Jetstar Japan is coming to Taipei in November.

On October 13th, Jetstar Japan [GK/JJP] announced that they will start Tokyo/Narita [NRT/RJAA] – Taipei/Taoyuan [TPE/RCTP] on November 27th, followed by Osaka/Kansai [KIX/RJBB] – Taipei/Taoyuan on December 11th (Jetstar Japan launches Kansai hub.) and Nagoya/Chubu Centrair [NGO/RJGG] – Taipei/Taoyuan on December 12th. All three routes will initially operate three times weekly, increasing to daily by the end-of-the-year peak travel season. 180-seat Airbus A320s will be deployed.

Airbus A320-232 JA05JJ arrives at Matsuyama. Jetstar Japan's fleet remains capped at 20, excluding four aircraft sub-leased out to other carriers. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

The return legs for the Narita and Chubu Centrair links to Taiwan's capital are red-eye flights, while Narita and Kansai's outbound legs are timed late in the evening. 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.

Flight Schedule:
Tokyo/Narita – Taipei/Taoyuan NEW three weekly with A320-200 (daily from Dec/23).
GK11 NRT 2140 – 0040(+1) TPE 32A/320 Fr *From Nov/27.
GK11 NRT 2200 – 0100(+1) TPE 32A/320 We/Su *Nov/27 - Dec/9.
GK11 NRT 2200 – 0100(+1) TPE 32A/320 Mo/We/Su *Dec/11 - 21.
GK11 NRT 2200 – 0100(+1) TPE 32A/320 Mo/Tu/We/Th/Sa/Su *From Dec/23.
GK12 TPE 0330 – 0730 NRT 32A/320 Mo/Th/Sa *Nov/28 - Dec/10.
GK12 TPE 0330 – 0730 NRT 32A/320 Mo/Tu/Th/Sa *Dec/12 - 22.
GK12 TPE 0330 – 0730 NRT 32A/320 Daily *From Dec/24.

Osaka/Kansai – Taipei/Taoyuan NEW three weekly with A320-200 (daily from Dec/23).
GK51 KIX 2200 – 0010(+1) TPE 32A/320 We/Fr/Su *Dec/11 - 20.
GK51 KIX 2200 – 0010(+1) TPE 32A/320 Daily *From Dec/23.
GK50 TPE 1040 – 1405 KIX 32A/320 Mo/Th/Sa *Dec/12 - 21.
GK50 TPE 1040 – 1405 KIX 32A/320 Daily *From Dec/24.

Nagoya/Chubu Centrair – Taipei/Taoyuan NEW three weekly with A320-200 (daily from Dec/24).
GK91 NGO 0725 – 0950 TPE 32A/320 Mo/Th/Sa *Dec/12 - 21.
GK91 NGO 0725 – 0950 TPE 32A/320 Daily *From Dec/24.
GK92 TPE 0110 – 0445 NGO 32A/320 Mo/Th/Sa *Dec/12 - 21.
GK92 TPE 0110 – 0445 NGO 32A/320 Daily *From Dec/24.

Narita – Taipei/Taoyuan is high-demand but now sees heavy competition; full-service carriers Cathay Pacific Airways [CX/CPA], China Airlines [CI/CAL], Delta Air Lines [DL/DAL], EVA Airways [BR/EVA], Jetstar Japan's 33.3% owner Japan Airlines [JL/JAL], and TransAsia Airways [GE/TNA] along with fellow LCCs Scoot [TZ/SCO], Tigerair Taiwan [IT/TTW], and Vanilla Air [JW/VNL] all ply the route. Kansai – Taipei/Taoyuan already sees China Airlines, EVA, JAL, Jetstar Asia Airways [3K/JSA], Peach Aviation [MM/APJ], Tigerair Taiwan, and TransAsia Airways operating, while Chubu Centrair – Taipei/Taoyuan has China Airlines and JAL only, though V Air [ZV/VAX] is preparing to enter in December and new AirAsia Japan [DJ] in April 2016 (New AirAsia Japan receives AOC; takeoff in April 2016.).

Taipei only becomes Jetstar Japan's second international destination after Hong Kong; service from Kansai was launched in February (Jetstar Japan goes international with Kansai – Hong Kong.) followed by Narita in June (Jetstar Japan starts Narita – Hong Kong.). On October 2nd, the Narita-based LCC together with Jetstar Airways [JQ/JST] and Jetstar Asia received regulatory approval from Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism (MLIT) to coordinate flight times and prices on international routes between Japan and Taiwan and the Philippines. Manila could become Jetstar Japan's third international city.

Source: Jetstar Japan, 2015 October 2nd. (in Japanese)
Source: Jetstar Japan, 2015 October 13th. (in Japanese)

Narita opens Tokyo's LCC gateway: Terminal 3.

On April 8th, Tokyo/Narita [NRT/RJAA] officially opened LCC-dedicated Terminal 3, its first new terminal since the inauguration of Terminal 2 on December 6th, 1992. Five airlines moved to the brand-new, 66,000-square meter facility: Jeju Air [7C/JJA], Jetstar Airways [JQ/JST], Jetstar Japan [GK/JJP], Spring Airlines Japan [IJ/SJO], and Vanilla Air [JW/VNL]. It is capable of handling 7.5 million domestic and international passengers per year.

Narita's official mascot Ku-tan and airport staff welcome the first passengers to Terminal 3 as it opened at 0330 JST on April 8th. (Photo: Aviation Wire)

The 24-hour terminal houses over 20 restaurant and shops, most of which are open from 4AM to 9PM, and a convenience store that is open around-the-clock. The first flight to depart from Terminal 3 became Jetstar Japan's flight GK101, service to Sapporo/New Chitose [CTS/RJCC], which left at 0611, four minutes ahead of schedule. It was operated by Airbus A320-232(SL) JA14JJ.

The Chiba airport becomes Japan's fourth to have a low-cost terminal after Ibaraki [IBR/RJAH], Okinawa/Naha [OKA/ROAH], and Osaka/Kansai [KIX/RJBB], which opened theirs on March 11th, 2010, October 18th, 2012, and October 28th, 2012, respectively. It reflects the dramatic increase of LCCs serving Kanto (Greater Tokyo) region's main international gateway; the 14 LCCs now account for 18% of Narita's seats, including 67% of domestic and 8% of international, up from almost zero only four years ago.

While Tokyo/Haneda [HND/RJTT] remains heavily regulated, LCCs wishing to serve the megalopolis have had to choose from either Narita or Ibaraki, and Haneda's recent addition of international slots have seen full-service carriers gradually shift some services to Haneda, which prompted Narita to become more aggressive in luring new airlines, with LCCs especially being an important target. Ibaraki, though having the distinction of having the nation's first LCC-dedicated terminal (its only one), has succeeded in attracting only one LCC: Spring Airlines [9C/CQH].

Narita's nine other LCCs that have yet to decide to move to Terminal 3 are Air Busan [BX/ABL], AirAsia X [D7/XAX], Cebu Air [5J/CEB] (d.b.a. Cebu Pacific Air), Eastar Jet [ZE/ESR], Hong Kong Express Airways [UO/HKE] (d.b.a. HK Express), Peach Aviation [MM/APJ], Scoot Airlines [TZ/SCO], Thai AirAsia X [XJ/TAX], and Tigerair Taiwan [IT/TTW], though the relatively small terminal lacks the capacity to house all of these carriers. On the list of LCCs waiting for regulatory clearance are long-haul carriers Indonesia AirAsia X [XT/IDX] and NokScoot Airlines [XW/NCT].

Source: CAPA Centre for Aviation, March 24th. (in English)
Source: Aviation Wire, April 8th. (in Japanese)
Source: Flightliner, April 8th. (in Japanese)