Monday, October 19, 2015

Solaseed makes international debut with Kaohsiung charter.

On October 17th, Skynet Asia Airways [6J/SNJ] (d.b.a. Solaseed Air) operated its first ever international service, a round-trip charter between Miyazaki [KMI/RJFM] and Kaohsiung [KHH/RCKH] (Solaseed Air reveals Miyazaki – Kaohsiung charter.). It is being flown as part of a three-day four-night packaged tour from Miyazaki to Taiwan's second biggest city and vice versa.

Boeing 737-81D(WL) JA801X departs Miyazaki on Solaseed Air's first ever international flight. It launched operations back in August 2002. (Photo: Aviation Wire)

The outbound leg departed Miyazaki at 0848 JST carrying 158 passengers, mostly local business officials, five flight attendants, and two pilots. Boeing 737-81D(WL) JA801X was assigned. For the first time, the local carrier of Kyushu served in-flight meals and alcoholic beverages on board.

Flight Schedule:
Miyazaki – Kaohsiung NEW charter with 737-800.
6J9167 KMI 0850 – 1020 KHH 73H Oct/17
6J9167 KMI 1155 – 1325 KHH 73H Oct/20
6J9168 KHH 1130 – 1440 KMI 73H Oct/17
6J9168 KHH 1435 – 1745 KMI 73H Oct/20

Miyazaki's local transportation company Miyakoh Group, which owns 24% of Solaseed, is responsible for marketing in Japan, while JPK International Air Service, based in Taipei, is carrying out sales in Taiwan. "We hope to make this a success and increase charters; we would like to learn what we could do and what our customers want us to do," said Hiroshi Takahashi, President of Solaseed (Solaseed Air eyes international charters in FY2015.).

The Kyushu-based carrier 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, and virtually 35% when combined with the shares of Development Bank of Japan, a long-time ANA partner. Its official name will also be changed to Solaseed Air effective December 1st (Skynet Asia to officially change name to Solaseed Air.).

Source: Aviation Wire, 2015 October 17th. (in Japanese)
Source: Yomiuri Shimbun, 2015 October 18th. (in Japanese)

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