AirAsia Japan to launch operations on 29 October
In this article (5)
The reborn AirAsia Japan will commence services on 29 October with a service from its Nagoya hub to Sapporo, two years after receiving its air operator’s certificate.
The carrier says in a statement that it will operate twice-daily on the route, which FlightGlobal schedules data shows it will compete against five other carriers, including Jetstar Japan, All Nippon Airways and Skymark Airlines.
“We are honoured to be the first airline to be based in Nagoya’s Chubu Centrair International airport and we are committed to connecting as many guests as possible at low fares to AirAsia’s extensive network, as well as bridging communities and cultures for the benefit of the local economy,” says chief executive Osamu Hata.
AirAsia holds a 49% stake in AirAsia Japan, while shareholders Rakuten, Octave Japan Infrastructure Fund, Noevir Holdings and Alpen hold the other 51%.
This is the Malaysian budget carrier’s second attempt into the Japanese market, following the October 2013 breakdown of its joint venture with ANA Holdings. The shell of that first carrier was used to launch Vanilla Air shortly after.
The new carrier was granted its AOC in October 2015, and had planned to launch services during the northern spring of 2016. The launch was however repeatedly delayed, and Jetstar Japan has in the meantime announced plans to start a base at Nagoya in 2018.
Flight Fleets Analyzer shows that AirAsia Japan has two Airbus A320s in its fleet.
Questions & Answers
Q.Which other airlines will AirAsia Japan compete against on its initial route from Nagoya to Sapporo?
Which other airlines will AirAsia Japan compete against on its initial route from Nagoya to Sapporo?
AirAsia Japan will compete against five other carriers on this route, including Jetstar Japan, All Nippon Airways, and Skymark Airlines, according to FlightGlobal schedules data.
Q.What is AirAsia's stake in the new AirAsia Japan venture, and who are the other shareholders?
What is AirAsia's stake in the new AirAsia Japan venture, and who are the other shareholders?
AirAsia holds a 49% stake in AirAsia Japan. The remaining 51% is held by shareholders Rakuten, Octave Japan Infrastructure Fund, Noevir Holdings, and Alpen.
Q.When was AirAsia Japan granted its air operator's certificate, and when did it originally plan to launch services?
When was AirAsia Japan granted its air operator's certificate, and when did it originally plan to launch services?
The new carrier received its AOC in October 2015. It had initially planned to launch services during the northern spring of 2016, but this was repeatedly delayed.
Q.What happened to AirAsia's previous joint venture in the Japanese market?
What happened to AirAsia's previous joint venture in the Japanese market?
The Malaysian budget carrier's first attempt in Japan involved a joint venture with ANA Holdings, which broke down in October 2013. The shell of that original carrier was later used to launch Vanilla Air.
Reader pulse
Will AirAsia Japan succeed this time?
22,939 votes so far