delivery of their seventh and eighth 180-seat Airbus A320s. One of the two flights will run on a red-eye schedule.
The inaugural flight to Hong Kong, flight JW299, departed at 0905 JST, five minutes before published time with a load of 175 passengers (including two infants), five cabin attendants, and two pilots. A320-216(SL) JA04VA, configured with 180 seats, was assigned. The first return leg from Hong Kong, flight JW300, had 146 bookings. One-way fares start from 8,000 JPY for a ticket with no baggage allowance (Simple Vanilla) and 9,500 JPY for an inclusive ticket with 20 kilograms of baggage allowance plus free seat selection (Komi-komi Vanilla).
Flight Schedule:
Narita – Hong Kong NEW 3 weekly with A320-200.
JW311 NRT 0750 – 1150 HKG 32A Tu *2014/Nov/2 - Dec/31.
JW311 NRT 0945 – 1345 HKG 32A Th *2014/Nov/2 - Dec/31.
JW311 NRT 0910 – 1310 HKG 32A Su *2014/Nov/2 - Dec/31.
JW311 NRT 0735 – 1150 HKG 32A Tu *2015/Jan/1 - 31.
JW311 NRT 0930 – 1345 HKG 32A Th *2015/Jan/1 - 31.
JW311 NRT 0855 – 1310 HKG 32A Su *2015/Jan/1 - 31.
JW312 HKG 1245 – 1740 NRT 32A Tu *2014/Nov/2 - Dec/31.
JW312 HKG 1445 – 1940 NRT 32A Th *2014/Nov/2 - Dec/31.
JW312 HKG 1410 – 1905 NRT 32A Su *2014/Nov/2 - Dec/31.
JW312 HKG 1245 – 1730 NRT 32A Tu *2015/Jan/1 - 31.
JW312 HKG 1445 – 1930 NRT 32A Th *2015/Jan/1 - 31.
JW312 HKG 1410 – 1900 NRT 32A Su *2015/Jan/1 - 31.
Narita – Hong Kong increase from 3 weekly to 1 daily with A320-200. *2015/Feb/1 - 21.
JW311 NRT 0855 – 1310 HKG 32A Mo
JW311 NRT 0735 – 1150 HKG 32A Tu
JW311 NRT 0805 – 1220 HKG 32A We/Fr
JW311 NRT 0930 – 1345 HKG 32A Th
JW311 NRT 0825 – 1240 HKG 32A Sa
JW311 NRT 0855 – 1310 HKG 32A Su
JW312 HKG 1410 – 1900 NRT 32A Mo
JW312 HKG 1245 – 1730 NRT 32A Tu
JW312 HKG 1320 – 1805 NRT 32A We/Fr
JW312 HKG 1445 – 1930 NRT 32A Th
JW312 HKG 1340 – 1825 NRT 32A Sa
JW312 HKG 1410 – 1900 NRT 32A Su
Narita – Hong Kong increase from 1 to 2 daily with A320-200. *2015/Feb/21 - Mar/28.
JW311 NRT 0855 – 1310 HKG 32A Mo
JW311 NRT 0735 – 1150 HKG 32A Tu
JW311 NRT 0805 – 1220 HKG 32A We/Fr
JW311 NRT 0930 – 1345 HKG 32A Th
JW311 NRT 0825 – 1240 HKG 32A Sa
JW311 NRT 0855 – 1310 HKG 32A Su
JW315 NRT 2100 – 0155(+1) HKG 32A Mo
JW315 NRT 2055 – 0135(+1) HKG 32A Tu
JW315 NRT 2055 – 0115(+1) HKG 32A We/Th/Fr/Sa/Su
JW310 HKG 0200 – 0645 NRT 32A Mo/Fr/Sa/Su *From 2015/Feb/22.
JW310 HKG 0220 – 0705 NRT 32A Tu/We/Th *From 2015/Feb/22.
JW312 HKG 1410 – 1900 NRT 32A Mo
JW312 HKG 1245 – 1730 NRT 32A Tu
JW312 HKG 1320 – 1805 NRT 32A We/Fr
JW312 HKG 1445 – 1930 NRT 32A Th
JW312 HKG 1340 – 1825 NRT 32A Sa
JW312 HKG 1410 – 1900 NRT 32A Su
"Demand for travel from Hong Kong to Japan is very strong. It's been showing double-digit growth, and there is a 20% increase so far this year compared to last year, with the total number probably falling around 800,000 passengers. On the other hand, the number of travelers from Japan to Hong Kong was 1.2 million in 2012, but decreased to 1 million in 2013. I think we can contribute in bringing that figure up," said Tomonori Ishii, President of Vanilla Air. "Our target load factor is 80%. Regarding distribution channels, we expect 80% would be sold directly by us, while the remaining 20% would be through travel agencies. The latter is especially important during off-peak periods. We're also improving our smartphone application," he added.
The fledgling Narita-based carrier becomes the first LCC to serve Hong Kong from the airport. The Tokyo – Hong Kong market remained unpenetrated by LCCs until November 2013, when Hong Kong Express Airways [UO/HKE] (d.b.a. HK Express) launched Tokyo/Haneda [HND/RJTT] – Hong Kong. All Nippon Airways [NH/ANA] operates two daily from Narita and one from Haneda, Japan Airlines [JL/JAL] flies one each from Haneda and Narita, and Cathay Pacific Airways [CX/CPA] operates five from Narita and two from Haneda. Delta Air Lines [DL/DAL] ended their single daily Narita service on October 24th. But now, HK Express is adding a second Haneda flight from November 18th as well as a Narita flight from December 8th, and ANA is launching a second Haneda flight from December 20th (ANA adds Haneda – Hong Kong midnight flight.).
In other news, Vanilla Air is starting to see improved load factors. Their September load factors for international was 87.5% (37,818 out of 43,200 seats) and domestic stood at 87.8% (80,572 out of 91,800 seats), just a few points lower than their record 90.1% (40,238 out of 44,640 seats) and 92.1% (96,946 out of 105,220 seats), respectively, for August, the peak summer vacation travel season in Japan. Their load factors before that were 83.3% for international (36,680 out of 44,280 seats) and 77.5% for domestic (79,491 out of 102,592 seats) in July, when they launched Amami [ASJ/RJKA] service (Vanilla Air launches Narita – Amami.), and 72.7% (31,388 out of 43,200 seats) and 58.7% (32,622 out of 55,600 seats), respectively, in June.
The next city on Vanilla Air's plans is Kaohsiung [KHH/RCKH], Taiwan's second largest city, to be added on February 1st next year (Vanilla Air works out details for Hong Kong and Kaohsiung.).
Reference: Aviation Wire, September 30th. (in Japanese)
Reference: Aviation Wire, October 31st. (in Japanese)
Reference: Aviation Wire, November 2nd. (in Japanese)
 |
| Airbus A320-216(SL) JA04VA departs Narita for the first flight to Hong Kong. (Photo: Aviation Wire) |
The inaugural flight to Hong Kong, flight JW299, departed at 0905 JST, five minutes before published time with a load of 175 passengers (including two infants), five cabin attendants, and two pilots. A320-216(SL) JA04VA, configured with 180 seats, was assigned. The first return leg from Hong Kong, flight JW300, had 146 bookings. One-way fares start from 8,000 JPY for a ticket with no baggage allowance (Simple Vanilla) and 9,500 JPY for an inclusive ticket with 20 kilograms of baggage allowance plus free seat selection (Komi-komi Vanilla).
Flight Schedule:
Narita – Hong Kong NEW 3 weekly with A320-200.
JW311 NRT 0750 – 1150 HKG 32A Tu *2014/Nov/2 - Dec/31.
JW311 NRT 0945 – 1345 HKG 32A Th *2014/Nov/2 - Dec/31.
JW311 NRT 0910 – 1310 HKG 32A Su *2014/Nov/2 - Dec/31.
JW311 NRT 0735 – 1150 HKG 32A Tu *2015/Jan/1 - 31.
JW311 NRT 0930 – 1345 HKG 32A Th *2015/Jan/1 - 31.
JW311 NRT 0855 – 1310 HKG 32A Su *2015/Jan/1 - 31.
JW312 HKG 1245 – 1740 NRT 32A Tu *2014/Nov/2 - Dec/31.
JW312 HKG 1445 – 1940 NRT 32A Th *2014/Nov/2 - Dec/31.
JW312 HKG 1410 – 1905 NRT 32A Su *2014/Nov/2 - Dec/31.
JW312 HKG 1245 – 1730 NRT 32A Tu *2015/Jan/1 - 31.
JW312 HKG 1445 – 1930 NRT 32A Th *2015/Jan/1 - 31.
JW312 HKG 1410 – 1900 NRT 32A Su *2015/Jan/1 - 31.
Narita – Hong Kong increase from 3 weekly to 1 daily with A320-200. *2015/Feb/1 - 21.
JW311 NRT 0855 – 1310 HKG 32A Mo
JW311 NRT 0735 – 1150 HKG 32A Tu
JW311 NRT 0805 – 1220 HKG 32A We/Fr
JW311 NRT 0930 – 1345 HKG 32A Th
JW311 NRT 0825 – 1240 HKG 32A Sa
JW311 NRT 0855 – 1310 HKG 32A Su
JW312 HKG 1410 – 1900 NRT 32A Mo
JW312 HKG 1245 – 1730 NRT 32A Tu
JW312 HKG 1320 – 1805 NRT 32A We/Fr
JW312 HKG 1445 – 1930 NRT 32A Th
JW312 HKG 1340 – 1825 NRT 32A Sa
JW312 HKG 1410 – 1900 NRT 32A Su
Narita – Hong Kong increase from 1 to 2 daily with A320-200. *2015/Feb/21 - Mar/28.
JW311 NRT 0855 – 1310 HKG 32A Mo
JW311 NRT 0735 – 1150 HKG 32A Tu
JW311 NRT 0805 – 1220 HKG 32A We/Fr
JW311 NRT 0930 – 1345 HKG 32A Th
JW311 NRT 0825 – 1240 HKG 32A Sa
JW311 NRT 0855 – 1310 HKG 32A Su
JW315 NRT 2100 – 0155(+1) HKG 32A Mo
JW315 NRT 2055 – 0135(+1) HKG 32A Tu
JW315 NRT 2055 – 0115(+1) HKG 32A We/Th/Fr/Sa/Su
JW310 HKG 0200 – 0645 NRT 32A Mo/Fr/Sa/Su *From 2015/Feb/22.
JW310 HKG 0220 – 0705 NRT 32A Tu/We/Th *From 2015/Feb/22.
JW312 HKG 1410 – 1900 NRT 32A Mo
JW312 HKG 1245 – 1730 NRT 32A Tu
JW312 HKG 1320 – 1805 NRT 32A We/Fr
JW312 HKG 1445 – 1930 NRT 32A Th
JW312 HKG 1340 – 1825 NRT 32A Sa
JW312 HKG 1410 – 1900 NRT 32A Su
"Demand for travel from Hong Kong to Japan is very strong. It's been showing double-digit growth, and there is a 20% increase so far this year compared to last year, with the total number probably falling around 800,000 passengers. On the other hand, the number of travelers from Japan to Hong Kong was 1.2 million in 2012, but decreased to 1 million in 2013. I think we can contribute in bringing that figure up," said Tomonori Ishii, President of Vanilla Air. "Our target load factor is 80%. Regarding distribution channels, we expect 80% would be sold directly by us, while the remaining 20% would be through travel agencies. The latter is especially important during off-peak periods. We're also improving our smartphone application," he added.
The fledgling Narita-based carrier becomes the first LCC to serve Hong Kong from the airport. The Tokyo – Hong Kong market remained unpenetrated by LCCs until November 2013, when Hong Kong Express Airways [UO/HKE] (d.b.a. HK Express) launched Tokyo/Haneda [HND/RJTT] – Hong Kong. All Nippon Airways [NH/ANA] operates two daily from Narita and one from Haneda, Japan Airlines [JL/JAL] flies one each from Haneda and Narita, and Cathay Pacific Airways [CX/CPA] operates five from Narita and two from Haneda. Delta Air Lines [DL/DAL] ended their single daily Narita service on October 24th. But now, HK Express is adding a second Haneda flight from November 18th as well as a Narita flight from December 8th, and ANA is launching a second Haneda flight from December 20th (ANA adds Haneda – Hong Kong midnight flight.).
In other news, Vanilla Air is starting to see improved load factors. Their September load factors for international was 87.5% (37,818 out of 43,200 seats) and domestic stood at 87.8% (80,572 out of 91,800 seats), just a few points lower than their record 90.1% (40,238 out of 44,640 seats) and 92.1% (96,946 out of 105,220 seats), respectively, for August, the peak summer vacation travel season in Japan. Their load factors before that were 83.3% for international (36,680 out of 44,280 seats) and 77.5% for domestic (79,491 out of 102,592 seats) in July, when they launched Amami [ASJ/RJKA] service (Vanilla Air launches Narita – Amami.), and 72.7% (31,388 out of 43,200 seats) and 58.7% (32,622 out of 55,600 seats), respectively, in June.
The next city on Vanilla Air's plans is Kaohsiung [KHH/RCKH], Taiwan's second largest city, to be added on February 1st next year (Vanilla Air works out details for Hong Kong and Kaohsiung.).
Reference: Aviation Wire, September 30th. (in Japanese)
Reference: Aviation Wire, October 31st. (in Japanese)
Reference: Aviation Wire, November 2nd. (in Japanese)
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