Sunday, July 19, 2015

Solaseed Air reveals Miyazaki – Kaohsiung charter.

On July 17th, Skynet Asia Airways [6J/SNJ] (d.b.a. Solaseed Air) announced plans for its first international charter flight, where it will operate two round-trips between Miyazaki [KMI/RJFM] and Kaohsiung [KHH/RCKH] in October. 174-seat Boeing 737-800s will be assigned, however, approximately only 150 seats will be available for sale.

Boeing 737-86N(WL) JA811X taxies at Tokyo's Haneda. With LCCs gaining ground, opportunities in the domestic market outside its partnership with ANA have decreased for small mid-cost airlines, prompting Solaseed to turn to international point-to-point charters to increase revenue. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

The flight will be operated as part of a three-night four-day packaged tour both ways. Miyazaki's local transportation company Miyakoh Group, which owns 24% of Solaseed, will be responsible for marketing in Japan, while JPK International Air Service, based in Taipei, has been contracted for sales in Taiwan.

Flight Schedule:
Miyazaki – Kaohsiung charter with 737-800.
6J**** KMI 0850 – 1020 KHH 73H Oct/17 *Flight numbers undecided.
6J**** KMI 1155 – 1325 KHH 73H Oct/20
6J**** KHH 1130 – 1440 KMI 73H Oct/17
6J**** KHH 1435 – 1745 KMI 73H Oct/20

Last October, Solaseed's President Hiroshi Takahashi had revealed that international charters were in the works (Solaseed Air eyes international charters in FY2015.). Although Miyazaki receives a three-times weekly flight from Taipei/Taoyuan [TPE/RCTP] with China Airlines [CI/CAL], that is the only destination in Taiwan. Mandarin Airlines [AE/MDA] operated a round-trip charter linking Miyazaki and Kaohsiung back in July 2010.

Marketing itself as The Wing of Kyushu and Okinawa, Solaseed currently flies 68 daily domestic flights covering 10 routes and 10 destinations using a dozen 737-800s. Their entire domestic network code-shares and is closely coordinated with All Nippon Airways [NH/ANA] (Solaseed Air expands Okinawa with Ishigaki and Nagoya.), whose parent ANA Holdings controls roughly 9% of Solaseed, though that figure is virtually 35% when combined with the shares Development Bank of Japan, a long-time ANA partner, controls. It will change its official name to Solaseed Air effective December 1st (Skynet Asia to officially change name to Solaseed Air.).

Source: Skynet Asia Airways, July 17th. (in English)
Source: Aviation Wire, July 17th. (in Japanese)

No comments:

Post a Comment