Thursday, April 2, 2015

Fuji Dream launches Izumo and Kitakyushu.

On March 29th, Fuji Dream Airlines [JH/FDA] launched Izumo [IZO/RJOC] and Kitakyushu [KKJ/RJFR] from its hub at Nagoya/Komaki [NKM/RJNA] (Fuji Dream confirms Izumo and Kitakyushu.) with one and two round-trips, respectively. FDA's eighth and ninth cities from Nagoya's older but more convenient airport near downtown will be flown with either 76-seat Embraer ERJ170-100s (E170s) or 84-seat ERJ170-200s (E175s). All three new flights code-share with partner Japan Airlines [JL/JAL].

Embraer ERJ170-200/STD (E175) JA03FJ Pink was FDA's first 84-seat aircraft. The Komaki-based carrier now operates six alongside three 76-seat ERJ170-100s (E170), with another two E175s on order. (Photo: FDA)

One-way fares to Izumo start from 9,000 JPY booked 45 days in advance and go up to 26,000 JPY for last-minute tickets during peak periods, though a promotional 6,005 JPY-fare is being offered in limited numbers until April 30th. Prices for Kitakyushu range from 11,000 JPY for 45-day-advance tickets to 28,000 JPY for last-minute fares during peak season. A promotional fare is also available until April 30th at 9,990 JPY. Taxes and fuel surcharge are not included in the figures.

Flight Schedule:
Komaki – Izumo NEW 1 daily with E170 or E175. (2015/Mar/29 - Oct/24)
JH415 NKM 1420 – 1520 IZO E70/E75 Daily
JH416 IZO 1550 – 1650 NKM E70/E75 Daily

Komaki – Kitakyushu NEW 2 daily with E170 or E175. (2015/Mar/29 - Oct/24)
JH401 NKM 0720 – 0840 KKJ E70/E75 Daily
JH407 NKM 1820 – 1940 KKJ E70/E75 Daily
JH402 KKJ 0910 – 1030 NKM E70/E75 Daily
JH408 KKJ 2010 – 2130 NKM E70/E75 Daily

ERJ170-200/STD (E175) JA09FJ Gold was assigned to the inaugural flight to Kitakyushu, while ERJ170-200/STD (E175) JA07FJ Yellow operated the first round-trip to Izumo. The former aircraft, which is their ninth, had only arrived in Japan on March 23rd (Fuji Dream's ninth Embraer E-Jet is Gold.) after a four-day-long delivery flight from Brazil.

The niche regional carrier is scheduled to receive its 10th aircraft in March 2016 and 11th in March 2017, however, FDA revealed that opening a base at Nagoya/Chubu Centrair [NGO/RJGG], the region's main international gateway, while keeping Komaki is currently under consideration, as aircraft parking space at the older airport is now full. Besides the two new destinations, FDA currently serves Aomori [AOJ/RJSA], Fukuoka [FUK/RJFF], Hanamaki [HNA/RJSI], Kochi [KCZ/RJOK], Kumamoto [KMJ/RJFT], Niigata [KIJ/RJSN], Yamagata [GAJ/RJSC] from Komaki.

FDA has largely been able to gain popularity for Komaki's compact terminal and proximity to downtown. It essentially filled the void left by JAL subsidiary J-Air [XM/JLJ], which withdrew from Komaki in March 2011. The two new routes were also previously served by JAL's commuter arm until 2005 and 2007, respectively. Although the airline says any Chubu Centrair flight would code-share with JAL, All Nippon Airways [NH/ANA] is the dominant carrier there, and with LCCs Jetstar Japan [GK/JJP] expanding (Jetstar Japan commences Nagoya – Okinawa.) and AirAsia Japan (Mk II) setting up a hub (New AirAsia Japan eyes launch by year-end 2015.), the small commuter carrier could drag itself into a new fare war.

Source: Travel Watch, March 30th. (in Japanese)

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