Amakusa Airlines' ATR42-600 arrives in Japan.

On August 21st, Amakusa Airlines' [AHX] brand-new ATR42-600 registered JA01AM arrived at Kumamoto [KMJ/RJFT] on delivery (Amakusa Airlines chooses ATR42-600.). The Amakusa [AXJ/RJDA]-based commuter airline will replace its sole 39-seat Bombardier DHC-8-103 JA81MX Mizoka with the new 48-seat aircraft, which becomes the first of the type to be operated in Japan. It had been delivered to Nordic Aviation Capital on lease to Amakusa Airlines on August 13th.

The eight on board the delivery flight pose in front of ATR42-600 JA01AM New Mizoka at Kumamoto upon completing the long journey. (Photo: Amakusa Airlines)

The long delivery flight started from Toulouse/Blagnac [TLS/LFBO] on August 16th, making stops at Paphos [PFO/LCPH], Bahrain [BAH/OBBI], Muscat [MCT/OOMS], Malé [MLE/VRMM], Colombo/Bandaranaike [CMB/VCBI], Bangkok/Don Mueang [DMK/VTBD], and Taipei/Taoyuan [TPE/RCTP], before arriving at Kumamoto on August 21st. As JA01AM approached the Kyushu airport, it performed a low-pass in front of a crowd of enthusiasts who gathered to welcome the new turboprop, before touching down on Runway 25. A total of eight officials including pilots from ATR and Amakusa staff were on board the delivery flight.

ATR42-600 JA01AM New Mizoka at Toulouse prior to delivery. (Photo: Amakusa Airlines)

The tiny single-aircraft airline currently flies Amakusa – Fukuoka [FUK/RJFF] three times daily and Amakusa – Kumamoto – Osaka/Itami [ITM/RJOO] daily, though the latter was suspended on August 23rd to allow its pilots to start transitioning to the ATR42. Crew training is expected to start by the end of August, and the brand-new aircraft is planned to enter service sometime in January 2016. The sole DHC-8 will be retired then, retaining a single-aircraft fleet.

Amakusa Airlines is owned 53.31% by Kumamoto Prefecture, 22.92% by the City of Amakusa, 2.73% by the City of Kamiamakusa, 1.2% by Reihoku Town, among others. The small niche airline code-shares with Japan Airlines [JL/JAL] on all flights (Amakusa Airlines announces code-share with JAL.) and outsources ground handling to its partner at all of its destinations except for Amakusa, its home base. JAL affiliate Japan Air Commuter [3X/JAC] will become the second ATR42 operator in Japan in 2017 when it starts to take delivery of eight ordered to replace its Saab SF340Bs (Japan Air Commuter orders up to 23 ATR42-600s.).

Source: Amakusa Airlines @ Facebook.
Source: Aviation Wire, 2015 August 21st. (in Japanese)

Amakusa Airlines announces code-share with JAL.

On February 3rd, Amakusa Airlines [AHX] announced that they would launch code-sharing with Japan Airlines [JL/JAL] on April 1st. Under the scheme, JAL will place its code on the regional community airline's entire network and all flights, which includes three times daily Amakusa [AXJ/RJDA] – Fukuoka [FUK/RJFF] and a daily Amakusa – Kumamoto [KMJ/RJFT] – Osaka/Itami [ITM/RJOO] routing.

Bombardier DHC-8-103 JA81MX, its entire fleet, wears a unique dolphin livery. (Photo: Aviation Wire)

Amakusa Airlines will take delivery of a brand-new ATR42-600 in January 2016 (Amakusa Airlines chooses ATR42-600.) to replace the current sole Bombardier DHC-8-103 JA81MX, which will be coming up for a 300-million JPY C check later in FY2015. The company concluded that that amount plus subsequent maintenance costs of the 14-year-old turboprop would outweigh the expenses of replacing it with a newer model.

However, while the current aircraft seats 39, the successor seats 48, and with the niche carrier having difficulties filling seats on the Dash 8 during off-peak months, it apparently turned to JAL to help with loads. The commuter airline of the Amakusa Islands outsources ground handling to JAL at all airports except for its home base at Amakusa, so the selection is obvious.

Amakusa Airlines is owned 53.31% by Kumamoto Prefecture, 22.92% by the City of Amakusa, 2.73% by the City of Kamiamakusa, 1.2% by Reihoku Town, among others, and operates a single DHC-8.

Source: Amakusa Airlines, February 3rd. (in Japanese)

Amakusa Airlines to acquire an ATR42.

Amakusa Airlines (AHX), the commuter airline of the Amakusa Islands in Kumamoto Prefecture, is reportedly in discussions to find a replacement aircraft for its 39-seat sole Bombardier DHC-8. Presently, the top candidate is a 48-seat ATR42. An order could be placed with the European manufacturer as early as this year for a 2015 delivery. If the plan bears fruit, it would be ATR's first customer in Japan, after would-be ATR72 operator Link Airs went out of business before taking any deliveries.

Amakusa Airlines often uses unofficial 'AMX' instead of AHX. (Image: Amakusa Airlines)

Delivered in November 1999, DHC-8-103 JA81MX has been in service ever since operations were launched in March 2000, coinciding with the opening of Amakusa Airfield (AXJ/RJDA). A 300-million-JPY C-check is coming up in 2015, and the company has concluded that that amount plus subsequent maintenance costs of the 14-year-old turboprop would outweigh the expenses of replacing it with a newer model.

Amakusa Airlines is owned 53.31% by Kumamoto Prefecture, 22.92% by the City of Amakusa, 2.73% by the City of Kamiamakusa, 1.2% by Reihoku Town, among others. From its base at Amakusa with its single DHC-8, they operate to Fukuoka (FUK/RJFF) and Kumamoto (KMJ/RJFT), as well as the Kumamoto - Osaka/Itami (ITM/RJOO) route.

Source: Kumamoto Nichinichi Shimbun (in Japanese)