Fuji Dream Embraer E175 loses cabin pressure over Akita.

On July 7th, Fuji Dream Airlines [JH/FDA] flight JH212 from Sapporo/New Chitose [CTS/RJCC] bound for Matsumoto [MMJ/RJAF] made an emergency landing at Niigata [KIJ/RJSN] en route, due to a warning light indicated a problem with the bleed air system. Aircraft involved was Embraer ERJ170-200/STD (E175) JA06FJ Purple, carrying 67 passengers, three flight attendants, and two pilots.

Embraer ERJ170-200/STD (E175) JA06FJ Purple at Fukuoka. Fuji Dream Airlines' fleet is currently comprised of three 76-seat E170s and six 84-seat E175s. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

JH212 departed the gate at New Chitose on time at 1430 JST and took off at 1444. Around 1524 when the aircraft was cruising over Akita prefecture, a warning light indicating a malfunction with the bleed air system came on, followed by a loss of cabin pressure. Declaring emergency, oxygen masks were deployed, and the airplane descended to 10,000 feet (3,048 meters), before diverting to Niigata, where it performed a safe touchdown at 1547.

Nobody was injured, and there were no abnormal odors or noises on the aircraft, according to FDA. Regulator Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) has designated the occurrence as a "major incident," which could have led to an accident. The Japan Transport Safety Board (JTSB) is investigating the matter.

Source: Fuji Dream Airlines, July 8th. (in Japanese)
Source: Aviation Wire, July 8th. (in Japanese)

ANA takes over Air Do's unprofitable secondary routes.

AIRDO [HD/ADO] (d.b.a. Air Do) will be withdrawing from four regional domestic routes from Sapporo/New Chitose [CTS/RJCC] effective March 29th, the beginning of the Summer 2015 timetable, and partner All Nippon Airways [NH/ANA] will fill in. From the capital of Hokkaido, Air Do currently operates twice daily to Fukushima [FKS/RJSF] and Niigata [KIJ/RJSN], and a daily round-trip each to Komatsu [KMQ/RJNK] and Toyama [TOY/RJNT], but all will be reduced to a single ANA round-trip on each route.

Boeing 767-33A/ER JA01HD started life with Belgian start-up CityBird in February 1998 before joining Air Do in April 2000. Unlike the 737-500s, which will be retired by January 2016, all four 767s will be repainted into their latest livery by June this year. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

New Chitose – Fukushima will be flown by 176-seat (all economy) Boeing 737-800s, Komatsu and Toyama routes by 166/167-seat (8 Premium Class and 158/159 economy) 737-800s, and the Niigata link by 74-seat Bombardier DHC-8-400Qs of ANA Holdings' commuter subsidiary ANA Wings [EH/AKX].

Flight Schedule: 
New Chitose – Fukushima NEW 1 daily with 737-800. (Mar/29 - Oct/24)
NH1114 CTS 1645 – 1800 FKS 73H Daily
NH1113 FKS 0950 – 1110 CTS 73H Daily

New Chitose – Komatsu NEW 1 daily with 737-800. (Mar/29 - Oct/24)
NH1174 CTS 1355 – 1530 KMQ 73H Daily
NH1173 KMQ 1140 – 1310 CTS 73H Daily 

New Chitose – Niigata up to 2 daily with DHC-8-400Q. (Mar/29 - Oct/24)
NH1858/EH1858 CTS 1230 – 1350 KIJ DH4 Daily *Existing service. ANA Wings.
NH1860/EH1860 CTS 1600 – 1710 KIJ DH4 Daily *Jun/1 - Sep/30. ANA Wings.
NH1857/EH1857 KIJ 0740 – 0900 CTS DH4 Daily *Existing service. ANA Wings.
NH1859/EH1859 KIJ 1120 – 1235 CTS DH4 Daily *Jun/1 - Sep/30. ANA Wings.

New Chitose – Toyama NEW 1 daily with 737-800. (Mar/29 - Oct/24)
NH1182 CTS 1340 – 1510 TOY 73H Daily
NH1181 TOY 1140 – 1305 CTS 73H Daily

ANA withdrew from the Fukushima, Komatsu, and Toyama routes in November 2009, virtually transferring them to lower-cost Air Do, which is 14% owned by ANA Holdings, parent of Japan's largest carrier. Instead ANA put its code on these three routes, like with all other Air Do flights. However, due to weak demand, they are ironically being transferred back to ANA. For the New Chitose – Niigata route, ANA Wings has operated a single round-trip alongside Air Do's double-daily flights, but with no aircraft up-gauge after Air Do's suspension, it translates to a 77% capacity cut. A seasonal second flight has been loaded between June 1st and September 30th.

Boeing 737-881(WL) JA65AN taxies for departure from New Chitose Airport near Sapporo. ANA Group's Boeing narrow-body fleet is comprised of 30 737-800s, two 737-700ERs, 12 737-700s, and 17 737-500s, with six more 737-800s on order. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

Meanwhile, the only increase by Air Do for the Summer 2015 timetable is an addition of two more round-trips on the New Chitose – Sendai [SDJ/RJSS] route; hence the fleet is being reduced by one aircraft, with the return of a 126-seat 737-500 to ANA in April. Their seventh 144-seat 737-700 will arrive from ANA in September, and the two remaining 737-500s will be retired by January 2016.

Air Do's axing of these secondary routes leaves the Hokkaido-based carrier with only Kobe [UKB/RJBE], Okayama [OKJ/RJOB], Sendai, and Tokyo/Haneda [HND/RJTT] from New Chitose. On the other hand, they seem to be faring better with their secondary Hokkaido routes from Haneda to Asahikawa [AKJ/RJEC], Hakodate [HKD/RJCH], Kushiro [KUH/RJCK], Memambetsu [MMB/RJCM], and Obihiro [OBO/RJCB]. It may translate to the reality that even though Air Do may be lower-cost than ANA or JAL, it is still not easy to make both ends meet with rural routes from cities other than Tokyo.

Source: Air Do, January 21st. (in Japanese)
Source: All Nippon Airways, January 21st. (in Japanese) 
Source: Aviation Wire, January 23rd. (in Japanese)

FDA plans charters to Aomori, Hokkaido, and Okinawa.

Fuji Dream Airlines (JH/FDA) is planning various charter flights to Aomori, Hokkaido, and Okinawa from its hubs at Nagoya/Komaki (NKM/RJNA) and Shizuoka (FSZ/RJNS) this upcoming summer.

Embraer ERJ170-100STD (E170) JA01FJ 'Dream Red' arriving at Fukuoka. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

FDA will fly a round-trip flight between Shizuoka and Aomori (AOJ/RJSA) on April 26th, 28th, and May 2nd as part of Hankyu Travel International's package tour to see Hirosaki's Sakura (cherry blossom) Festival in Aomori during 'Golden Week'. The airline already operates two daily scheduled round-trips between Komaki and Aomori, which will be increased to three from July 1st (Fuji Dream Airlines' Summer 2014 changes.).

To Okinawa prefecture in southern Japan, Fuji Dream will fly to Miyako (MMY/ROMY) from Komaki on April 27th on behalf of Japan's largest travel agency JTB, and from Shizuoka on May 1st, 3rd, and 6th on behalf of tour firm Tabix.

From June 28th to September 20th, FDA will fly a weekly single round-trip between Komaki and Sapporo/Okadama (OKD/RJCO), the downtown airport of the Hokkaido capital, on Saturdays using Embraer ERJ170-100s (E170). Plans are also underway to operate up to 98 charter flights to and from Wakkanai (WKJ/RJCW) at the northernmost tip of Hokkaido from Komaki, Matsumoto (MMJ/RJAF), Niigata (KIJ/RJSN), and Shizuoka between June 13th and August 18th. 

FDA currently operates five ERJ170-200s (E175) and three ERJ170-100s (E170), and its eighth aircraft was only delivered (Fuji Dream Airlines receives eighth E-Jet 'Tea Green'.) roughly two weeks ago. The company's mission has been 'bridging communities to promote exchanges in people, products, economy, and culture'. 

Source: Hokkaido Shimbun, March 12th. (in Japanese)
Source: Miyako Mainichi Shimbun, March 13th. (in Japanese)
Source: FlyTeam, March 18th. (in Japanese)