tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20897819780497668592024-02-08T15:28:24.333+09:00ZipanguFlyerNews about airlines in Japan... plus some flight reports.Ryosukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04213870752652946888noreply@blogger.comBlogger423125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2089781978049766859.post-20430021992578300252018-07-01T22:34:00.001+09:002018-07-01T22:37:30.601+09:00ZipanguFlyer has moved to Twitter!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We have moved and reopened on Twitter!</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://twitter.com/zipanguflyer">http://twitter.com/zipanguflyer</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Focus: Airline news from Japan, airplane spotting, travel notes, etc.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Please update your bookmarks!</span></div>
</div>
Ryosukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04213870752652946888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2089781978049766859.post-58793520406654469342016-05-31T18:25:00.002+09:002016-05-31T18:25:27.968+09:00Vanilla Air announces Okinawa – Taipei.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">On May 25th, Vanilla Air [JW/VNL] announced that it will commence Okinawa/Naha [OKA/ROAH] – Taipei/Taoyuan [TPE/RCTP] on September 14th. An additional Tokyo/Narita [NRT/RJAA] – Naha round-trip will also be added at the same time. All flights will be operated by 180-seat Airbus A320-200s. The LCC arm of ANA Holdings continues to add more destinations from Taipei, which is set to become their second hub and the first outside Japan.</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgpQk3N2sxILFOLPScIX4z6i0ud4IQXkRF7uuLyH-kEePaAGpA66MeKVHcp4ZIUqYrDd9H3KGeTSzPlJlV7lNj588EhWVIpehxhZxSXpKJKkU4Kh0nOfNC2XXaM5rBS77svrbMIzcmxQY/s1600/ja03va_20150804nrt_aw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgpQk3N2sxILFOLPScIX4z6i0ud4IQXkRF7uuLyH-kEePaAGpA66MeKVHcp4ZIUqYrDd9H3KGeTSzPlJlV7lNj588EhWVIpehxhZxSXpKJKkU4Kh0nOfNC2XXaM5rBS77svrbMIzcmxQY/s400/ja03va_20150804nrt_aw.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Airbus A320-214(SL) JA03VA is one of two aircraft in Vanilla Air's fleet with a non-standard white livery. When the first AirAsia Japan (Mk I) was re-launched as Vanilla Air, they did not have enough time to fully paint the aircraft before they needed it. Their original three A320s still retain the basic AirAsia interior. (Photo: Aviation Wire)</span> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Tickets went on sale on May 26th. One-way fares start from 4,590 JPY for a ticket with no baggage allowance (<i>Simple Vanilla</i>) and 6,590 JPY for an inclusive ticket with 20 kilograms of baggage allowance plus free seat selection (<i>Komi-komi Vanilla</i>).</span></span><br />
<br />
<u><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Flight Schedule:</span></span></u><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Naha – Taipei/Taoyuan NEW daily with A320-200.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">JW189 OKA 2110 – 2145 TPE 32A/320 Mo/Tu/Th/Fr/Sa/Su *From Sep/15.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">JW189 OKA 2035 – 2110 TPE 32A/320 We *From Sep/14.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">JW180 TPE 0610 – 0845 OKA 32A/320 Daily *From Sep/15.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The aircraft for the outbound service will arrive from Narita into Naha flying the newly added flight, and then hop to Taipei, to turn around for their Osaka/Kansai [KIX/RJBB] link, which was only launched on April 27th (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2016/04/vanilla-air-adds-kansai-taipei-plans-se.html" target="_blank">Vanilla Air adds Kansai – Taipei, plans SE Asia in 4Q2016.</a>). The inbound leg will be part of the Kansai – Taipei – Naha – Narita routing.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Naha becomes Vanilla Air's third destination from Taipei, and it is part of their strategy to make the Taiwanese capital a scissors hub to connect Japan and Southeast Asia (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2016/02/vanilla-air-eyes-china-southeast-asia.html" target="_blank">Vanilla Air eyes China, Southeast Asia, and Okinawa hub.</a>), which is similar to what part-sister Peach hopes to do at Naha (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2014/07/peach-launches-naha-hub-but-naha.html" target="_blank">Peach launches Naha hub; but Naha – Ishigaki axed.</a>). From Taipei, it currently flies to Narita four times daily, and plans are underway to add Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam using fifth freedom rights, as well as Sapporo/New Chitose [CTS/RJCC].</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Bangkok/Don Mueang [DMK/VTBD] is likely to become their first destination in Southeast Asia, and Vanilla is reportedly in talks with fellow Value Alliance (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2016/05/vanilla-air-joins-seven-lccs-to-form.html" target="_blank">Vanilla Air joins seven LCCs to form Value Alliance.</a>) member Nok Airlines (d.b.a. Nok Air) [DD/NOK] for a stronger partnership.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Source: <a href="https://www.vanilla-air.com/jp/news/1761" target="_blank">Vanilla Air</a>, 2016 May 25th. (in Japanese)</span></span></div>
Ryosukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04213870752652946888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2089781978049766859.post-81501396863523676342016-05-17T18:22:00.000+09:002016-05-17T18:22:30.427+09:00Vanilla Air joins seven LCCs to form Value Alliance.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">On May 16th, Vanilla Air [JW/VNL], together with LCCs Cebu Air (d.b.a. Cebu Pacific) </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">[5J/CEB] </span></span>including subsidiary Cebgo [DG/SRQ], Jeju Air [7C/JJA], Nok Airlines (d.b.a. Nok Air) [DD/NOK], NokScoot Airlines [XW/NCT], Scoot [TZ/SCO], Tiger Airways Australia (d.b.a. Tigerair Australia) [TT/TGW], and Tiger Airways Singapore (d.b.a. Tigerair) [TR/TGW], announced the creation of Value Alliance. The founding members currently operate a collective fleet of 176 aircraft across the Asia Pacific region and serve over 160 destinations, carrying 47 million passengers in 2015.</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIK1xtMDwZJBw_QCtRukaUidmIowyLDUgfCuv3l4AW2c3h3b-TtAdD-8IvsBWamelzsH17WV90ZMGPZoRfiSsheY3LPLuxPFbOSfsZRFG1C3eT6Fhyphenhyphen_vjvXHFEBvbXzC9Yy95z647CeP8/s1600/ja07va_20160416nrt_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIK1xtMDwZJBw_QCtRukaUidmIowyLDUgfCuv3l4AW2c3h3b-TtAdD-8IvsBWamelzsH17WV90ZMGPZoRfiSsheY3LPLuxPFbOSfsZRFG1C3eT6Fhyphenhyphen_vjvXHFEBvbXzC9Yy95z647CeP8/s400/ja07va_20160416nrt_1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Airbus A320-214(SL) JA07VA arrives at Narita. Vanilla Air took delivery of its ninth A320 on April 22nd and will receive two more during FY2016, with its fleet planned to reach 25 by FY2020. New President Katsuya Goto has mentioned the possibility of the A321neoLR, which would allow non-stop flights from Japan to Southeast Asia. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The partnership enables customers to book flights from any of the eight airlines' websites in a single transaction through technology developed by Air Black Box (ABB). Travelers will also be able to choose ancillary services including seat selection, meals, and check-in baggage for flights from different airlines in a single itinerary. ABB’s Air Connection Engine (ACE) platform has filed for NDC Certification with IATA and is expected to complete full certification soon.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">However, the cooperation will be limited to enhancing sales and ticket distribution among members, at least initially, unlike the comprehensive alliances of legacy carriers such as Oneworld, Skyteam, and Star, which go far as offering mileage transfers, joint marketing, standardizing service and quality, and coordinating schedules and sharing revenues where anti-trust immunity (ATI) has been granted. At this time, Value seems to be largely an experiment to better compete with the likes of LCC groups AirAsia and Jetstar, and to a lesser extent Lion Air, which have gained network scale by having subsidiaries in multiple nations and marketing them under a single brand and website.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Value becomes only the second LCC grouping of its kind after U-FLY Alliance, which was formed in January and includes Hong Kong Express Airways (d.b.a. HK Express) [UO/HKE], Lucky Air [8L/LKE], Urumqi Air [UQ/CUH], and West Airlines (d.b.a. West Air) [PN/CHB], all HNA Group carriers. Both alliances are keen to court more members, though there are not many remaining in the region. VietJet Aviation [VJ/VJC] will likely go alone, with a strong and growing domestic home market along with a healthy aircraft orderbook. Also, the government, which controls Vietnam Airlines [VN/HVN] and indirectly owns Jetstar Pacific Airlines [BL/PIC], may not be comfortable in allowing them to forge international partnerships for now.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">On another note, the exclusion of Tigerair Taiwan [IT/TTW] from Value is a further hint that its majority owner China Airlines [CI/CAL] is planning to buy Tigerair's 10% shareholding to take full control, which would likely result in the LCC re-branding and moving to a different reservations system. Also, Tigerair Taiwan competes with Scoot in the Taiwan – Singapore and Taiwan – Japan markets and with NokScoot in the Taiwan – Thailand market. However, some competition within the alliance seems inevitable as Vanilla prepares to launch Southeast Asia from a new Taipei/Taoyuan [TPE/RCTP] hub by year-end (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2016/04/vanilla-air-adds-kansai-taipei-plans-se.html" target="_blank">Vanilla Air adds Kansai – Taipei, plans SE Asia in 4Q2016.</a>).</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.vanilla-air.com/jp/news/1751" target="_blank">Vanilla Air</a>, 2016 May 16th. (in Japanese)</span></span></div>
Ryosukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04213870752652946888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2089781978049766859.post-44332709884510911872016-05-16T19:06:00.001+09:002016-05-17T09:20:17.148+09:00New AirAsia Japan launch slips to 4Q2016 at earliest.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">AirAsia Japan (Mk II) [DJ] has officially admitted that they will miss its target launch in Summer 2016 (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2016/02/new-airasia-japan-reveals-china-se-asia.html" target="_blank">New AirAsia Japan reveals China, SE Asia, USA ambitions.</a>), and a new date has yet to be set. "Additional time is necessary to ensure the safety of operations," revealed a company spokesperson on May 11th to local media outlets in Nagoya, adding "At this time we are unable to confirm our launch date." This becomes the third delay for the reincarnation of AirAsia's Japanese unit (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2016/02/new-airasia-japan-delays-service-entry.html" target="_blank">New AirAsia Japan delays service entry to July 2016.</a>).</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW_GhDmyLXBDETgMPicQfgyYdKro6pQwplGA89Ro01LPlEC5ooyZxODywx1_Ng9ABgPSbCDVy00MPTC_PImGYD-insXqAh6U-X2JVDLo6MIkRL9sqSoP2I9cNtwKQ0LeQgWhFyCPI9ljk/s1600/ja02dj_20160201tls_tgudat1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW_GhDmyLXBDETgMPicQfgyYdKro6pQwplGA89Ro01LPlEC5ooyZxODywx1_Ng9ABgPSbCDVy00MPTC_PImGYD-insXqAh6U-X2JVDLo6MIkRL9sqSoP2I9cNtwKQ0LeQgWhFyCPI9ljk/s400/ja02dj_20160201tls_tgudat1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Airbus A320-216(SL) JA02DJ/F-WWBO (msn 6972) lands at wet Toulouse after a test flight. It was delivered on April 27th and arrived at Chubu Centrair on May 5th. AirAsia Japan will commence operations with two aircraft. (Photo: Tobias Gudat)</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Japan's fifth LCC in five years, AirAsia Japan (Mk II) took delivery of its second Airbus A320 on April 27th, and <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">hiring</span> ground-handling staff at Sapporo/New Chitose [CTS/RJCC] and Sendai [SDJ/RJSS] ha<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">s</span> been completed. However, the airline reportedly still lacks the adequate number of pilots, maintenance personnel, and operations control staff required by regulator Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB). Demand <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">for <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">trained aviation <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">professionals </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">is high <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">due to the rapid gr<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ow<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">th of LCCs and AirAsia Japan (Mk II) may be having difficult<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">y recruiting. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>It received an Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) in October last year (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/10/airasia-japan-mk-ii-receives-aoc.html" target="_blank">New AirAsia Japan receives AOC; takeoff in April 2016.</a>), but has yet to pass inspections in maintenance and operations preparedness.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The latest delay pushes back its in-service date to October at earliest, and that is if actual flight training<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span>sta<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">rts by June </span>and JCAB checks including proving <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">flights </span>could be <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">com<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">menced</span></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">by August</span>. </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Training flights</span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> ha<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ve</span> yet to <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">begin</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, and i</span>ts two aircraft <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">remain <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">grounded</span> at </span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nagoya/Chubu Centrair [NGO/RJGG] ap<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">art from a few sp<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">oradic flights to <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">keep <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">them</span> airworthy<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span>The later their launch, the more its competitors would become established in the market. AirAsia Japan (Mk II) had selected <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Chubu Centrair</span> as there were no LCCs based at the airport serving the nation's third largest metropolitan area at that time (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2014/08/airasia-japan-selects-nagoya-chubu.html" target="_blank">AirAsia Japan selects Nagoya Chubu Centrair.</a>), however, now Jetstar Japan [GK/JJP] (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2016/04/jetstar-japan-starts-nagoya-and-kansai.html" target="_blank">Jetstar Japan starts Nagoya and Kansai to Manila.</a>) and Spring Airlines [9C/CQH] among other LCCs are building up their networks.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Meanwhile, Chubu Centrair has decided to go ahead to build its LCC Terminal, which was planned but shelved when the first AirAsia Japan (Mk I) [JW/WAJ] </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">suspended operations </span></span>(<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2014/01/flying-jw8541-nrt-fuk-with-airasia-japan.html" target="_blank">CoachFlyer JW8541: NRT - FUK on AirAsia Japan's Airbus A320.</a>). They will confirm its design and begin construction in FY2017, with completion slated for summer 2019. Jetstar Japan and Spring Airlines are also considering moving into the new terminal. The airport believes capacity at Tokyo/Haneda [HND/RJTT] and Tokyo/Narita [NRT/RJAA] is not large enough to absorb the increased demand during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics/Paralympics.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXLZO99120020R30C16A3L91000/" target="_blank">Nikkei Shimbun</a>, 2016 April 1st. (in Japanese)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.aviationwire.jp/archives/88860" target="_blank">Aviation Wire</a>, 2016 May 6th. (in Japanese)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.travelvision.jp/news/detail.php?id=72469" target="_blank">Travel Vision</a>, 2016 May 12th. (in Japanese)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.traicy.com/20160512-DJ" target="_blank">Traicy</a>, 2016 May 12th. (in Japanese) </span></span></div>
Ryosukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04213870752652946888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2089781978049766859.post-61117758287911542652016-04-28T22:27:00.000+09:002016-04-29T08:38:26.497+09:00Vanilla Air adds Kansai – Taipei, plans SE Asia in 4Q2016.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On April 27th, Vanilla Air [JW/VNL] inaugurated Osaka/Kansai [KIX/RJBB] – Taipei/Taoyuan [TPE/RCTP] (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2016/03/vanilla-air-announces-kansai-taipei.html" target="_blank">Vanilla Air announces Kansai – Taipei.</a>). The new daily red-eye service is actually a spoke from Taiwan's capital, making Osaka's premier gateway the fledgling LCCs fourth destination in Japan, but the first not linking with their hub at Tokyo/Narita [NRT/RJAA]. All flights are operated by 180-seat Airbus A320-200s<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuI0cUYG1_-_znOYhMj2IL-ah-a6qKdWdU0l3YGNedrUwVWD9-LNz4LRPTwJyi-GmEcnQr1Zjz6-Vj88Qi0UYXZ6upf_WFEqaEm4NBTuC4n4t74p9n9Gp8krsK_PU6DyKaA6MwDWtwFqA/s1600/ja05va_20160428kix_aw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuI0cUYG1_-_znOYhMj2IL-ah-a6qKdWdU0l3YGNedrUwVWD9-LNz4LRPTwJyi-GmEcnQr1Zjz6-Vj88Qi0UYXZ6upf_WFEqaEm4NBTuC4n4t74p9n9Gp8krsK_PU6DyKaA6MwDWtwFqA/s400/ja05va_20160428kix_aw.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Airbus A320-214(SL) JA05VA at Kansai waiting for her inaugural outbound flight to Taipei. Vanilla Air received its ninth A320 on April 22nd, and will receive two more during FY2016. The three aircraft are leased from BOC Aviation to ANA, which sub-leases them to Vanilla. Its fleet is projected to reach 25 by FY2020. (Photo: Aviation Wire)</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">T</span>he aircraft for Taipei – Kansai arrives into Taipei as the last flight of the day from Narita just past midnight, and turns around for the inbound flight to Kansai. After a brief 60-minute stay, it departs for Taipei as the outbound flight from Kansai, in time for the first flight of the day from Taipei back to Narita. One-way fares start from 6,490 JPY for a ticket with no baggage allowance (<i>Simple Vanilla</i>) and 9,490 JPY for an inclusive ticket with 20 kilograms of baggage allowance plus free seat selection (<i>Komi-komi Vanilla</i></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">).</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><u>F</u></span></span><u><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">light Schedule:</span></span></u><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Kansai – Taipei/Taoyuan NEW daily with A320-200.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">JW178 TPE 2150 – 0135(+1) KIX 32A/320 Daily *Apr/27 - Sep/13.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">JW178 TPE 2235 – 0220(+1) KIX 32A/320 Daily *Sep/13 - Oct/29.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">JW179 KIX 0235 – 0430 TPE 32A/320 Daily *Apr/28 - Sep/14.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">JW179 KIX 0315 – 0510 TPE 32A/320 Daily *Sep/14 - Oct/30<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">M</span>aiden inbound flight JW178 departed Taipei at 2145 CST, five minutes before published time, with a load of 114 passengers, and arrived at Kansai at 0112 JST, 23 minutes before schedule, on April 28th. Meanwhile, the first outbound flight JW179 blocked out from Kansai at 0233 JST, two minutes early, carrying 120 passengers, and arrived at Taoyuan Airport at 0440 CST, 10 minutes behind schedule. A320-214(SL) JA05VA was assigned to both flights<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A</span></span></span> second round-trip is already be<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ing considered</span>, which would put <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">them</span> in direct<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span>competition against part-sister <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Peach Aviation <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">[MM/APJ]. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>K</span>ansai – Taipei now boasts LCCs Jetstar Asia Airways [3K/JSA], Jetstar Japan [GK/JJP] (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/12/jetstar-japan-adds-nagoya-and-kansai-to.html" target="_blank">Jetstar Japan adds Nagoya and Kansai to Taipei.</a>), <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">homegrown Peach</span>, Tigerair Taiwan [IT/TTW], and V Air [ZV/VAX], alongside legacy carriers Cathay Pacific Airways [CX/CPA], China Airlines [CI/CAL], EVA Air [BR/EVA], Japan Airlines [JL/JAL], and TransAsia Airways [GE/TNA]. Philippine Airlines [PR/PAL] is preparing to enter on June 25th<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> as the 12th <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">airline</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">making <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">it the route with</span> </span>the most carriers in the world</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">V</span></span>anilla Air has opened a reservations center in Taipei, and the new service is part of their strategy to make Taoyuan Airport its second hub, and <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">their</span> first outside Japan (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2016/02/vanilla-air-eyes-china-southeast-asia.html" target="_blank">Vanilla Air eyes China, Southeast Asia, and Okinawa hub.</a>). From Taipei, it currently flies to Narita four times daily, and plans are underway to add Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> using fifth <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">freedom rights, </span></span>as well as Sapporo/New Chitose [CTS/RJCC]. "We hope to launch our first city in Southeast Asia by year-end. We've <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">a<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">lready </span></span>decided which city, but we can't disclose that yet," said Katsuya Goto, Vanilla's new President from April 1st. It will coincide with the delivery of their 10th A320 this autumn<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"T</span>ogether with Kaohsiung (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/02/vanilla-air-launches-kaohsiung-but.html" target="_blank">Vanilla Air launches Kaohsiung but slows expansion.</a>), the Taiwan market generates roughly 50-60% of our revenue<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, a</span>nd 70-80% of our customers are Taiwanese," said <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Chairman</span> Tomonori Ishii, who was promoted<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> from President</span> effective April 1st, adding "So Taiwan<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">-<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ori<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ginating</span></span></span> travelers will probably make up most of our customer<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> base</span> for our first flights to Southeast Asia, but as we grow our network, we believe the Japanese will come along as well." In preparation for their Taipei hub, Vanilla has started offering a fly-through product, for now only available through Narita, which guarantees connections between their flights. An interline agreement with a LCC in Southeast Asia is also being considered<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">T</span>he Narita-based LCC is expected to announce its first full-year profit for FY2015, which ended on March 31st. Vanilla Air is a wholly-owned subsidiary of ANA Holdings, parent of All Nippon Airways [NH/ANA]<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">S</span>ource: <a href="http://toyokeizai.net/articles/-/112491" target="_blank">Toyo Keizai</a>, 2016 April 9th. (in Japanese)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://business.nikkeibp.co.jp/atcl/interview/15/230078/040500033/" target="_blank">Nikkei Business</a>, 2016 April 15th. (in Japanese)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.traicy.com/20160429-JWkixfirst" target="_blank">Traicy</a>, 2016 April 28th. (in Japanese)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.aviationwire.jp/archives/88329" target="_blank">Aviation Wire</a>, 2016 April 28th. (in Japanese)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://news.mynavi.jp/articles/2016/04/27/vanilla-air/" target="_blank">MyNavi</a>, 2016 April 28th. (in Japanese)</span></span></div>
Ryosukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04213870752652946888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2089781978049766859.post-5563569271326520572016-04-15T18:30:00.001+09:002016-04-15T18:30:04.952+09:00Fuji Dream Airlines announces Shizuoka – Okadama.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">On April 11th, Fuji Dream Airlines [JH/FDA] announced that they will launch Shizuoka [FSZ/RJNS] – Sapporo/Okadama [OKD/RJCO] on June 4th. The route will initially operate two days a week on Tuesdays and Saturdays using either 76-seat Embraer ERJ170-100s (E170s) or 84-seat ERJ170-200s (E175s). It will supplement the Shizuoka-headquartered niche carrier's existing five-times-weekly Shizuoka – Sapporo/New Chitose [CTS/RJCC] service. Although not yet announced, the new link will likely code-share with partner Japan Airlines [JL/JAL].</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRFmNSb6AoWH5L7qryeA8HDs2mJNU116qrQ_01mlMzOZYSCGWZOfyycg_G-oCRwZa0Ow0Q28IP1bU4fM8rsc91-Hp6XN2d9c6QCL_eNp7XqFt1IHqc5HinfZipxn5JIpBgii-lCkJm2Hk/s1600/ja05fj_20140307aoj_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRFmNSb6AoWH5L7qryeA8HDs2mJNU116qrQ_01mlMzOZYSCGWZOfyycg_G-oCRwZa0Ow0Q28IP1bU4fM8rsc91-Hp6XN2d9c6QCL_eNp7XqFt1IHqc5HinfZipxn5JIpBgii-lCkJm2Hk/s400/ja05fj_20140307aoj_1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Embraer ERJ170-200/STD (E175) JA05FJ arrives into snowy Aomori. Fuji Dream's fleet is comprised of seven E175s and three smaller E170s, with four more of the former on order. The Mitsubishi Regional Jet is currently being evaluated as a long-term replacement for the current E-Jets. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Fuji Dream has operated various charters from Okadama since carrying out flight testing in July 2013 to check the E170's landing and takeoff performance with the 1,500-meter runway and measure its noise footprint (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2014/06/fuji-dream-starts-okadama-summer-charter.html" target="_blank">Fuji Dream starts Okadama summer charter.</a>). Hence launching scheduled flights to and from Okadama had been seen as a matter of time. It received its 10th E-Jet last month and the new service matches the arrival of their 11th in June (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2016/03/fuji-dream-airlines-tenth-embraer-e-jet.html" target="_blank">Fuji Dream Airlines' tenth Embraer E-Jet is Silver.</a>).</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>Fl</u></span><u><span style="font-size: small;">ight Schedule:</span></u></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Shizuoka – Okadama NEW 2 weekly with E170/175. (Jun/4-)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">JH173 FSZ 1130 – 1315 OKD E70 Tue/Sat</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">JH174 OKD 1345 – 1535 FSZ E70 Tue/Sat</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Fuji Dream's entry into Okadama with a frequency supplementing their service to New Chitose along with identical times shows how it is largely an experiment to see which of the airports passengers actually prefer, and whether there are prospects it could replicate how it successfully created a hub at Nagoya/Komaki [NKM/RJNA], the Chubu (Greater Nagoya) region's older but preferred airport located closer to downtown, which was largely replaced by Nagoya/Chubu Centrair [NGO/RJGG]. President Yohei Suzuki had said "Sapporo can support a dual airport strategy with two respective roles."</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Local regional airline Hokkaido Air System [HC/NTH], which was made a subsidiary of JAL once again in October 2014 (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2014/10/jal-raises-hokkaido-air-system-stake-to.html" target="_blank">JAL raises Hokkaido Air System stake to 51%.</a>), is based at Okadama and is the only scheduled carrier using the airport. Although much smaller than its bigger sister New Chitose, which is located 40 kilometers away from the Hokkaido capital, Okadama is compact and is only six kilometers from downtown Sapporo. Its proximity has been less felt as travel to New Chitose from center city has efficiently been reduced to a 40-minute train ride, while reaching Okadama requires transferring from subway to bus resulting in a 25-minute travel time from Sapporo Station.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">As major airports become crowded, Fuji Dream is striving to be a niche carrier flying into smaller but more convenient secondary airports of major cities, taking advantage of smaller E-Jets. Launching a hub at Chubu Centrair is still being evaluated, as parking space at Komaki becomes scarce (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2016/01/fuji-dream-mulls-chubu-narita-and.html" target="_blank">Fuji Dream mulls Chubu – Narita and international charters.</a>), but that may be risky as the larger airport serving the Chubu region is well-served by All Nippon Airways [NH/ANA] and a growing number of LCCs, including AirAsia Japan (Mk II) [DJ], which is launching with a hub there this summer (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2016/02/new-airasia-japan-delays-service-entry.html" target="_blank">New AirAsia Japan delays service entry to July 2016.</a>). Proposed Komaki – Okadama could bear fruit if Shizuoka – Okadama proves successful and an agreement could be reached with partner JAL, which already operates Chubu Centrair – New Chitose. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.fujidream.co.jp/company/press/doc/160411_1.pdf" target="_blank">Fuji Dream Airlines</a>, 2016 April 11th. (in Japanese)</span></span></div>
Ryosukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04213870752652946888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2089781978049766859.post-64321206164856342942016-04-09T02:21:00.002+09:002016-04-11T23:53:48.553+09:00Jetstar Japan starts Nagoya and Kansai to Manila. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jetstar Japan [GK/JJP] commenced Nagoya/Chubu Centrair [NGO/RJGG] – Manila/Ninoy Aquino [MNL/RPLL] on April 1st, followed by Osaka/Kansai [KIX/RJBB] – Manila on April 7th (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2016/01/jetstar-japan-reveals-manila-downsizes.html" target="_blank">Jetstar Japan reveals Manila, downsizes Kumamoto.</a>). Japan's now largest LCC had only added the Filipino capital on March 15th with service from Tokyo/Narita [NRT/RJAA] (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2016/03/jetstar-japan-launches-narita-manila.html" target="_blank">Jetstar Japan launches Narita – Manila.</a>). All flights are operated by 180-seat Airbus A320-200s.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxNcyz6eC1tCkO6j6FIEUbjVqmsq8EWsdytI7Vn7-lOPhX0ty45tiDh74pMlN9EcK4BCg2X3kjFst5k8Dl0eZUXtn5BPD3gsfqG_WgP2l0fgWwS5lWA0dukzEpE5h-oBCXwP6fT70fCAQ/s1600/ja12jj_20150617nrt.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxNcyz6eC1tCkO6j6FIEUbjVqmsq8EWsdytI7Vn7-lOPhX0ty45tiDh74pMlN9EcK4BCg2X3kjFst5k8Dl0eZUXtn5BPD3gsfqG_WgP2l0fgWwS5lWA0dukzEpE5h-oBCXwP6fT70fCAQ/s400/ja12jj_20150617nrt.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Airbus A320-232(SL) JA12JJ prepares for another flight at Narita. Jetstar Japan has capped its fleet at 20 since December 2014 and growth has been achieved by increasing aircraft utilization. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Chubu Centrair – Manila started with four weekly flights, which increases to seven weekly during peak travel periods. Kansai – Manila launched with up to four times weekly, however, sister Jetstar Asia Airways [3K/JSA] already operates three times weekly on the Kansai – Manila route, and together the Jetstar Group will offer up to seven-times-weekly service. Along with Jetstar Airways [JQ/JST], the three carriers had received antitrust immunity from Japanese authorities to coordinate schedules and prices on routes between Japan and Taiwan and the Philippines last October.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The inaugural flight from Chubu Centrair on April 1st departed at 2047 JST, 17 minutes behind schedule, with a load of 179 passengers, including five children. A320-232(SL) JA11JJ was assigned. Meanwhile, the first revenue flight from Kansai on April 7th departed at 2048 JST, 18 minutes behind schedule, carrying 169 passengers. It was operated by A320-232 JA04JJ.</span><br />
<br />
<u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Flight Schedule:</span></u><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Chubu Centrair – Manila/Ninoy Aquino NEW up to daily with A320-200.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK095 NGO 2030 – 2335 MNL 32A/320 Fr/Sa/Su *Apr/1-3.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK095 NGO 2030 – 2335 MNL 32A/320 Mo/Fr/Sa/Su *Apr/4-28, May/9-31.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK095 NGO 2030 – 2335 MNL 32A/320 Daily *Apr/29-May/8, Jun/1-30.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK094 MNL 0105 – 0555 NGO 32A/320 Mo/Sa/Su *Apr/2-4.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK094 MNL 0105 – 0555 NGO 32A/320 Mo/Fr/Sa/Su *Apr/5-29, May/10-Jun/1.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK094 MNL 0105 – 0555 NGO 32A/320 Daily *Apr/30-May/9, Jun/2-Jul/1.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Kansai – Manila/Ninoy Aquino NEW up to 4 weekly with A320-200.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK081 KIX 2030 – 2335 MNL 32A/320 Tu/We/Th/Fr *Apr/7-28, Jun/1-30.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK081 KIX 2030 – 2335 MNL 32A/320 Tu/Th *Apr/29-May/31.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK080 MNL 0035 – 0530 KIX 32A/320 We/Th/Fr/Sa *Apr/8-29, Jun/2-Jul/1.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK080 MNL 0035 – 0530 KIX 32A/320 We/Fr *Apr/30-Jun/1.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Manila is an important city as we expand internationally," said Chairman Masaru Kataoka at Chubu Centrair on the inaugural day, adding "The Chubu (Greater Nagoya) region's Filipino population is big, and there is significant demand for VFR (Visiting Friends and Relatives) travel, something we LCCs are good at catering to and expanding." Mr. Kataoka also said "It may not be common to see airlines launching a destination with three routes at the same time, but <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">that would</span> enable us to leverage synergies and we have <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">a</span> single strategy for the three routes altogether."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Manila becomes Jetstar Japan's second overseas destination from Chubu Centrair after Taipei/Taoyuan [TPE/RCTP] (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/12/jetstar-japan-adds-nagoya-and-kansai-to.html" target="_blank">Jetstar Japan adds Nagoya and Kansai to Taipei.</a>), and the third from Kansai after Hong Kong [HKG/VHHH] (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/02/jetstar-japan-starts-kansai-hong-kong.html" target="_blank">Jetstar Japan goes international with Kansai – Hong Kong.</a>) and Taipei. Chubu Centrair – Manila sees Cebu Air [5J/CEB] (d.b.a. Cebu Pacific Air) flying four times weekly and Philippine Airlines [PR/PAL] daily, while Kansai – Manila has Cebu Pacific operating five times weekly, Jetstar Asia three times weekly, and Philippine Airlines daily. Zest Airways [Z2/EZD] (d.b.a. Philippines AirAsia) is preparing to enter the Philippines – Japan market during the second half of this year.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://travel.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/20160402_751366.html" target="_blank">Travel Watch</a>, 2016 April 1st. (in Japanese)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.chunichi.co.jp/article/aichi/20160402/CK2016040202000048.html" target="_blank">Chunichi Shimbun</a>, 2016 April 2nd. (in Japanese)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://flightliner.jp/news/44480.html" target="_blank">Flight Liner</a>, 2016 April 8th. (in Japanese)</span></div>
Ryosukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04213870752652946888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2089781978049766859.post-13438273042009244602016-03-30T01:28:00.000+09:002016-04-01T23:39:21.325+09:00Skymark exits bankruptcy with eye on international.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On March 28th, Skymark Airlines [BC/SKY] announced that it had completed its corporation revitalization process and received approval to emerge from bankruptcy. At the same time, it also revealed its mid-term plan for FY2016-2018, which includes opening up international routes and targeting 80 billion JPY in total revenues to produce an operating profit of 7 billion JPY by FY2018. J</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">apan's third largest carrier filed for bankruptcy protection on January 29th, 2015 with the Tokyo District Court (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/01/skymark-to-file-for-bankruptcy.html" target="_blank">Skymark to file for bankruptcy.</a>).</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw6MWI7jHFoANrOPZ16OEcSf5lz6WEcsiiUR-igRInUcLWaMBi8a8aWy64Alp3thtelZLBpAACiL1CNXL72TF9VlAr86tifd1WQNQDx8csFWm3QHxgQ3wMxeoer2n3dxSefvMdHNtc8FE/s1600/ja73np_20141001cts_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw6MWI7jHFoANrOPZ16OEcSf5lz6WEcsiiUR-igRInUcLWaMBi8a8aWy64Alp3thtelZLBpAACiL1CNXL72TF9VlAr86tifd1WQNQDx8csFWm3QHxgQ3wMxeoer2n3dxSefvMdHNtc8FE/s400/ja73np_20141001cts_1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Boeing 737-8HX(WL) JA73NP arrives at Sapporo New Chitose. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What future for </span>Skymark</span>? <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The domestic market is shrinking<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, while r</span></span></span>egional international routes a<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">re <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">now</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">well<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">-</span></span>served by LCCs. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One</span> solution could be<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> the combination of u</span></span>s<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ing</span> m<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">idnight <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">international routes at Haneda (<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">which would increase utilization)</span>, <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">coming up with </span></span></span></span></span>a</span> </span></span>loyalty program<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, and <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">upgrading</span> their reservations system to <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">enable code-shares with international car<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">riers</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> (which w<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ould</span></span></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">allow them<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> to leverage their do<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">mestic network), though the third w<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ould</span> most likely be ve<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">toed by ANA</span></span></span></span></span>. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Once post-deregulation's most successful start-up to challenge the ANA/JAL duopoly, Skymark was re-launched on September 29th under new ownership (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/09/skymark-relaunched-with-ana-sponsorship.html" target="_blank">Skymark relaunched with ANA sponsorship.</a>). Integral Corporation holds the majority 50.1%, ANA Holdings has a grip on 16.5%, and UDS Airlines Investment has 33.4%. UDS is a new investment firm jointly owned by Development Bank of Japan (DBJ) and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking, both loyal partners of ANA. ANA Holdings is the parent of Japan's now largest carrier All Nippon Airways [NH/ANA].</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Skymark's creditors initially demanded 308.9 billion JPY in total liabilities (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/03/skymarks-total-debts-skyrocket-to-300.html" target="_blank">Skymark's total debts skyrocket to 300 billion JPY.</a>), however, that was reduced to 154.3 billion JPY after negotiations. Under court protection, the final repayment figure was settled at 16.1 billion JPY. Major creditors included Intrepid Aviation, Airbus, Rolls-Royce, and CIT Aerospace. The U.S.-based aircraft lessor initially sought for 900 million USD for scrapping Airbus 330 leases (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/03/skymark-terminates-all-airbus-a330.html" target="_blank">Skymark terminates all Airbus A330 leases.</a>) and fought against ANA to sponsor Skymark with Delta Air Lines [DL/DAL] (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/07/intrepid-picks-delta-to-sponsor-skymark.html" target="_blank">Intrepid picks Delta to sponsor Skymark.</a>). The European planemaker at first called for 700 million USD for the A380 cancellation (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2014/10/skymark-hopes-to-settle-airbus-a380.html" target="_blank">Skymark hopes to settle Airbus A380 penalty in October.</a>), but drastically reduced the amount after ANA agreed to take those A380s (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/08/bye-bye-skymark-hello-ana-airbus-a380.html" target="_blank">Bye-bye Skymark, Hello ANA Airbus A380?</a>).</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Skymark's financial performance is quickly improving, partly helped by lower fuel costs. FY2015 is expected to finish with revenues amounting to 70 billion JPY, producing an operating profit of 1.5 billion JPY. It reverses the airline's results for FY2014, which saw revenues totaling 80.9 billion JPY but translating to a 17.6 billion JPY operating loss. It now targets FY2018 with total revenues at 80 billion JPY with an operating profit of 7 billion JPY, calculating with crude oil at 50 USD per barrel. "We have 26 737s in our fleet, but only use 20 of them at once. Bringing utilization up to 24 aircraft will help increase revenue," said President Masahiko Ichie, adding "Our CASK (cost per available seat kilometer) is 8.5-8.6 JPY, and we're aiming for 8 JPY." During the time frame, a new future aircraft type will also be evaluated.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The revitalized airline also announced plans to go international by FY2018 starting with charter flights. "We need to use FY2016 to further strengthen our balance sheet. We'll carry out feasibility studies in FY2017, and hope to operate the first charters in FY2018," said Mr. Ichie, adding "East Asia and Southeast Asia, as well as Guam and Saipan are likely candidates." Skymark's President also said they are evaluating re-entering markets it withdrew from during its bankruptcy, mentioning Ishigaki [ISG/ROIG], Kumamoto [KMJ/RJFT], Miyako [MMY/ROMY] (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/01/skymark-cuts-15-of-flights-grounds-all.html" target="_blank">Skymark to cut 15% of flights, ground all Airbus A330s.</a>), Sendai [SDJ/RJSS] (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/04/skymark-to-pull-out-of-sendai-in-october.html" target="_blank">Skymark to pull out of Sendai in October.</a>), and Yonago [YGJ/RJOH] (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/03/skymark-decides-to-close-yonago-keep.html" target="_blank">Skymark decides to close Yonago, keep Ibaraki.</a>). "We don't want to axe a new route after only one year," said Mr. Ichie, explaining new destinations would be carefully considered.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Meanwhile, Chairman Nobuo Sayama reiterated that code-sharing with ANA has been indefinitely postponed, as Skymark continues to refuse to adopt ANA's <i>Able-D</i> reservation system. Mr. Sayama believes <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">retaining</span> its own reservations system is key to keeping Skymark independent, and taking up <i>Able-D</i> would essentially relegate Skymark to a <i>de facto</i> puppet of ANA, joining the likes of AIRDO [HD/ADO] (d.b.a. Air Do), Solaseed Air [6J/SNJ], and Star Flyer [7G/SFJ]. "Our performance is improving, so there is no urgent need for code-sharing," said Mr. Sayama, adding "Our arms are open. We have proposed to code-share by placing an interface between ANA's and ours. We don't necessarily need to adopt their system. It's up to ANA."</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Mr. Sayama, who also serves as the President of Skymark's largest shareholder Integral, is seemingly determined to <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">limit</span> ANA influence to only maintenance and operational issues, and not with business decisions. The conflict will continue between Integral and ANA as the former's interest lies in keeping Skymark operationally independent until its planned re-listing in 2020 or before, while the latter wants to keep Skymark under its influence for as long as possible to shut out true competition at bread-and-butter Tokyo/Haneda [HND/RJTT]. However, even if code-share talks do not bear fruit, for ANA its investment may have already been worth it, as otherwise a Delta-backed Skymark would have posed a much stronger threat to ANA.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://skymark.jp/ja/company/press/160328_press_2.pdf" target="_blank">Skymark Airlines</a>, 2016 March 28th. (in Japanese)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXLASFL28HII_Y6A320C1000000/" target="_blank">Nikkei Shimbun</a>, 2016 March 28th. (in Japanese)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.aviationwire.jp/archives/85789" target="_blank">Aviation Wire</a>, 2016 March 28th. (in Japanese)</span></span></div>
Ryosukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04213870752652946888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2089781978049766859.post-86929319920148638852016-03-23T09:27:00.002+09:002016-03-23T09:33:50.054+09:00Fuji Dream Airlines' tenth Embraer E-Jet is Silver.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On March 5th, Fuji Dream Airlines [JH/FDA] took delivery of Embraer ERJ170-200/STD (E175) JA10FJ, their 10th aircraft. Painted and named <i>Silver</i>, it features the Brazilian manufacturer's Fuel Burn Improvement Package 2, as on their ninth airframe <i>Gold</i> (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/03/fuji-dreams-ninth-e-jet-is-gold.html" target="_blank">Fuji Dream's ninth Embraer E-Jet is Gold.</a>). It boasts new wingtips and several other minor aerodynamic changes such as wheel caps and auxiliary power unit (APU) air inlet improvements, resulting in a 5.5% reduction in fuel burn. Other changes include new LED navigation lights.</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhIz0ABGD2O_O7qnju9Vr1dPbo1uK9jKEBTf1B0GUPaYrvJImkRK-jtpmfkRM_AqnWnekRI-GucKeBocVwACNPcothTGJL-siWuA4d2hHQi6osWzY39pmjCrUX-YfihLHf-GnBL9o6juE/s1600/ja10fj_20160309nkm_fda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhIz0ABGD2O_O7qnju9Vr1dPbo1uK9jKEBTf1B0GUPaYrvJImkRK-jtpmfkRM_AqnWnekRI-GucKeBocVwACNPcothTGJL-siWuA4d2hHQi6osWzY39pmjCrUX-YfihLHf-GnBL9o6juE/s400/ja10fj_20160309nkm_fda.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Embraer ERJ170-200/STD (E175) JA10FJ <i>Silver</i> is greeted by Fuji Dream employees upon arrival at Nagoya's Komaki Airport on March 9th. (Photo: Fuji Dream Airlines)</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The 84-seat aircraft departed São José dos Campos [SJK/SBSJ] on the same day and touched down at the airline's Nagoya/Komaki [NKM/RJNA] hub </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">four days later on March 9th at 1552 JST</span></span>, flying a similar route as their eighth (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2014/03/fuji-dream-airlines-receives-eighth-e.html" target="_blank">Fuji Dream Airlines receives eighth E-Jet 'Tea Green'.</a>) and ninth airframes. On the way, it made stops at Natal [NAT/SBNT], Sal [SID/GVAC], Almeria [LEI/LEAM], Larnaca [LCA/LCLK], Dubai/Al Maktoum [DWC/OMDW], Kolkata/Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose [CCU/VECC], Can Tho [VCA/VVCT], and Kaohsiung [KHH/RCKH]. Total flight time was 32 hours and 40 minutes, traveling over 21,700 kilomters (13,500 miles).</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The inaugural revenue flight for <i>Silver</i> took place on March 11th as JH355 from Komaki to Hanamaki [HNA/RJSI]. It flew the return leg to Komaki as JH356 and was then assigned to Kitakyushu [KKJ/RJFR] and back on flights JH407/408. While their ninth airframe was used to open up new markets to Izumo [IZO/RJOC] and Kitakyushu in March 2015 (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/04/fuji-dream-launches-izumo-and-kitakyushu.html" target="_blank">Fuji Dream launches Izumo and Kitakyushu.</a>), their 10th will be used to increase frequency in existing markets, with up to 34 daily round-trips scheduled, an increase from 29 for Summer 2015. It will also be utilized to increase its growing charter business, which accounted for 1,050 of Fuji Dream's flights in FY2015.</span></span><br />
<br />
<u><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Summer 2016 Schedule Changes (effective Mar/27):</span></span></u><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Komaki – Aomori increase from 2 to 3 daily.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Komaki – Hanamaki increase from 3 to 4 daily.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Komaki – Izumo increase from 1 to 2 daily. (from Jul/1)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Komaki – Kochi increase from 1 to 2 daily.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Komaki – Yamagata increase from 1 to 2 daily.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Shizuoka – Kagoshima daily maintained. (3 weekly in Summer 2015)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Shizuoka – New Chitose NEW 5 weekly. (resumption)</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Meanwhile, the Shizuoka-based regional carrier will be receiving its 11th E-Jet in June. Details regarding what roles it would play have not been officially released, however, President Yohei Suzuki has spoken of launching a base Nagoya/Chubu Centrair [NGO/RJGG], the newer and premier international airport serving the Chubu (Greater Nagoya) region, to launch midnight international charters to China, South Korea, and Taiwan, as well as start Chubu Centrair – Tokyo/Narita [NRT/RJAA] (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2016/01/fuji-dream-mulls-chubu-narita-and.html" target="_blank">Fuji Dream mulls Chubu – Narita and international charters.</a>). The latter service would code-share with and feed overseas carriers flying into Narita, and Mr. Suzuki had admitted that discussions with multiple airlines are already taking place.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.fujidream.co.jp/company/press/doc/160120.pdf" target="_blank">Fuji Dream Airlines</a>, 2016 January 20th. (in Japanese)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/FDA.FujiDreamAirlines" target="_blank">Fuji Dream Airlines @ Facebook</a>. (in Japanese)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.aviationwire.jp/archives/84076" target="_blank">Aviation Wire</a>, 2016 March 9th. (in Japanese)</span></span></div>
Ryosukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04213870752652946888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2089781978049766859.post-30715929610114600672016-03-16T18:40:00.001+09:002016-03-17T15:55:16.171+09:00Jetstar Japan launches Narita – Manila.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On March 15th, Jetstar Japan [GK/JJP] added Manila/Ninoy Aquino [MNL/RPLL] with initial service from its Tokyo/Narita [NRT/RJAA] hub (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2016/01/jetstar-japan-reveals-manila-downsizes.html" target="_blank">Jetstar Japan reveals Manila, downsizes Kumamoto.</a>), making the Filipino capital their third international destination after Hong Kong [HKG/VHHH] (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/02/jetstar-japan-starts-kansai-hong-kong.html" target="_blank">Jetstar Japan goes international with Kansai – Hong Kong.</a>) and Taipei/Taoyuan [TPE/RCTP] (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/11/jetstar-japan-launches-taipei-next-up.html" target="_blank">Jetstar Japan launches Taipei, next up Manila.</a>). All flights are operated by 180-seat Airbus A320-200s. They became the first Japanese <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">bu<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">dget carrier</span></span> to serve the Philippines.</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEkxFECPEcVbs8EhoH0CtYwXJSrrOQMv9MlzpYyVLBL3VEQfd_4Wla3iqXFpTF_PeeNkoFqsV5hZ1iaE8SbSj9P1gCT0LxaemsEc-aSxFgqDdvgSSqmpKBmwZUEDRwVpU2eKGraAnQ4Tk/s1600/ja15jj_20160315nrt_aw1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEkxFECPEcVbs8EhoH0CtYwXJSrrOQMv9MlzpYyVLBL3VEQfd_4Wla3iqXFpTF_PeeNkoFqsV5hZ1iaE8SbSj9P1gCT0LxaemsEc-aSxFgqDdvgSSqmpKBmwZUEDRwVpU2eKGraAnQ4Tk/s400/ja15jj_20160315nrt_aw1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Airbus A320-232(SL) JA15JJ departs for Jetstar Japan's maiden flight to the Philippines. Its fleet has been capped at 20 since December 2014 and growth has been achi<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">eved </span>by increasing aircraft utilization, which <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">is expected to <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">approach</span></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ma<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">xi<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">mum <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">when frequency on the</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">three <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">n<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ew </span>routes to <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Manila</span></span></span></span></span></span></span> are<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> increased</span>. (Photo: Aviation Wire)</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The inaugural outbound flight GK041 was operated by A320-232(SL) JA15JJ, which departed Narita at 2039 JST, 34 minutes behind schedule. It arrived at Manila past midnight at 0012 PHT, just seven minutes behind published time. The three-times-weekly service will be up-gauged to up to daily from April 29th. "Filipinos account for the third largest expatriate population in Japan. There's a huge opportunity there," said CEO Gerry Turner, revealing booking rates for March are exceeding 90%.</span></span><br />
<br />
<u><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Flight Schedule:</span></span></u><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Narita – Manila/Ninoy Aquino NEW up to daily with A320-200.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK041 NRT 2005 – 0005(+1) MNL 32A/320 Tu/Th/Sa *Mar/15-19.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK041 NRT 2005 – 0005(+1) MNL 32A/320 Mo/Tu/We/Th/Sa *Mar/20-26.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK041 NRT 2010 – 0010(+1) MNL 32A/320 Fr *Mar/20-26.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK041 NRT 2030 – 0005(+1) MNL 32A/320 Tu/Th/Fr/Sa/Su *Mar/27-Apr/3.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK041 NRT 2030 – 0005(+1) MNL 32A/320 Tu/We/Th/Fr/Sa/Su *Apr/4-28.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK041 NRT 2030 – 0005(+1) MNL 32A/320 Daily *Apr/29-May/8, Jun/1-30.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK041 NRT 2030 – 0005(+1) MNL 32A/320 Tu/Th/Fr/Sa/Su *May/9-31.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK040 MNL 0105 – 0615 NRT 32A/320 We/Fr/Su *Mar/16-20.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK040 MNL 0105 – 0615 NRT 32A/320 Tu/We/Th/Fr/Sa/Su *Mar/21-27.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK040 MNL 0105 – 0635 NRT 32A/320 Mo *Mar/28.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK040 MNL 0105 – 0635 NRT 32A/320 We/Fr *Mar/29-Apr/4.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK040 MNL 0105 – 0635 NRT 32A/320 We/Th *Apr/5-29.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK040 MNL 0105 – 0635 NRT 32A/320 We *May/10-Jun/10.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK040 MNL 0035 – 0605 NRT 32A/320 Mo/Sa/Su *Mar/29-Apr/4.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK040 MNL 0035 – 0605 NRT 32A/320 Mo/Tu/Sa/Su *Apr/5-29.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK040 MNL 0035 – 0605 NRT 32A/320 Daily *Apr/30-May/9.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK040 MNL 0035 – 0605 NRT 32A/320 Mo/Tu/Sa/Su *May/10-Jun/1.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK040 MNL 0035 – 0605 NRT 32A/320 Daily *Jun/2-Jul/1.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">All flights are timed to leave Japan in the evening, arriving in the Philippines past midnight, and make a red-eye departure for an early-morning return back to Japan. This helps to increase aircraft utilization, as Narita has a curfew between 2300 and 0600 JST and most other domestic airports are also closed during midnight hours. </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Narita
– Manila is currently served by All Nippon Airways [NH/ANA] daily, Cebu
Air [5J/CEB] (d.b.a. Cebu Pacific Air) daily, Japan Airlines [JL/JAL]
twice daily, Delta Air Lines [DL/DAL] daily, and Philippine Airlines
[PR/PAL] twice daily<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">J</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">etstar
Japan will also link Manila with Nagoya/Chubu Centrair [NGO/RJGG]
starting on April 1st and Osaka/Kansai [KIX/RJBB] on April 7th. </span></span>Last October, </span>Jetstar Airways [JQ/JST]<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jetstar Asia Airways [3K/JSA], and Jetstar Japan </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">had <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">receiv<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ed</span></span></span> antitrust immunity to
coordinate flight times and prices on international routes <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">to<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> and from</span></span> Japan <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">to</span> Taiwan and the Philippines.</span></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Singapore<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">/Changi [<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">SIN/WSSS]-based <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">sister<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">'s <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">existing </span></span></span></span></span></span>Kansai – Taipei<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> and </span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Kansai</span></span></span> </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">– Manil<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">a<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> serv<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ices are included</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> in the <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">scheme.</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A</span>ccording to Qantas Airways' [QF/QFA] earnings report released on February 23rd, Jetstar Japan's EBIT for the second half of 2015 was in the black, making it the first time the Narita-based LCC recorded a profit since starting operations in July 2012. Their system-wide load factor for the same period also increased to 84% compared to 75% one year ago. Mr. Turner attributes the turnaround to its second hub at curfew-free Kansai (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2014/06/jetstar-japan-launches-kansai-hub.html" target="_blank">Jetstar Japan launches Kansai hub.</a>), new international flights, and lower fuel costs. For FY2014 ending in June 2015, it had posted a 7.9 billion JPY loss and its two major shareholders Japan Airlines [JL/JAL] and Qantas together injected 7 billion JPY in November 2014 and another 4 billion JPY in June 2015.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.asahi.com/articles/ASJ2S3TN2J2SULFA007.html" target="_blank">Asahi Shimbun</a>, 2016 February 25th. (in Japanese)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.asahi.com/articles/ASJ2T0BK7J2SULFA02Q.html" target="_blank">Asahi Shimbun</a>, 2016 February 25th. (in Japanese)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.aviationwire.jp/archives/82908" target="_blank">Aviation Wire</a>, 2016 February 25th. (in Japanese)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.aviationwire.jp/archives/84684" target="_blank">Aviation Wire</a>, 2016 March 16th. (in Japanese) </span></span></div>
Ryosukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04213870752652946888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2089781978049766859.post-84928782064788415952016-03-15T16:58:00.000+09:002016-03-15T23:49:51.362+09:00Vanilla Air announces Kansai – Taipei.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On March 14th, Vanilla Air [JW/VNL] revealed that it will launch Osaka/Kansai [KIX/RJBB] – Taipei/Taoyuan [TPE/RCTP] on April 27th, making it just in time for Japan's <i>Golden Week</i> peak travel period (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2016/01/vanilla-air-to-add-kansai-taipei-in.html" target="_blank">Vanilla Air to add Kansai – Taipei in Summer 2016.</a>). The new service will be operated daily using 180-seat Airbus A320-200s. Kansai becomes the fledgling LCCs fourth destination in Japan, but the first not linking with Tokyo/Narita [NRT/RJAA], where it is based and all flights currently depart from.</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTbXJ5LsyXDxEzjFbw5UNF8rBHddc1tHfLYfGKGLy4HfvNkv47fVSb93zoZG8-u26UuONtxz0w5cyZV4rXFqOViR0woMzvxD7cxVN6EloZigR83LEbGJZgcZvkvYwbjjD2_puTLv9Ompg/s1600/ja01va_20140701asj_aw2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTbXJ5LsyXDxEzjFbw5UNF8rBHddc1tHfLYfGKGLy4HfvNkv47fVSb93zoZG8-u26UuONtxz0w5cyZV4rXFqOViR0woMzvxD7cxVN6EloZigR83LEbGJZgcZvkvYwbjjD2_puTLv9Ompg/s400/ja01va_20140701asj_aw2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Airbus A320-216(SL) JA01VA rotates from Amami bound for Narita. Vanilla Air will take delivery of their ninth A320 in April followed by the 10th in autumn. It plans to add up to five during FY2016 and build its fleet to 25 by FY2020. (Photo: Aviation Wire)</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The aircraft for Taipei – Kansai arrives into Taiwan's largest city as the last flight of the day from Narita just past midnight, and turns around for the red-eye inbound flight to Kansai. After a brief 60-minute stay, it departs for Taipei as the outbound flight from Kansai, in time for the first flight of the day from Taipei back to Narita. Tickets went on sale on March 15th at 1400 JST with one-way fares starting from 6,490 JPY.</span></span><br />
<br />
<u><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Flight Schedule:</span></span></u><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Kansai – Taipei/Taoyuan NEW daily with A320-200.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">JW178 TPE 2150 – 0135(+1) KIX 32A/320 Daily *Apr/27 - Sep/13.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">JW178 TPE 2235 – 0220(+1) KIX 32A/320 Daily *Sep/13 - Oct/29.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">JW179 KIX 0235 – 0430 TPE 32A/320 Daily *Apr/28 - Sep/14.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">JW179 KIX 0315 – 0510 TPE 32A/320 Daily *Sep/14 - Oct/30.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This schedule is similar to how part-sister Peach Aviation [MM/APJ] flies into Tokyo/Haneda [HND/RJTT] from Seoul/Incheon [ICN/RKSI] (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2016/02/peach-aviation-starts-haneda-seoul.html" target="_blank">Peach Aviation starts Haneda – Seoul.</a>) and Taipei (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/08/peach-inaugurates-haneda-taipei.html" target="_blank">Peach Aviation inaugurates Haneda – Taipei.</a>). However, it is ironic that Peach does it to access Haneda, where only midnight international slots are available, while Vanilla will do it to get around the curfew it endures at Narita and increase aircraft utilization.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Vanilla is expected to report its first full-year profit of <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">an estimated</span> 1.5 billion JPY for FY2015 ending on March 31st. In January, parent ANA Holdings had publicly announced that it would have its wholly-owned LCC arm build hubs at Okinawa/Naha [OKA/ROAH] and Taipei (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2016/02/vanilla-air-eyes-china-southeast-asia.html" target="_blank">Vanilla Air eyes China, Southeast Asia, and Okinawa hub.</a>). Vanilla has already opened a reservations center in Taipei, and hopes to add flights to Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam by 2020 using fifth freedom rights, effectively making the Taiwanese capital a transfer hub with strong local demand as well.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Japan – Taiwan is a booming market with a plethora of LCCs alongside full-service airlines operating, but also now highly-competitive, with Kansai – Taipei soon to become the route with the most carriers in the world with a dozen airlines. Current LCCs include Jetstar Asia Airways [3K/JSA], Jetstar Japan [GK/JJP] (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/12/jetstar-japan-adds-nagoya-and-kansai-to.html" target="_blank">Jetstar Japan adds Nagoya and Kansai to Taipei.</a>), homegrown Peach, Tigerair Taiwan [IT/TTW], and V Air [ZV/VAX], while legacy carriers include Cathay Pacific Airways [CX/CPA], China Airlines [CI/CAL], EVA Air [BR/EVA], Japan Airlines [JL/JAL], and TransAsia Airways [GE/TNA], with Philippine Airlines [PR/PAL] posed to enter from June 25th.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://business.nikkeibp.co.jp/atcl/report/15/246820/030800028/" target="_blank">Nikkei Business</a>, 2016 March 10th. (in Japanese)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.vanilla-air.com/jp/news/1703" target="_blank">Vanilla Air</a>, 2016 March 14th. (in Japanese)</span></span></div>
Ryosukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04213870752652946888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2089781978049766859.post-62519062596964061172016-03-09T10:05:00.000+09:002016-03-15T10:22:30.698+09:00Skymark loads Haneda red-eye to Okinawa and Sapporo.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">On February 19th, Skymark Airlines [BC/SKY] announced that it will operate midnight flights from its Tokyo/Haneda [HND/RJTT] hub to Okinawa/Naha [OKA/ROAH] and Sapporo/New Chitose [CTS/RJCC] between July 1st and October 2nd. The former will operate daily while the latter will fly every day except for Monday. This is the first time a scheduled midnight domestic passenger flight has been loaded from New Chitose since its opening in 1988. All flights will be operated by 177-seat Boeing 737-800s.</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbFY_6IYgDERmlOXQykV7FCHJtPV5d6hnmf7xwDrwMCM8LawKfgRMD9-jphHy2gHXuoRFzH7vFw0ePPTZoPdEBS5-JI3BAeiOMWL-JCqtrHY1P1dMAzMwFgjsJ6sq4b-modDma0OhC5gU/s1600/ja73nj_20160116hnd_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbFY_6IYgDERmlOXQykV7FCHJtPV5d6hnmf7xwDrwMCM8LawKfgRMD9-jphHy2gHXuoRFzH7vFw0ePPTZoPdEBS5-JI3BAeiOMWL-JCqtrHY1P1dMAzMwFgjsJ6sq4b-modDma0OhC5gU/s400/ja73nj_20160116hnd_1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Boeing 737-86N(WL) JA73NJ taxies for departure from Haneda. Chairman Nobuo Sayama believes that Skymark would need to go international before the end of the decade as the domestic market continues to shrink. It currently flies 26 737-800s. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The Haneda – New Chitose red-eye round-trip departs Tokyo in the evening, arriving at the Hokkaido capital later in the evening, while the return leg departs New Chitose just past midnight, arriving into Haneda in the early hours. Meanwhile, for the Haneda – Naha red-eye service, both ways will be timed in the early hours of the day and arrive near sunrise at the respective destinations. Fares start from as low as 6,000 JPY, excluding airport service charge.</span></span><br />
<br />
<u><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Flight Schedule:</span></span></u><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Haneda – Naha NEW six weekly RED-EYE flight with 737-800.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">BC527 HND 0235 – 0520 OKA 73H/738 Tu/We/Th/Fr/Sa/Su *Jul/1 - Oct/2.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">BC528 OKA 0305 – 0525 HND 73H/738 Tu/We/Th/Fr/Sa/Su *Jul/1 - Oct/2.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">**Skymark will operate up to seven round-trips total per day.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Haneda – New Chitose NEW daily RED-EYE flight with 737-800.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">BC731 HND 2130 – 2305 CTS 73H/738 Daily *Jul/1 - Oct/1.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">BC732 CTS 0010 – 0200 HND 73H/738 Daily *Jul/2 - Oct/2.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">**Skymark will operate nine round-trips total per day.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Last October, local governments and residents near New Chitose agreed to allow up to 30 slot-pairs to arrive and depart between 2200 and 0700 JST in an effort to lure and offer flexibility to cost-conscious airlines. Previously, only six were made available. Until now, the slots have mostly been used by freight carriers or All Nippon Airways' [NH/ANA] passenger aircraft carrying only belly cargo. Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij [KL/KLM] (d.b.a. </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">KLM Royal Dutch Airlines) </span></span>was the first to operate scheduled passenger services using the slots, inaugurating Nagoya/Komaki [NKM/RJNA] – New Chitose – Amsterdam/Schiphol [AMS/EHAM] in October 1997. It was suspended in February 2002.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Once post-deregulation's most successful start-up to challenge the ANA/JAL duopoly, the bankrupt airline (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/01/skymark-to-file-for-bankruptcy.html" target="_blank">Skymark to file for bankruptcy.</a>) is now owned by Integral Corporation, which holds 50.1%, ANA Holdings, with 16.5%, and UDS Airlines Investment, having 33.4% (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/09/skymark-relaunched-with-ana-sponsorship.html" target="_blank">Skymark relaunched with ANA sponsorship.</a>). UDS is a new investment firm jointly owned by Development Bank of Japan (DBJ) and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking, both loyal partners of ANA.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Code-sharing with ANA, which was planned for Winter 2016/2017, has now been indefinitely postponed, as Skymark continues to refuse to adopt ANA's <i>Able-D</i> reservation system. "ANA told us they would not provide overhaul needed to make two grounded 737s airworthy unless we adopt their system," revealed Nobuo Sayama, Chairman of Skymark and biggest shareholder Integral's President, in an interview, adding "Adopting <i>Able-D</i> would virtually place Skymark under the umbrella of ANA; we would lose our freedom of operation and will not be able to maintain independence. We raised our hands to invest in Skymark because we thought Japan would not have any airline that is run independently." Mr. Sayama has already outsourced overhaul on one of the 737s, and is proposing to place an interface between its system and ANA's to enable code-sharing, which has so far been declined by ANA.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Taking up <i>Able-D</i> would essentially relegate Skymark to a <i>de facto</i> puppet of ANA, joining the likes of AIRDO [HD/ADO] (d.b.a. Air Do), Solaseed Air [6J/SNJ], and Star Flyer [7G/SFJ]. The conflict will continue between Integral and ANA as the former's interest lies in keeping Skymark operationally independent until its planned re-listing in 2020, while the latter wants to keep Skymark under its influence for as long as possible to shut out true competition at bread-and-butter Haneda. With Skymark expected to post a full-year profit for FY2015, ending on March 31st, as performance quickly improves and fuel prices continue to be low, code-sharing with ANA would become less of a priority for Skymark and it would only become more difficult for ANA to tame Skymark.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/ss/kkk/newchitose24_unyou.htm" target="_blank">Hokkaido Prefectural Government</a>. (in Japanese)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Source: <a href="http://skymark.jp/ja/company/press/160219_press.pdf" target="_blank">Skymark Airlines</a>, 2016 February 19th. (in Japanese)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Source: <a href="http://dd.hokkaido-np.co.jp/news/economy/economy/1-0238045.html" target="_blank">Hokkaido Shimbun</a>, 2016 February 23rd. (in Japanese)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.bloomberg.co.jp/news/123-O3BY2R6K50ZR01.html" target="_blank">Bloomberg Japan</a>, 2016 March 3rd. (in Japanese)</span></span></div>
Ryosukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04213870752652946888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2089781978049766859.post-53546332718459282772016-02-24T17:51:00.000+09:002016-02-24T17:51:39.952+09:00Peach Aviation commences Okinawa – Narita.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">On February 20th, Peach Aviation [MM/APJ] launched Okinawa/Naha [OKA/ROAH] – Tokyo/Narita [NRT/RJAA] (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/12/peach-aviation-grows-okinawa-narita-and.html" target="_blank">Peach Aviation grows Okinawa; Narita and more Taipei.</a>). It initially started out with an evening round-trip flying three times weekly, operating on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, due to limited availability of favorable slot times at Narita, but will be up-gauged to daytime hours and go daily from March 27th, the beginning of the Summer 2016 schedule. 180-seat Airbus A320s are assigned.</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6CQNEKckMP6GkItWTBJsUirbqHuO8WWNKLtc9ofcSqeMIBIXuOTzVGUeefp32c8osFg4wmfDlUQyz9g-a3RQ5ZqpD8UjWDGnCzehvIHRzulCi_8SyMC9REU6oZnZfg8pEMesHeMF_w6k/s1600/ja803p_oka20150221_aw2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6CQNEKckMP6GkItWTBJsUirbqHuO8WWNKLtc9ofcSqeMIBIXuOTzVGUeefp32c8osFg4wmfDlUQyz9g-a3RQ5ZqpD8UjWDGnCzehvIHRzulCi_8SyMC9REU6oZnZfg8pEMesHeMF_w6k/s400/ja803p_oka20150221_aw2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Airbus A320-214 JA803P departs Peach's second hub at Naha. It plans a modest fleet of 20 by October 2017 with a third hub at Narita and a fourth in Sendai. (Photo: Aviation Wire)</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Inaugural flight MM508 departed Naha at 1617 JST, 17 minutes behind schedule, with a load of 168 passengers (including one infant), four flight attendants, and two pilots, and arrived at Narita at 1815, 10 minutes before the published time. A320-214 JA803P operated both legs. </span></span><br />
<br />
<u><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Flight Schedule:</span></span></u><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">MM504 OKA 1100 – 1340 NRT 320 Daily *From Mar/27.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">MM508 OKA 1600 – 1825 NRT 320 Mo/Th/Sa *Feb/20 - Mar/26.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">MM505 NRT 1425 – 1715 OKA 320 Daily *From Mar/27.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">MM509 NRT 1900 – 2215 OKA 320 Mo/Th/Sa *Feb/20 - Mar/26.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The Ryukyu capital became the growing LCC's fourth destination from Narita, after Fukuoka [FUK/RJFF], Osaka/Kansai [KIX/RJBB], and Sapporo/New Chitose [CTS/RJCC] (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/03/peach-starts-narita-to-fukuoka-and.html" target="_blank">Peach starts Narita to Fukuoka and Sapporo.</a>), and the sixth overall from the Tokyo region, as it serves Seoul/Incheon [ICN/RKSI] (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2016/02/peach-aviation-starts-haneda-seoul.html" target="_blank">Peach Aviation starts Haneda – Seoul.</a>) and Taipei/Taoyuan [TPE/RCTP] (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/08/peach-inaugurates-haneda-taipei.html" target="_blank">Peach Aviation inaugurates Haneda – Taipei.</a>) from Tokyo/Haneda [HND/RJTT] using midnight slots. Meanwhile, Narita is the sixth city from their Naha hub, which already sees service to Fukuoka, Hong Kong [HKG/VHHH], Kansai, Seoul (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/09/peach-aviation-starts-okinawa-seoul.html" target="_blank">Peach Aviation starts Okinawa – Seoul.</a>), and Taipei.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The Naha – Narita route currently has three other airlines operating; All Nippon Airways [NH/ANA], subsidiary of Peach's 38.67% shareholder ANA Holdings, mainly feeds its international flights, while Jetstar Japan [GK/JJP] and Vanilla Air [JW/VNL], ANA's wholly-owned LCC arm, compete with Peach. Japan Airlines [JL/JAL] withdrew from the route in October 2014 and instead code-shares with 33% subsidiary Jetstar Japan to feed its international flights (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2014/08/jal-to-terminate-narita-okinawa.html" target="_blank">JAL to terminate Narita – Okinawa.</a>).</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">One year ago, Peach had publicly stated that Narita would become its third hub after Kansai and Naha (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/02/peach-confirms-narita-hub-adds-fukuoka.html" target="_blank">Peach confirms Narita hub; adds Fukuoka and Sapporo.</a>), however, CEO Shinichi Inoue has admitted that it could be delayed due to the unavailability of favorable slot times, and hubbing Sendai [SDJ/RJSS] may end up coming before (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/03/peach-reveals-sendai-hub-for-summer-2017.html" target="_blank">Peach plans Sendai hub by Summer 2017.</a>). Meanwhile, Mr. Inoue is eager to add more midnight international flights from Haneda, with Hong Kong being the most likely candidate. Peach </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">does not have any access to daytime slots, hence a split operation for Tokyo. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.aviationwire.jp/archives/82676" target="_blank">Aviation Wire</a>, 2016 February 20th. (in Japanese)</span></span></div>
Ryosukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04213870752652946888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2089781978049766859.post-50957026976522938612016-02-16T01:21:00.002+09:002016-02-19T00:10:25.824+09:00New AirAsia Japan reveals China, SE Asia, USA ambitions.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On February 15th, AirAsia Japan's (Mk II) [DJ] new Chairman Takashi Ide revealed that the delayed LCC is now preparing to start flying in Summer 2016, hopefully in July or August. Speaking at a public symposium calling for a second runway at its Nagoya/Chubu Centrair [NGO/RJGG] hub (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/07/airasia-japan-confirms-spring-2016.html" target="_blank">AirAsia Japan confirms Spring 2016 launch from Nagoya.</a>), the former Skymark Airlines [BC/SKY] executive who only joined in December (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/11/airasia-japan-ceo-to-quit-ex-skymark.html" target="_blank">AirAsia Japan CEO to quit, ex-Skymark executives coming.</a>) also disclosed plans for China, hubs at Taipei/Taoyuan [TPE/RCTP] and Tokyo/Narita [NRT/RJAA], plus Airbus A330s for trans-Pacific and Hawaii routes. It will also continue to push for Chubu Centrair's proposed new LCC terminal, which could open as early as FY2018 and handle up to 5 million passengers annually.</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhimknlk1Fn4fztlVfeOGwl5-GYWYFsLRvSY3mUAj7Tgwce7ABq_WWcZOMhcnYCb5sNbwOFt5K2g3gPiCXPn-tm88EzBgGjTeKeMbSjD4Viqj9w0GyQSlDfCJGGZ7eWDx4bpKJEmdRDyY0/s1600/ja01dj_20151016ngo_aw8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhimknlk1Fn4fztlVfeOGwl5-GYWYFsLRvSY3mUAj7Tgwce7ABq_WWcZOMhcnYCb5sNbwOFt5K2g3gPiCXPn-tm88EzBgGjTeKeMbSjD4Viqj9w0GyQSlDfCJGGZ7eWDx4bpKJEmdRDyY0/s400/ja01dj_20151016ngo_aw8.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Airbus A320-216(SL) JA01DJ, which has not flown since delivery (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/10/new-airasia-japan-receives-first-airbus.html" target="_blank">New AirAsia Japan receives first Airbus A320.</a>), is now being reactivated for <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">a test <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">flight <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">on</span> February 16th</span></span>. AirAsia Japan (Mk II) plans to commence crew training on its own aircraft on March 15th as their first group of trainees return from Malaysia. Their second aircraft will be deferred to April, while the Mika Ninagawa-designed special livery will be adorned by their third. (Photo: Aviation Wire)</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The reincarnation of AirAsia's [AK/AXM] Japanese unit was originally planned to take off in June 2015 (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2014/07/airasia-japan-is-officially-reborn.html" target="_blank">AirAsia Japan is officially reborn; first flight June 2015.</a>), but was postponed to April 2016 after finally receiving an Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) in October (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/10/airasia-japan-mk-ii-receives-aoc.html" target="_blank">New AirAsia Japan receives AOC; takeoff in April 2016.</a>), only to be delayed again after the surprising management change (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2016/02/new-airasia-japan-delays-service-entry.html" target="_blank">New AirAsia Japan delays service entry to July 2016.</a>). Its shareholders have agreed to together inject 3 billion JPY this month. </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Former
management was essentially trying to build a Japanese branch of
AirAsia. But we need to be a Japanese airline in the first place<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">," said Mr. Ide, <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">expla<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ining </span></span></span></span></span>"An AOC <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(in Japan) </span>only means the business structure is in place. We cannot fly yet because we have not met all the JCAB criteria to become airworthy<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">.</span>"<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span>Mr. Ide<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> also added "</span>AirAsia is fun and bright, but that is outside of Japan. People are very conservative here, and it is difficult to <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">carve ou<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">t <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">a spac<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">e against </span></span></span></span>ANA and JAL. I learned a lot about that (through Skymark)."</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Mr. Ide reiterated that AirAsia Japan's main target would be Japan's inbound market (outbound is shrinking due to aging and a declining population). As already reported, it will start with a fleet of two 180-seat Airbus A320 flying from Chubu Centrair to Sapporo/New Chitose [CTS/RJCC], Sendai [SDJ/RJSS], and Taipei, with each city receiving double-daily frequencies. It plans to carry 150,000 passengers by 2016 year-end. In 2017, its fleet will be increased to six aircraft mostly to fuel China expansion, and Mr. Ide named Beijing/Capital [PEK/ZBAA] or Tianjin [TSN/ZBTJ], Guam [GUM/PGUM], Hong Kong [HKG/VHHH] or Macau [MFM/VMMC], Seoul/Incheon [ICN/RKSI], and Shanghai/Pudong [PVG/ZSPD] or Wuxi [WUX/ZSWX]. Mr. Ide said it will not hesitate to fly to less-congested airports that have attractive incentives for newcomers. First profit is forecasted for FY2017.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For 2018, AirAsia Japan will add three A320s for a total of nine, plus two A330s. The new Airbus wide-body aircraft will be used to open up Chubu Centrair – Singapore/Changi [SIN/WSSS], while the additional A320s will be based at a new hub at Narita and fly to Beijing or Tianjin, Hong Kong or Macau, New Chitose, Taipei, and Shanghai or Wuxi, all destinations which would already be served from Chubu Centrair by then. FY2018 is projected to see total revenue increasing to 25 billion JPY with a profit margin of 7%. During 2019, the fleet will be increased to a dozen A320s and four A330s; the A320s will be based at their third hub at Taipei and start Vietnam and Singapore using fifth freedom rights, while additional A330s will be used to launch Honolulu [HNL/PHNL] from both Chubu Centrair and Narita. FY2019 is expected to see revenue amounting to 35 billion JPY with a profit margin of 10%.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">By the end of 2020, the LCC will boast 14 A320s and six A330s. The additional A330s will be used to open up its first trans-Pacific routes to Seattle-Tacoma [SEA/KSEA], though Mr. Ide noted it could be changed to San Francisco [SFO/KSFO] depending on which U.S. partner it interlines with. Meanwhile, the A320 additions will help them connect more dots, including Taipei and Narita with Seoul. By the end of FY2020, AirAsia Japan aims to fly 30 round-trips from Chubu Centair and 10 round-trips from Narita with an average load factor of 75%, producing total revenues of 50 billion JPY and a profit margin of 15%. The LCC also plans to conduct its Initial Public Offering (IPO) during FY2020.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So the details of AirAsia's second shot at Japan have now been unveiled. The importance of China had been repeated, however, as slots at key destinations dry up, it may <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">need</span> to fly to secondary airports. AirAsia has brand recognition in China, but how much impact a split operation among sisters would have is unsure, though it already <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">serves mu<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">lt<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">iple airports for </span></span></span>Tokyo with AirAsia X [D7/XAX] at Tokyo/Haneda [HND/RJTT] and Thai AirAsia X [XJ/TAX] at Narita. For Japan – Southeast Asia, Vietnam and Singapore are natural priorities, as the group doesn't have local affiliates there. Meanwhile, Malaysia and Thailand are better served by its lower-cost sisters in these respective countries. It is also noteworthy that AirAsia Japan will become the first group carrier to operate A330s alongside A320s (excluding Indonesia AirAsia X [XT/IDX], for paperwork purposes); the Airbus wide-bodies will mainly serve trans-Pacific and Hawaii markets, with feed not only from Japan (which is shrinking), but from China and Southeast Asia (which is growing).</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.traicy.com/20160215-DJplan" target="_blank">Traicy</a>, 2016 February 15th. (in Japanese)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.aviationwire.jp/archives/82321" target="_blank">Aviation Wire</a>, 2016 February 15th. (in Japanese)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXLASDZ15IOQ_V10C16A2TI5000/" target="_blank">Nikkei Shimbun</a>, 2016 February 15th. (in Japanese)</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">*Edited/updated on 2016 February 16th.</span></span></div>
Ryosukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04213870752652946888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2089781978049766859.post-8525921619313141402016-02-15T21:56:00.001+09:002016-02-15T21:56:58.420+09:00Spring Airlines Japan launches Wuhan and Chongqing.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">On February 13th, Spring Airlines Japan [IJ/SJO] launched its first international service from Tokyo/Narita [NRT/RJAA] to Wuhan [WUH/ZHHH], followed by Chongqing [CKG/ZUCK] the following day on February 14th. Thus, the affiliate of Spring Airlines [9C/CQH] became the first Japanese LCC to serve mainland China. Regulator Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) had granted the fledgling airline approval to operate international routes on December 16th (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/12/spring-airlines-japan-granted-approval.html" target="_blank">Spring Airlines Japan granted approval to go international.</a>). All flights are operated by 189-seat Boeing 737-800s.</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ETVHBN765ncm6CMYKTnEKPTmjPR-irh1UFgvDIuVasRiLNS_L-R83rM98BykB9kJ3iD30MDMXGWVf4ao3dgBvHC4308bdcQeoU7yFYSqd4aQydG-hGl-D9Pxkk_UIAutHSgvF0n2X5Q/s1600/ja03gr_20160213nrt_aw2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ETVHBN765ncm6CMYKTnEKPTmjPR-irh1UFgvDIuVasRiLNS_L-R83rM98BykB9kJ3iD30MDMXGWVf4ao3dgBvHC4308bdcQeoU7yFYSqd4aQydG-hGl-D9Pxkk_UIAutHSgvF0n2X5Q/s400/ja03gr_20160213nrt_aw2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Boeing 737-86N(WL) JA03GR rotates from Narita for her maiden flight to Wuhan. Spring Airlines Japan has so far capped its fleet at just three aircraft. (Photo: Aviation Wire)</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Maiden international flight IJ1011 departed Narita at 1024 JST, four minutes behind schedule, with a load of 138 passengers including 11 infants. 737-86N(WL) JA03GR was assigned. Wuhan started with a three-times-weekly frequency, operating on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, while Chongqing runs four times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Both round-trips are timed to depart Narita in the morning for an afternoon arrival into the Chinese cities and an evening return to Japan.</span></span><br />
<br />
<u><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Flight Schedule:</span></span></u><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Narita – Wuhan NEW 3 weekly with B737-800.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">IJ1011 NRT 1020 – 1415 WUH 73H Mo/We/Sa</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">IJ1012 WUH 1515 – 1940 NRT 73H Mo/We/Sa</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Narita – Chongqing NEW 4 weekly with B737-800.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">IJ1021 NRT 0900 – 1415 CKG 73H Tu/Th/Fr/Su</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">IJ1022 CKG 1515 – 2025 NRT 73H Tu/Th/Fr/Su</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">"As a group, we are looking forward to bringing more Chinese tourists to Japan, and hopefully more Japanese to China as well," said Wang Zhenghua, Chairman of Spring Airlines Group, while the Japanese affiliate's President Hiroshi Ukai enthused "This is our first step to build our international network. We will be adding many more destinations from Narita to China." Lanzhou [LHW/ZLLL] has been mentioned as the possible next city, while Osaka/Kansai [KIX/RJBB] and Sapporo/New Chitose [CTS/RJCC] have been evaluated as the next domestic destinations (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/07/spring-japan-plans-kansai-sapporo-and.html" target="_blank">Spring Airlines Japan plans Kansai, Sapporo, and China.</a>).</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Having commenced operations in August 2014 (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2014/08/spring-airlines-japan-commences.html" target="_blank">Spring Airlines Japan commences operations.</a>), Spring Airlines Japan was founded given the specific mission to connect Chinese cities with the main international airport serving Tokyo, which would be difficult for its Chinese parent to accomplish due to restrictions and politics that protect government-owned Air China [CA/CCA], China Eastern Airlines [MU/CES], and China Southern Airlines [CZ/CSN]. For example, Narita – Chongqing already had Air China operating daily, while Narita – Wuhan sees twice-weekly China Southern service, so approval to enter the markets by Spring Airlines would not have come easy, and Spring Airlines Japan is the group's answer to get around with it.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Peer LCCs Jetstar Japan [GK/JJP], Peach Aviation [MM/APJ], and Vanilla Air [JW/VNL], have all omitted the Chinese market so far, due to them having small or no brand recognition in China, a higher cost base than its Chinese counterparts, and political tensions, though now to a lesser extent. Peach has mulled Shanghai for some time but has remained quiet, while Vanilla Air only recently announced its commitment to China (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2016/02/vanilla-air-eyes-china-southeast-asia.html" target="_blank">Vanilla Air eyes China, Southeast Asia, and Okinawa hub.</a>). Being able to take advantage of its parent's brand awareness as well as the group's distribution channels puts Spring Airlines Japan in the best position among Japanese LCCs to serve the booming China – Japan market. While there are still more Japanese visiting China than Chinese traveling to Japan, the latter is fast increasing while the former is declining.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">In other news, in December 2015, Japanese electronics retailer Bic Camera and housing firm Sekisui House announced plans to acquire stakes in Spring Airlines Japan. The former has invested 1 billion JPY to control 6% of the LCC's voting shares, and will have the airline promote its products and hand out discount vouchers eligible for use at its stores. Additionally, it may also be allocated seats for promotions. Meanwhile, the latter is looking to invest 3 billion JPY for an 18% share by the end of March. Japan's largest housing company is looking to partner with the Spring Airlines Group in opening a chain of budget hotels in Japan under the brand Spring Sunny Hotel. It would be a joint-venture (JV) between the LCC group and a Japanese real estate management company Sun Frontier Fudousan.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXLASDZ21ICQ_R21C15A2TI5000/" target="_blank">Nikkei Shimbun</a>, 2015 December 22nd. (in Japanese) </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.aviationwire.jp/archives/77698" target="_blank">Aviation Wire</a>, 2015 December 22nd. (in Japanese)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXLASDZ23HDQ_T21C15A2TJC000/" target="_blank">Nikkei Shimbun</a>, 2015 December 23rd. (in Japanese)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.aviationwire.jp/archives/82150" target="_blank">Aviation Wire</a>, 2016 February 13rd. (in Japanese)</span></span></div>
Ryosukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04213870752652946888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2089781978049766859.post-2510810183538347602016-02-11T01:03:00.000+09:002016-02-11T21:45:46.644+09:00New AirAsia Japan delays service entry to July 2016.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On February 10th, AirAsia Japan (Mk II) [DJ] officially admitted that it would be unable to meet its target operations launch in April 2016 (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/10/airasia-japan-mk-ii-receives-aoc.html" target="_blank">New AirAsia Japan receives AOC; takeoff in April 2016.</a>). The company explained it was due to "a number of factors." This becomes the second delay (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/04/airasia-admits-skymark-bid-defeat-japan.html" target="_blank">AirAsia admits Skymark bid defeat, Japan unit delay to 2016.</a>), and they will now work to start flying in July, which would put it more than one year behind their original time schedule (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/12/new-airasia-japan-struggles-to-takeoff.html" target="_blank">New AirAsia Japan takeoff slipping to Summer 2016?</a>).</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhubezWYu_zgvTNdAZJmAXOX38aoAUgzjFGWuzMbEOfVeO_pcyFHx7rg88Nohl4rvWVX2A9zXp2VikPdsHkrBTp1uxezHcMGOUlv4SvQ6gkSswwJO1j72qiIQX5tEpzw193Ztl1n64sDjM/s1600/ja02dj_20160201tls_tgudat2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhubezWYu_zgvTNdAZJmAXOX38aoAUgzjFGWuzMbEOfVeO_pcyFHx7rg88Nohl4rvWVX2A9zXp2VikPdsHkrBTp1uxezHcMGOUlv4SvQ6gkSswwJO1j72qiIQX5tEpzw193Ztl1n64sDjM/s400/ja02dj_20160201tls_tgudat2.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Airbus A320-216(SL) JA02DJ/F-WWBO (msn 6972), AirAsia Japan's second aircraft, will be delivered in late February, <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">tho<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ugh</span></span> its first A320 has yet to fly since <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">delivery</span> last October. A special livery designed by Mika Ninagawa was planned for the second <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">example</span>, but seems to have been postponed to a later airframe. </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Flight training was originally slated to begin in November last year, but is now planned by March. </span></span>(Photo: Tobias Gudat)</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Japan's fifth LCC had already been set back with a 10-month delay (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2014/07/airasia-japan-is-officially-reborn.html" target="_blank">AirAsia Japan is officially reborn; first flight June 2015.</a>), largely due to shifting strategy to focus more on the international market rather than domestic, difficulties in recruiting pilots and setting up a maintenance scheme, and much-longer-than-anticipated preparation to apply for an Air Operator's Certificate (AOC). It finally <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">obtained</span> one on October 6th, 2015 and announced that <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">it</span> would <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">launch <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">in April with flights from </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nagoya/Chubu Centrair [NGO/RJGG] to</span></span> Sapp<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">oro/New Chitose <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">[CTS/R<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">JCC], </span></span></span>Sendai [SDJ/RJSS]<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, and Taipei/Taoyuan [TPE/RCTP] </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/10/airasia-japan-mk-ii-receives-aoc.html" target="_blank">New AirAsia Japan receives AOC; takeoff in April 2016.</a>)</span></span>. H</span></span></span>owever, until now their first Airbus A320 has not flown once since delivery four months ago (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/10/new-airasia-japan-receives-first-airbus.html" target="_blank">New AirAsia Japan receives first Airbus A320.</a>)<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">.</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Dissatisfied with slow progress, effective December 1st, the LCC group replaced CEO Yoshinori Odagiri, formerly a veteran from All Nippon Airways [NH/ANA] who also headed the first AirAsia Japan (Mk I) [JW/WAJ], with ex-Skymark Airlines' [BC/SKY] Chairman Takashi Ide and President Masakazu Arimori in a surprise move (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/09/skymark-relaunched-with-ana-sponsorship.html" target="_blank">Skymark relaunched with ANA sponsorship.</a>). Mr. Ide was made AirAsia Japan's Chairman while Mr. Arimori took the place of CFO, while ex-Dell Osamu Hata was promoted to CEO (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/11/airasia-japan-ceo-to-quit-ex-skymark.html" target="_blank">AirAsia Japan CEO to quit, ex-Skymark executives coming.</a>). However, it must be noted that Skymark and AirAsia Japan are different; the former has been a domestic player centered around its precious slots at Tokyo/Haneda [HND/RJTT], while the latter is based at Chubu Centrair with at least 55% of its capacity to be international.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nonetheless, the Skymark duo have wide and deep knowledge of the domestic market and expertise in running a low-cost operation in Japan's unique economic and regulatory environment. And, the hidden agenda may be that, they along with management at AirAsia have not given up on eventually merging AirAsia Japan and Skymark, which has so far been politically impossible (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2014/08/is-airasia-considering-skymark-takeover.html" target="_blank">Is AirAsia considering a Skymark takeover?</a>) (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/02/ana-and-airasia-bid-to-save-skymark.html" target="_blank">ANA and AirAsia bid to save Skymark.</a>). Skymark's new President Nobuo Sayama still maintains close relations with the duo, and Skymark's new owners Integral Corporation and ANA Holdings have agreed to re-list the airline by 2020. Meanwhile, the government has hinted liberalizing Haneda to a significant extent sometime, but not long, after the 2020 Tokyo Olympics/Paralympics, and AirAsia and Skymark may be quietly waiting for the appropriate time.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With the latest postponement, some media have voiced concerns over whether AirAsia Japan could really take off. However, though it may be delayed, the Japanese unit of Asia's largest LCC has so much potential it could realize and Tony Fernandes is probably serious about it. Aside from Spring Airlines Japan [IJ/SJO], AirAsia Japan is best placed among Japanese LCCs to tap into China, the single largest (and still growing) source of inbound visitors to Japan, as it already has brand-awareness with AirAsia Group carriers serving 17 Chinese cities. Furthermore, sister carrier AirAsia X [D7/XAX] (and probably Thai AirAsia X [XJ/TAX] as well when Thailand's ICAO red flag is lifted and FAA rating is returned to Category 1) is venturing into the trans-Pacific market (starting with Honolulu [HNL/PHNL]) with a stop in Japan using fifth freedom rights, and if this proves successful, it could grow not only to provide a Japan </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">– North America operation (which is a shrinking market), but a </span></span>competitive one-stop China – North America (growing market) option.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXLZO97116790Z00C16A2L91000/" target="_blank">Nikkei Shimbun</a>, 2016 February 10th (in Japanese) </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.travelvision.jp/news-jpn/detail.php?id=71172" target="_blank">Travel Vision</a>, 2016 February 10th. (in Japanese)</span></span></div>
Ryosukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04213870752652946888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2089781978049766859.post-79222780958800154512016-02-07T21:11:00.000+09:002016-02-07T21:11:14.770+09:00Peach Aviation starts Haneda – Seoul.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">On February 6th, Peach Aviation [MM/APJ] inaugurated Tokyo/Haneda [HND/RJTT] – Seoul/Incheon [ICN/RKSI] (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/11/peach-aviation-announces-haneda-seoul.html" target="_blank">Peach Aviation announces Haneda – Seoul.</a>). It became their second route from the downtown Tokyo airport after Taipei (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/08/peach-inaugurates-haneda-taipei.html" target="_blank">Peach Aviation inaugurates Haneda – Taipei.</a>), which was only launched in August 2015, and their 10th international route overall. Meanwhile, Seoul will now be served from three points: Okinawa/Naha [OKA/ROAH], Osaka/Kansai [KIX/RJBB], and Haneda. All flights are operated by 180-seat Airbus A320s.</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEw2xBvOjJE0rUgJhk5MvvIRklWC7xLrSNL4oENYBdIwk6sphyLdOJKTvgClqWdJNonmkS9UvjXjVhMTPrVPkRm1-AVlql6ToBrghmIzux-tZqRgbXXt55OUfYtMOEkHeECqud1agJu-s/s1600/ja813p_20160206hnd_aw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEw2xBvOjJE0rUgJhk5MvvIRklWC7xLrSNL4oENYBdIwk6sphyLdOJKTvgClqWdJNonmkS9UvjXjVhMTPrVPkRm1-AVlql6ToBrghmIzux-tZqRgbXXt55OUfYtMOEkHeECqud1agJu-s/s400/ja813p_20160206hnd_aw.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Airbus A320-214 JA813P at Haneda moments after arriving from Seoul's Incheon as the inaugural flight. Peach's fleet boasts a modest 17 A320s, with the next example not due until October this year. (Photo: Aviation Wire)</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The inaugural inbound flight MM1008 departed Incheon on February 5th at 2301 KST with a full load of 181 passengers including an infant, and touched down at Haneda past midnight at 0106 JST. A320-214 JA813P was assigned. Meanwhile, the maiden outbound leg MM1009 departed Haneda on February 6th at 0207 JST carrying 173 passengers including two infants, and arrived at Incheon early in the morning at 0442 KST. There is no time difference between Tokyo and Seoul.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><u>Flight Schedule:</u> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Haneda – Seoul/Incheon NEW 1 daily with A320-200.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">MM1009 HND 0200 – 0435 ICN 320 Daily *From Feb/6.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">MM1008 ICN 2250 – 0100(+1) HND 320 Daily *From Feb/5.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">As with Peach's Haneda </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">– Taipei link</span></span>, the new service to Korea also uses the heavily-regulated airport's under-utilized midnight slot-pairs reserved exclusively for international flights. Peach added a fourth round-trip between Kansai and Seoul from the same day, and after that aircraft arrives into Seoul, it turns around to become the inbound flight to Haneda. After a brief 60-minute stay, it returns to Seoul as the outbound red-eye flight from Haneda, in time for the first flight of the day from Seoul back to Kansai.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">"If you feel like you're up for a Korean barbeque or beauty salon tomorrow, Peach has been providing the answer for those in Osaka. Now we'll be offering that to everyone in Tokyo," said Shinichi Inoue, CEO of Peach, who was present at Haneda on the day. "Travel has become much more affordable and Japan and the rest of Asia are now closer than ever. We're looking forward to opening up our third and fourth international routes from Haneda," Mr. Inoue continued, without naming any destinations. Haneda's current constraints confine Peach to arrivals and departures between 2300 and 0600 only, so the third and fourth will also likely be existing cities on Peach's network if it wishes not to sacrifice aircraft utilization. Hong Kong [HKG/VHHH] and Kaohsiung [KHH/RCKH] would be natural choices.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.aviationwire.jp/archives/81569" target="_blank">Aviation Wire</a>, 2016 February 6th. (in Japanese)</span></span></div>
Ryosukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04213870752652946888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2089781978049766859.post-67218112597049684792016-02-05T23:57:00.002+09:002016-02-06T00:08:56.856+09:00Star Flyer loads Kitakyushu – Taipei charter.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On February 4th, Star Flyer [7G/SFJ] announced that they will operate three round-trip charters between Kitakyushu [KKJ/RJFR] and Taipei/Taoyuan [TPE/RCTP] during Japan's <i>Golden Week</i> peak travel period in May. 150-seat Airbus A320s will be assigned. Travel agencies JTB World Vacations and H.I.S. will market the packaged tour in Japan, while an undisclosed firm in Taipei has been contracted to sell tickets in Taiwan.</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs2R36SP4Cc0pEQJD7qjeXWx0OJL9emXJv5WImyUHuAlt1PjdT63FccB6naF94pqOJef4NjCI1EUCjTWke5TvS_56erUICOpQmGlkazkXRwTBiwnhwu4iQJvq6K7JRVc2DVIkDnu7jSgI/s1600/ja05mc_20160116hnd_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs2R36SP4Cc0pEQJD7qjeXWx0OJL9emXJv5WImyUHuAlt1PjdT63FccB6naF94pqOJef4NjCI1EUCjTWke5TvS_56erUICOpQmGlkazkXRwTBiwnhwu4iQJvq6K7JRVc2DVIkDnu7jSgI/s400/ja05mc_20160116hnd_1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Airbus A320-214 JA05MC <i>City of Kitakyushu</i> at Haneda. Star Flyer is considering revamping the interior of <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">its </span>A320s, as well as increasing seat count from 150 to 166, matching that of ANA's A320s. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The cu<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">rrent generous </span></span>low<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">-density configu<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ration <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">would be unsustainable if and when fuel prices go up<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> again. </span></span></span></span>(Photo: Ryosuke Yano)</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In May last year, the Kitakyushu-based airline had announced that it would consider midnight international charters to regional Asian destinations from its base as well as Nagoya/Chubu Centrair [NGO/RJGG], Osaka/Kansai [KIX/RJBB], and Tokyo/Haneda [HND/RJTT], as part of its mid-term strategy dubbed <i>Pursuit of Star Flyer-ness 2020</i> (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/05/star-flyer-back-in-black-mulls.html" target="_blank">Star Flyer back in black, mulls international charters.</a>). The red-eye flights increase utilization by flying them during the midnight when most domestic airports are closed.</span></span><br />
<br />
<u><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Flight Schedule:</span></span></u><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Kitakyushu – Taipei NEW charter with A320-200.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">7G9671 KKJ 2330 – 0100(+1) TPE 32A/320 *May/2, 4, 6.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">7G9672 TPE 0230 – 0550 KKJ 32A/320 *May/3, 5, 7.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With assistance from ANA Holdings, Star Flyer successfully turned itself around in FY2014, reporting a 431 million JPY net profit for the fiscal year ending in March 2015 over a 3.04 billion JPY loss for FY2013. The parent of Japan's largest airline is Star Flyer's biggest shareholder and has a 17.96% stake, and its current President Sadami Matsuishi is an ANA veteran (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2014/03/new-star-flyer-president-is-from-ana.html" target="_blank">New Star Flyer President is from ANA.</a>). All routes and all but a single Haneda – Kitakyushu round-trip code-share with ANA, and the partnership generates well over 30% of the Kyushu carrier's total revenue (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2014/10/star-flyer-launches-yamaguchi-ube.html" target="_blank">Star Flyer launches Yamaguchi-Ube.</a>).</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Star Flyer currently operates nine 150-seat A320s on domestic routes. </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Their sole scheduled international route </span></span>launched in July 2012 between Kitakyushu and Busan/Gimhae [PUS/RKPK] was suspended in March 2014 due to heavy losses. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.starflyer.jp/starflyer/news/2015/news_20160204.pdf" target="_blank">Star Flyer</a>, 2016 February 4th. (in Japanese)</span></span></div>
Ryosukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04213870752652946888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2089781978049766859.post-9207038358768722252016-02-02T23:13:00.000+09:002016-02-03T17:52:57.568+09:00Vanilla Air eyes China, Southeast Asia, and Okinawa hub.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On January 29th, Vanilla Air's [JW/VNL] owner ANA Holdings, parent of Japan's largest carrier All Nippon Airways [NH/ANA], announced that it would increase the Tokyo/Narita [NRT/RJAA]-based LCC's capacity by 218% as measured by available seat kilometers (ASKs) by the end of FY2020. It aims to become the number one LCC at Narita, going head to head with rival Jetstar Japan [GK/JJP], and also partly competing with sister Peach Aviation [MM/APJ], minority-owned by ANA<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVzkp13irpSxzwuXNzBeh02nG3AP3GTF_dLrZIuPsQoRVib1uLVYc0FfnzW_EDwaqp3JtFfmv73ktgGV61GAyrqgRiuKtETqUf-PEG2TET8JXnyQ9QXrxiHkbQQNyCCLKXobVvtwKPH1c/s1600/ja06va_20160116nrt_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVzkp13irpSxzwuXNzBeh02nG3AP3GTF_dLrZIuPsQoRVib1uLVYc0FfnzW_EDwaqp3JtFfmv73ktgGV61GAyrqgRiuKtETqUf-PEG2TET8JXnyQ9QXrxiHkbQQNyCCLKXobVvtwKPH1c/s400/ja06va_20160116nrt_1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Airbus
A320-216(SL) JA06VA taxies for departure from Narita. Vanilla Air plans
to add up to five aircraft in FY2016, with another dozen to be inducted
by FY2020. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">V</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span>anilla will add more leisure-oriented markets, including cities which have yet to be served by the ANA Group, and enter the Chinese market to tap into Japan's largest source of inbound tourists. It also envisions setting up its second hub at Okinawa/Naha [OKA/ROAH], and designating Taipei/Taoyuan [TPE/RCTP] a strategic focus city, which would inevitably increase overlap with Peach (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/12/peach-aviation-grows-okinawa-narita-and.html" target="_blank">Peach Aviation grows Okinawa; Narita and more Taipei.</a>). Guam, Saipan, Philippines, along with Southeast Asia are on the horizon, though Osaka/Kansai [KIX/RJBB] – Taipei (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2016/01/vanilla-air-to-add-kansai-taipei-in.html" target="_blank">Vanilla Air to add Kansai – Taipei in Summer 2016.</a>) is expected to become the next route.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Its current fleet of eight 180-seat Airbus A320s will be grown to 25 by FY2020, and the re-engined A320neo is under consideration. Acquisition of A330 wide-body aircraft will also continue to be evaluated, but it would be necessary if Vanilla wishes to fly to Southeast Asia nonstop from Narita both ways without <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">payload</span> penalties.<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A single<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">-type operat<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ion is the LCC f<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ormula, but we're <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">also evaluating a plan with wide-bodies," said ANA Holdings President Shinya Katanozaka, adding "Asian LCCs are evolving,<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> and th<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ey're entering long<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">er routes. We may operate two types side-b<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">y-side, or even a complete shift to wide<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">-body-only operations in the long-term is <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">also a possibility</span>."</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Some sources say there is already an undisclosed done deal for ANA to lease a few A330s from CIT Aerospace for deployment at Vanilla. Pleasing CIT, Skymark Airlines' [BC/SKY] fourth largest creditor after Intrepid Aviation, Airbus, and Rolls-Royce, was also necessary for ANA to win support to sponsor Japan's bankrupt third largest airline (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/08/bye-bye-skymark-hello-ana-airbus-a380.html" target="_blank">Bye-bye Skymark, Hello ANA Airbus A380?</a>). Meanwhile, Vanilla has become quiet on any plans to fly to Hawaii after ANA finally released plans to fly Skymark's displaced A380s to the popular resort destination. With ANA's A380s planned to accommodate 500 to 600 passengers, they would virtually be dumping seats in the market overnight, and an entry by Vanilla would result in excessive overcapacity.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.anahd.co.jp/pr/201601/20160129-2.html" target="_blank">ANA Holdings</a>, 2016 January 2<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">9th</span>. (in Japanese)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.aviationwire.jp/archives/81368" target="_blank">Aviation </a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.aviationwire.jp/archives/81368" target="_blank">Wire</a>, 2016 <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">February 3rd<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. (in Japanese)</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">*Edited/updated on <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2016 Feb<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ruary 3rd.</span></span></span> </span></span></span></span> </span></span></div>
Ryosukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04213870752652946888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2089781978049766859.post-77848468408290934732016-01-24T22:39:00.000+09:002016-01-24T23:00:19.181+09:00Skymark to add nonstop Ibaraki – Okinawa.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On January 21st, Skymark Airlines [BC/SKY] announced that it will add Ibaraki [IBR/RJAH] – Okinawa/Naha [OKA/ROAH] nonstop service effective April 28th. The new service will be operated daily using 177-seat Boeing 737-800s. This becomes the first new route launched by the bankrupt airline (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/01/skymark-to-file-for-bankruptcy.html" target="_blank">Skymark to file for bankruptcy.</a>) since a revamped management was installed by new owners ANA Holdings, parent of All Nippon Airways [NH/ANA], Integral Corporation, and UDS Airlines Invstment (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/09/skymark-relaunched-with-ana-sponsorship.html" target="_blank">Skymark relaunched with ANA sponsorship.</a>).</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjre9Cgjjcq74_ZMxC-_PJwCRPS6s2G2N3c0edpsgI6cZMVGVejErc58r4mhm8PnulQ-Khogm1PfpGIXUl1LU_5SuzsC6vjqO8BwAWfApwbcPPUYzjnVCt6IjV8LHbjfNNF7yrsb8Xf19A/s1600/ja73nx_20141011nrt_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjre9Cgjjcq74_ZMxC-_PJwCRPS6s2G2N3c0edpsgI6cZMVGVejErc58r4mhm8PnulQ-Khogm1PfpGIXUl1LU_5SuzsC6vjqO8BwAWfApwbcPPUYzjnVCt6IjV8LHbjfNNF7yrsb8Xf19A/s400/ja73nx_20141011nrt_2.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Boeing 737-86N(WL) JA73NX at Narita. Skymark completely withdrew from Narita on October 25th, 2014 (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2014/08/skymark-announces-narita-closure-and.html" target="_blank">Skymark announces Narita closure and Yonago cuts.</a>) after losing the battle against LCCs. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It curr<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ently <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">oper<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ates 26 737s o<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">n 16 nonstop routes<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> which <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">mostly originate </span>from its <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Haneda hub and <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">focus cities at <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Kobe and Ibaraki</span></span>. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span>(Photo: Ryosuke Yano)</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Japan's third largest airline</span></span> currently offers a one-stop fly-through product between the two cities via Kobe [UKB/RJBE]. Making it nonstop cuts travel time from four to three hours and 15 minutes. It is not the first time Skymark has experimented with the route, having operated nonstop as a seasonal service in 2012 from July 1st to September 30th and again in 2013 from July 1st to October 26th. The last new route was Sapporo/New Chitose [CTS/RJCC] – Naha, which was inaugurated on January 29th, 2015, though it was suspended only two months later.</span></span><br />
<br />
<u><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Flight Schedule:</span></span></u><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ibaraki – Naha NEW 1 daily with 737-800. (Apr/28-)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">BC539 IBR 1900 – 2215 OKA 73H/738 Daily</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">BC530 OKA 0725 – 0955 IBR 73H/738 Daily</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Skymark, which designates Ibaraki as a focus city, is the only domestic airline at the airport, flying to Fukuoka [FUK/RJFF], Kobe, and New Chitose, though operations have been downsized during restructuring (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/03/skymark-downsizes-ibaraki-from-september.html" target="_blank">Skymark downsizes Ibaraki from September.</a>). Ibaraki is dubbed the third airport serving the Kanto (Greater Tokyo) region, located 80 kilometers northeast of the capital, and the only LCC-friendly one in the region, boasting landing fees 30-40% lower than Tokyo/Narita [NRT/RJAA] and Tokyo/Haneda [HND/RJTT].</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Once post-deregulation's most successful start-up to challenge the ANA/JAL duopoly, </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">i</span>t is now controlled by Integral Corporation, which owns 50.1%, ANA Holdings, with 16.5%, and UDS Airlines Investment, having 33.4%. UDS is a new investment firm jointly owned by Development Bank of Japan (DBJ) and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking, both loyal partners of ANA. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Code-sharing with ANA<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, which was planned for Winter 2016/2017<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, has now been <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">fur<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ther postponed<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, as Skymark continues to refuse to <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">adopt</span></span> ANA's </span></span></span></span></span></span>Able-D reservation system<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. It would </span>enable code-shares but would essentially relegate Skymark to a <i>de facto</i> puppet of ANA, joining the likes of AIRDO [HD/ADO] (d.b.a. Air Do), Solaseed Air [6J/SNJ], and Star Flyer [7G/SFJ]. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Skymark <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">strives</span> to <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">remain</span> operationally i<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ndependent <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">unt<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">il its<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> planned re<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">-listing <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">in </span></span></span></span></span>2020, while ANA wants to keep it under its <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">influence<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> for<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> as long as possible to <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">shut out</span> true competition at bread-and-butter <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Haneda.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://skymark.jp/ja/company/press/160121_press.pdf" target="_blank">Skymark Airlines</a>, 2016 January 21st. (in Japanese)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.aviationwire.jp/archives/80038" target="_blank">Aviation Wire</a>, 2016 January 21st. (in Japanese)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/economy/20160123-OYT1T50090.html" target="_blank">Yomiuri Shimbun</a>, 2016 <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">January 24th. (in Japanese)</span></span> </span></span></div>
Ryosukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04213870752652946888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2089781978049766859.post-27701196625935550872016-01-23T21:31:00.000+09:002016-01-24T21:37:58.561+09:00IBEX Airlines announces Nagoya – Miyazaki.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On January 20th, IBEX Airlines [FW/IBX] announced that it will add Nagoya/Chubu Centrair [NGO/RJGG] – Miyazaki [KMI/RJFM] effective March 27th, the beginning of the Summer 2016 schedule. The new service will be operated by 70-seat Bombardier CRJ-700NGs on a daily basis. It is virtually a transfer of one of partner All Nippon Airways' [NH/ANA] current three frequencies, as the new round-trip will code-share with ANA while ANA is axing one flight.</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfM5S6y5wfKsninXER04IDpITtuwgD-Vd7Fbjt6fNYrUNmH4lzWXpAQPdLEq-B-YnF8eeG23A3rwJs81_G6HzYFiyMxqOWvftnDchGEp01FpMOerZy1xvwtjlaRAf0vQWp9lRr10AK51Q/s1600/ja05rj_20141011nrt_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfM5S6y5wfKsninXER04IDpITtuwgD-Vd7Fbjt6fNYrUNmH4lzWXpAQPdLEq-B-YnF8eeG23A3rwJs81_G6HzYFiyMxqOWvftnDchGEp01FpMOerZy1xvwtjlaRAf0vQWp9lRr10AK51Q/s400/ja05rj_20141011nrt_1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Bombardier CL-600-2C10 CRJ-702NG JA05RJ taxies at Narita. Note the <i>ANA Connection</i> titles. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The new link, along with their double-daily Chubu Centrair – Oita [OIT/RJFO] route, will be increased to three times daily from August 5th to 22nd, during Japan's <i>Obon</i> (homecoming) period. Meanwhile, the commuter airline will decrease Chubu Centrair – Sendai [SDJ/RJSS] from three to two times daily. Code-share partner ANA will not be adding back any service.</span></span><br />
<br />
<u><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Flight Schedule:</span></span></u><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Chubu Centrair – Miyazaki NEW daily with CRJ700. (Mar/27-)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">FW031 NGO 0855 – 1010 KMI CR7 Daily *Aug/5-22.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">FW033 NGO 1105 – 1220 KMI CR7 Daily</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">FW035 NGO 1540 – 1655 KMI CR7 Daily *Aug/5-22.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">FW032 KMI 1040 – 1155 NGO CR7 Daily *Aug/5-22.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">FW034 KMI 1250 – 1405 NGO CR7 Daily</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">FW036 KMI 1725 – 1840 NGO CR7 Daily *Aug/5-22.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">IBEX currently operates seven CRJ-700NGs and two CRJ-200ERs and all flights code-share with ANA under the branding <i>ANA Connection</i>. Their eighth CRJ-700NG will be delivered in June 2016, allowing a 50-seat CRJ-200ER to be retired. IBEX is majority controlled together by software developer Japan Digital Laboratory (JDL), which owns 47.9%, and its President Kazuo Maezawa, which holds another 18.8%.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.ibexair.co.jp/common/04_press/20160120_1.pdf" target="_blank">IBEX Airlines</a>, 2016 January 20th. (in Japanese)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.ana.co.jp/pr/16_0103/16-ana-ibx0120.html" target="_blank">All Nippon Airways</a>, 2016 January 20th. (in Japanese)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.aviationwire.jp/archives/79932" target="_blank">Aviation Wire</a>, 2016 January 20th. (in Japanese)</span></span></div>
Ryosukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04213870752652946888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2089781978049766859.post-30935393444562000332016-01-20T01:06:00.000+09:002016-01-20T23:25:38.388+09:00Jetstar Japan reveals Manila, downsizes Kumamoto.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On January 19th, Jetstar Japan [GK/JJP] announced that it will add Manila/Ninoy Aquino [MNL/RPLL] to its network this spring (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/11/jetstar-japan-launches-taipei-next-up.html" target="_blank">Jetstar Japan launches Taipei, next up Manila.</a>), with service from Tokyo/Narita [NRT/RJAA] commencing on March 15th, Nagoya/Chubu Centrair [NGO/RJGG] on April 1st, and Osaka/Kansai [KIX/RJBB] on April 7th. All flights will be operated by 180-seat Airbus A320-200s. This marks the first time a Japanese LCC lands in the Philippines.</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPtLgIS5J4ppIMP6MXcb8wtEe7IWDkFrbH50fEd35hUilwo6JSBiXl6ywBwUVqnmng4ZMAFENPcZgUOEqwliLCMp94BRCwWA52L1ljcGgaeMmX3fqx29lytCg6oa5j2PzcgDHMrQJW5qs/s1600/ja19jj_20160116nrt_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPtLgIS5J4ppIMP6MXcb8wtEe7IWDkFrbH50fEd35hUilwo6JSBiXl6ywBwUVqnmng4ZMAFENPcZgUOEqwliLCMp94BRCwWA52L1ljcGgaeMmX3fqx29lytCg6oa5j2PzcgDHMrQJW5qs/s400/ja19jj_20160116nrt_1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Airbus A320-232(SL) JA19JJ taxies for departure from Narita's Terminal 3, dedicated to LCCs. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Narita – Manila will initially start off with three weekly round-trips, gradually increasing to up to seven times weekly. Chubu Centrair – Manila will commence with up to seven weekly, and Kansai – Manila with up to four times weekly. Sister Jetstar Asia Airways [3K/JSA] already operates three times weekly on the Kansai – Manila route, and together the Jetstar Group will offer up to seven-times-weekly service. Along with Jetstar Airways [JQ/JST], the three had received antitrust immunity from Japanese authorities to coordinate schedules and prices on routes between Japan and Taiwan and the Philippines last October.</span></span><br />
<br />
<u><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Flight Schedule:</span></span></u><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Narita – Manila/Ninoy Aquino NEW up to daily with A320-200.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK041 NRT 2005 – 0005(+1) MNL 32A/320 Tu/Th/Sa *Mar/15-19.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK041 NRT 2005 – 0005(+1) MNL 32A/320 Mo/Tu/We/Th/Sa *Mar/20-26.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK041 NRT 2010 – 0010(+1) MNL 32A/320 Fr *Mar/20-26.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK041 NRT 2030 – 0005(+1) MNL 32A/320 Tu/Th/Fr/Sa/Su *Mar/27-Apr/3.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK041 NRT 2030 – 0005(+1) MNL 32A/320 Tu/We/Th/Fr/Sa/Su *Apr/4-28.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK041 NRT 2030 – 0005(+1) MNL 32A/320 Daily *Apr/29-May/8, Jun/1-30.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK041 NRT 2030 – 0005(+1) MNL 32A/320 Tu/Th/Fr/Sa/Su *May/9-31.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK040 MNL 0105 – 0615 NRT 32A/320 We/Fr/Su *Mar/16-20.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK040 MNL 0105 – 0615 NRT 32A/320 Tu/We/Th/Fr/Sa/Su *Mar/21-27.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK040 MNL 0105 – 0635 NRT 32A/320 Mo *Mar/28.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK040 MNL 0105 – 0635 NRT 32A/320 We/Fr *Mar/29-Apr/4.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK040 MNL 0105 – 0635 NRT 32A/320 We/Th *Apr/5-29.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK040 MNL 0105 – 0635 NRT 32A/320 We *May/10-Jun/10.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK040 MNL 0035 – 0605 NRT 32A/320 Mo/Sa/Su *Mar/29-Apr/4.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK040 MNL 0035 – 0605 NRT 32A/320 Mo/Tu/Sa/Su *Apr/5-29.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK040 MNL 0035 – 0605 NRT 32A/320 Daily *Apr/30-May/9.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK040 MNL 0035 – 0605 NRT 32A/320 Mo/Tu/Sa/Su *May/10-Jun/1.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK040 MNL 0035 – 0605 NRT 32A/320 Daily *Jun/2-Jul/1.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Chubu Centrair – Manila/Ninoy Aquino NEW up to daily with A320-200.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK095 NGO 2030 – 2335 MNL 32A/320 Fr/Sa/Su *Apr/1-3.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK095 NGO 2030 – 2335 MNL 32A/320 Mo/Fr/Sa/Su *Apr/4-28, May/9-31.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK095 NGO 2030 – 2335 MNL 32A/320 Daily *Apr/29-May/8, Jun/1-30.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK094 MNL 0105 – 0555 NGO 32A/320 Mo/Sa/Su *Apr/2-4.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK094 MNL 0105 – 0555 NGO 32A/320 Mo/Fr/Sa/Su *Apr/5-29, May/10-Jun/1.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK094 MNL 0105 – 0555 NGO 32A/320 Daily *Apr/30-May/9, Jun/2-Jul/1.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Kansai – Manila/Ninoy Aquino NEW up to 4 weekly with A320-200.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK081 KIX 2030 – 2335 MNL 32A/320 Tu/We/Th/Fr *Apr/7-28, Jun/1-30.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK081 KIX 2030 – 2335 MNL 32A/320 Tu/Th *Apr/29-May/31.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK080 MNL 0035 – 0530 <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">KIX</span> 32A/320 We/Th/Fr/Sa *Apr/8-29, Jun/2-Jul/1.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GK080 MNL 0035 – 0530 <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">KIX</span> 32A/320 We/Fr *Apr/30-Jun/1.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">All flights leave Japan in the evening, arriving in the Philippines past midnight, and make a red-eye departure for an early-morning return back to Japan. Tickets went on sale at 1600 JST today, and promotional fares are offered for all three new routes starting from one-way 990 JPY, excluding tax and fuel surcharges. The promotion is limited to 2,000 seats, and are only available for 26 hours. Normal one-way fares start from 9,000 JPY for Narita – Manila and Chubu Centrair – Manila and 8,500 JPY for Kansai – Manila, both excluding tax and fuel surcharges.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Narita – Manila is currently served by All Nippon Airways [NH/ANA] (daily), Cebu Air [5J/CEB] (d.b.a. Cebu Pacific Air) (daily), Japan Airlines [JL/JAL] (x2 daily), Delta Air Lines [DL/DAL] (daily), and Philippine Airlines [PR/PAL] (x2 daily), while Chubu Centrair – Manila sees Cebu Pacific (x4 weekly) and Philippine Airlines (daily) and Kansai – Manila has Cebu Pacific (x5 weekly), Jetstar Asia (x3 weekly), and Philippine Airlines (daily). Zest Airways [Z2/EZD] (d.b.a. AirAsia Zest) is preparing to enter the Philippines – Japan market during the second half of 2016.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Meanwhile, on January 15th, Jetstar Japan had disclosed that it would axe Kansai – Kumamoto [KMJ/RJFT] effective March 27th, the beginning of the Summer 2016 timetable. It was initially launched on October 26th, 2014 with two round-trips per day (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2014/10/jetstar-japan-starts-three-routes-to.html" target="_blank">Jetstar Japan starts three routes from Kumamoto.</a>), but later reduced to daily. Recent load factors have reportedly hovered around 50-60%. It becomes the third route suspended by the growing LCC after Chubu Centrair – Kumamoto and Kansai – Oita [OIT/RJFO] (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/08/jetstar-japan-cuts-nagoya-kumamoto-and.html" target="_blank">Jetstar Japan cuts Nagoya – Kumamoto and Kansai – Oita.</a>).</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.jetstar.com/jp/ja/about-us/~/_media/F9E0459466C749D18F3833D3D78CA960.ashx" target="_blank">Jetstar Japan</a>, 2016 January 15th. (in Japanese)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.jetstar.com/jp/ja/about-us/~/_media/86B9E56DA20145BE875D744622CC3DD6.ashx" target="_blank">Jetstar Japan</a>, 2016 January 19th. (in Japanese)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.aviationwire.jp/archives/79866" target="_blank">Aviation Wire</a>, 2016 January 19th. (in Japanese)</span></span></div>
Ryosukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04213870752652946888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2089781978049766859.post-45134125201182236862016-01-19T23:22:00.001+09:002016-02-12T22:00:05.672+09:00Air Do retires the Boeing 737-500.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On January 12th, AIRDO [HD/ADO] (d.b.a. Air Do) officially (but quietly) retired the Boeing 737-500. The last revenue flights were a round-trip from Tokyo/Haneda [HND/RJTT] to Memanbetsu [MMB/RJCM] and back, operated by their ultimate aircraft 737-54K JA8595. It remained in the fleet as back-up equipment for three more days. The penultimate aircraft was 737-54K JA300K, which was retired on January 4th. Their 737-500s seated 126.</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoNOpiifXxgWPZmTlR1861X-iiFyQzCDJi_3shhSPYsPRZw0b9f4GtrBQpne7zUcQ-twRWSfMxT4Cswx7voTq-MXeLJe_RCkjqd4JBVSvuQ3HSnSNpvns3Md3hO8QYlCs_F37SPrrk4mM/s1600/ja8595_20150719hnd_aw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoNOpiifXxgWPZmTlR1861X-iiFyQzCDJi_3shhSPYsPRZw0b9f4GtrBQpne7zUcQ-twRWSfMxT4Cswx7voTq-MXeLJe_RCkjqd4JBVSvuQ3HSnSNpvns3Md3hO8QYlCs_F37SPrrk4mM/s400/ja8595_20150719hnd_aw.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Boeing 737-54K JA8595 became the last remaining example. (Photo: Aviation Wire)</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Flight HD077 departed Haneda at 1115 JST and arrived at Memanbetsu at 1255, and return leg HD078 left the northeastern Hokkaido city at 1339 and arrived back at Tokyo's downtown airport at 1535. No farewell ceremonies were held, and Air Do has said the aircraft remaining as a back-up equipment as the reason not having any. However, all 737-500s, including this airframe, are being returned to service with All Nippon Airways' [NH/ANA] commuter arm ANA Wings [EH/AKX], subsidiary of Air Do's 14% shareholder ANA Holdings, and they likely preferred to avoid embarrassing its <i>de facto</i> parent.</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEFiVoJyYWGSM-XRptagoqHxIp1ZTxlKllgqBEXz98tlCTXXBInKijwe9rw6ZNZVUr9UCGKjDgrcqrY0se0FfI_HCRtsf6kptBOW6mgF_W8vFLaYdIqGbW3vMhIbybWNfnVTNI3q4-iB4/s1600/ja305k_airdo_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEFiVoJyYWGSM-XRptagoqHxIp1ZTxlKllgqBEXz98tlCTXXBInKijwe9rw6ZNZVUr9UCGKjDgrcqrY0se0FfI_HCRtsf6kptBOW6mgF_W8vFLaYdIqGbW3vMhIbybWNfnVTNI3q4-iB4/s400/ja305k_airdo_2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Boeing 737-54K JA305K <i>Bear Do Dream</i> was retired on November 30th, 2014. (Photo: Air Do)</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The 737 Classics are being replaced by Next-Generation 737s supplied by ANA. In December, the Hokkaido-based airline took delivery of their eighth 737-700 on lease from ANA, and the ninth is due from the same source shortly. 737-781(WL) JA16AN became Air Do's eighth of the type, while 737-781(WL) JA14AN will become their ninth. The newer 737-700s seat 144. The longer-range capability of the replacements is allowing Air Do to experiment with international charters (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2014/10/air-do-loads-first-international.html" target="_blank">Air Do loads first international charter to Taipei.</a>).</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisuuQqzZx9cfgYO89Bg61JB80faMaQAhjpjNdO7a2KNDMDK2w3JGpJpJqWvlAmE2A9xoLmOLLkYqGLGFegSxbuN4dTYl2H0jtfuxPjqe8STUUnN7zHMpMPkQz37BBJbhyAKm5ZLBHtlLk/s1600/ja8196_cts_ado.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisuuQqzZx9cfgYO89Bg61JB80faMaQAhjpjNdO7a2KNDMDK2w3JGpJpJqWvlAmE2A9xoLmOLLkYqGLGFegSxbuN4dTYl2H0jtfuxPjqe8STUUnN7zHMpMPkQz37BBJbhyAKm5ZLBHtlLk/s400/ja8196_cts_ado.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Boeing 737-54K JA8196 <i>Bear Do</i> was retired on March 14th, 2014. (Photo: Air Do)</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The 737-500 entered service with Air Do on January 31st, 2008. Two special liveries adorned the type; 737-54K JA8196 <i>Bear Do</i> and 737-54K JA305K <i>Bear Do Dream</i>. They were retired on March 14th, 2014 (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2014/03/air-do-retires-bear-do-five-boeing-737.html" target="_blank">Air Do retires 'Bear Do'; five Boeing 737-500s remain.</a>) and November 30th, 2014 (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2014/11/air-do-bids-farewell-to-bear-do-dream.html" target="_blank">Air Do bids farewell to Bear Do Dream.</a>), respectively. This completes their fleet transition program which started in October 2012. Air Do's fleet is now comprised of two 767-300ERs, two 767-300s, and eight 737-700s, with their ninth joining shortly.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/airdo.jp" target="_blank">Air Do @ Facebook</a>.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.aviationwire.jp/archives/79124" target="_blank">Aviation Wire</a>, 2016 January 9th. (in Japanese)</span></span></div>
Ryosukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04213870752652946888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2089781978049766859.post-58509464971422951482016-01-09T22:33:00.001+09:002016-01-11T00:47:39.244+09:00Vanilla Air to add Kansai – Taipei in Summer 2016.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Vanilla Air [JW/VNL] will commence Osaka/Kansai [KIX/RJBB] – Taipei/Taoyuan [TPE/RCTP] sometime during the Summer 2016 schedule, which comes into effect on March 27th. Kansai becomes the fledgling LCCs fourth destination in Japan, but the first not originating from or arriving into Tokyo/Narita [NRT/RJAA], where it is based and all flights currently depart from. It has already started hiring ground staff, and descriptions say Chinese fluency is welcomed and initial work would be in the early hours after midnight.</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVzaGJaYvVXPKus9V51e4TIGAlRThoBUdK16AiJqpbKU1qc-_J7wTkwJtU0Lq8Wtl6VcdDmMtj8jdIGfcIxODA_XxdDoq3oLlwp4F8E1IExhUccLCCo814cXJHyRY05zmjRPwwimgNhVQ/s1600/ja01va_nrt_vnl2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVzaGJaYvVXPKus9V51e4TIGAlRThoBUdK16AiJqpbKU1qc-_J7wTkwJtU0Lq8Wtl6VcdDmMtj8jdIGfcIxODA_XxdDoq3oLlwp4F8E1IExhUccLCCo814cXJHyRY05zmjRPwwimgNhVQ/s400/ja01va_nrt_vnl2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Airbus A320-216(SL) JA01VA takes off from Narita. Vanilla Air's fleet had been capped at eight since FY2014, however, it is now posed for expansion in FY2016 with up to five aircraft to be added. (Photo: Vanilla Air)</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The ANA Holdings' 100% subsidiary LCC currently flies four round-trips between Narita and Taiwan's capital. Its fourth flight out of Narita arrives into Taipei right past midnight, and sits on the ground for approximately six hours until its flight back to Narita, and Vanilla is expected to squeeze a Taipei – Kansai round-trip in that time frame. This is how sister LCC Peach Aviation [MM/APJ], minority owned by ANA, flies into Tokyo/Haneda [HND/RJTT] from Taipei (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/08/peach-inaugurates-haneda-taipei.html" target="_blank">Peach Aviation inaugurates Haneda – Taipei.</a>) and soon Seoul (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/11/peach-aviation-announces-haneda-seoul.html" target="_blank">Peach Aviation announces Haneda – Seoul.</a>) during the early hours without having to base aircraft there.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Vanilla initially planned to add two Airbus A320s during FY2015, however, that was put on hold with ANA Holdings President Shinya Katanozaka also saying achieving its first full year of profit for FY2015 needed come first (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/02/vanilla-air-launches-kaohsiung-but.html" target="_blank">Vanilla Air launches Kaohsiung but slows expansion.</a>). But now with brand recognition gradually but firmly increasing and load factors showing significant improvements, the Narita-based LCC intends to add up to five A320s during FY2016 for expansion. President Tomonori Ishii has said China, Micronesia, Philippines were on their radar, though they view time is still not right to resume South Korea, which it axed in March 2015 (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2014/12/vanilla-air-to-suspend-seoul.html" target="_blank">Vanilla Air to suspend Seoul.</a>).</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Vanilla's arrival in Kansai means encroaching into the stronghold of Peach, which already flies three round-trips on the Kansai </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">– Taipei route. But for now with Vanilla opting for a red-eye flight for Kansai and Peach using that time to fly Taipei </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">– </span></span></span></span>Haneda instead, the two are effectively avoiding direct competition. However, as their respective network and frequencies grow, overlap would eventually become inevitable, and it would be interesting to see how ANA manages the two LCCs, with one only minority-owned (yet still significant) and relatively independent.</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span></span>Source: <a href="http://tenshoku.mynavi.jp/jobinfo-128748-2-2-1/" target="_blank">MyNavi</a>, 2015 December 25th. (in Japanese)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.aviationwire.jp/archives/78967" target="_blank">Aviation Wire</a>, 2016 January 7th. (in Japanese)</span></span></div>
Ryosukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04213870752652946888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2089781978049766859.post-23684640186300321252016-01-07T19:59:00.000+09:002016-01-09T22:33:47.514+09:00Fuji Dream mulls Chubu – Narita and international charters.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Fuji Dream Airlines [JH/FDA] will reportedly launch a base at Nagoya/Chubu Centrair [NGO/RJGG] by 2017 (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/01/fuji-dream-plans-izumo-kitakyushu-and.html" target="_blank">Fuji Dream plans Izumo, Kitakyushu, and Chubu Centrair.</a>) and start international charters along with Chubu Centrair – Tokyo/Narita [NRT/RJAA], according to an interview by <a href="http://www.chunichi.co.jp/article/front/list/CK2015122302000090.html" target="_blank">Chunichi Shimbun</a> with President Yohei Suzuki. The niche regional carrier currently operates only domestic routes from its hubs at Nagoya/Komaki [NKM/RJNA], Chubu (Greater Nagoya) region's older but convenient airport near downtown, and Shizuoka [FSZ/RJNS], where it is headquartered.</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKPnl6WqboBIWMQao_AWTA6tBFUYiTpu0qGrJG2WyHDnCCTbaeCe9n5XtOdR9AvBPQ1bdn0z_cISX97meAU0rz6K9dnF5uVSecAp__BpeaIY1ge7NJB-CccJbM80SsA6ypefeoc_zdu8A/s1600/ja08fj_20140720aoj_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKPnl6WqboBIWMQao_AWTA6tBFUYiTpu0qGrJG2WyHDnCCTbaeCe9n5XtOdR9AvBPQ1bdn0z_cISX97meAU0rz6K9dnF5uVSecAp__BpeaIY1ge7NJB-CccJbM80SsA6ypefeoc_zdu8A/s400/ja08fj_20140720aoj_1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Embraer ERJ170-200/STD JA08FJ <i>Tea Green</i> at Aomori, moments before rotation. Fuji Dream plans a fleet of a dozen E-Jets by 2018, though the Mitsubishi Regional Jet is currently being evaluated as a replacement in the long-term. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">FDA flies nine aircraft, comprised of six 84-seat Embraer ERJ170-200/STD (E175) and three 76-seat ERJ170-100 (E170), with the next E175 arriving in March 2016 and another coming one year later (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2014/07/fuji-dream-orders-up-to-six-more.html" target="_blank">Fuji Dream orders up to six more Embraer E175s.</a>). All of its aircraft either return to Komaki or Shizuoka for the night, as most of the airports it serves have curfews, and FDA intends to take advantage of Chubu Centrair's 24-hour operation to experiment late-night or early-morning international charters to China, South Korea, and Taiwan. Other open-around-the-clock airports such as Kitakyushu [KKJ/RJFR] and Osaka/Kansai [KIX/RJBB] are also being considered as points of origin.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The Shizuoka-based airline also plans to add Chubu Centair – Narita in the daytime to cater to international connecting passengers, and they are reportedly talking with European and North American airlines (non-Star, non-Oneworld?) for a code-sharing agreement. Meanwhile, it will maintain its domestic network from Komaki, which currently boasts nine destinations including Aomori [AOJ/RJSA], Fukuoka [FUK/RJFF], Hanamaki [HNA/RJSI], Izumo [IZO/RJOC] (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/04/fuji-dream-launches-izumo-and-kitakyushu.html" target="_blank">Fuji Dream launches Izumo and Kitakyushu.</a>), Kochi [KCZ/RJOK], Kitakyushu, Kumamoto [KMJ/RJFT], Niigata [KIJ/RJSN], and Yamagata [GAJ/RJSC].</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">FDA has largely been able to gain popularity due to it being the sole carrier at Nagoya's preferred airport near downtown, where it essentially filled the void left by J-Air [XM/JLJ], which withdrew in March 2011. However, their upcoming 10th aircraft cannot be based at Komaki due to limited parking space, and further expansion at Komaki would come against the Aichi Government and local companies' desire to consolidate all flights at Chubu Centrair. A gentleman's agreement also prohibits flights over 1,000 kilometers from Komaki.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">But for FDA, moving its entire operation to Chubu Centrair would not only mean it would lose Komaki's proximity advantage, but also suddenly put itself in competition with the plethora of LCCs adding services at Nagoya's premier international gateway. Jetstar Japan [GK/JJP] flies both domestic and international routes (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/12/jetstar-japan-adds-nagoya-and-kansai-to.html" target="_blank">Jetstar Japan adds Nagoya and Kansai to Taipei.</a>), while the second AirAsia Japan [DJ] is starting services in April with a hub at Chubu Centrair (<a href="http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com/2015/10/airasia-japan-mk-ii-receives-aoc.html" target="_blank">New AirAsia Japan receives AOC; takeoff in April 2016.</a>). Overseas LCCs include Spring Airlines [9C/CQH] and V Air [ZV/VAX], while Tigerair Taiwan [IT/TTW] plans to start on January 29th. So for now, FDA's answer to Nagoya is a split hub.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Source: <a href="http://www.chunichi.co.jp/article/front/list/CK2015122302000090.html" target="_blank">Chunichi Shimbun</a>, 2015 December 23rd. (in Japanese)</span></span></div>
Ryosukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04213870752652946888noreply@blogger.com0