Congratulations to AirAsia X!

From Mainichi Daily News


Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia X launched a service connecting Kuala Lumpur and Tokyo on Thursday, becoming the first foreign low-cost carrier to serve Haneda airport in the Japanese capital after it reopened for full-fledged international services in October. The inaugural flight from Kuala Lumpur arrived at Haneda on Thursday evening. The carrier will operate three flights per week -- Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday -- on the route, using its Airbus A330-300 aircraft with 377 seats. 

AirAsia X is a game changer in Japan! Congratulations! 


For more on AirAsia X or to reserve tickets go to their website here.


Thanks to News on Japan!

More Low Cost Airlines Enter Japan's Market for Betterment of Everyone

More new Low Cost Carrier's (LCC) are entering Japan to the betterment of the Japanese consumer. This time a new airlines from Malaysia, AirAsia Bhd, is about to begin services.

From Nikkei Newspapers:
Five overseas budget airlines already operate regular flights to Japan, but with AirAsia Bhd to join the fray, price competition on international routes is sure to take off.

Established in 2001, the Malaysian airline is a trailblazing low-cost carrier. It has grown at breakneck speed over 10 years and now operates 132 routes covering such markets as Great Britain, South Korea, China and Australia.

Japan had been on the airline's radar for a few years, but hefty airport usage fees and limited landing spots at Narita and other airports remained stumbling blocks.

From October, Haneda airport will begin midnight flights for major overseas carriers and this has opened up available slots for other airlines to get into Narita and the LCC are taking advantage of this situation. This is especially good for businessmen as companies are getting very careful about travel expenses in a more competitive market.

Business travelers are also expected to opt for low-cost carriers as companies pare back operating expenses. With Japanese airlines caught up in the web as well, price competition is likely to soar.

All of this is to the better for business and the public at large. Hopefully these LCC can start to get even the majors involved in the price cutting and competition for better services at lower cost.


Original Nikkei article.

-------

Keywords: Low Cost Carrier, LCC, AirAsia, Narita, Haneda

ANA to Launch budget Airlines!

Great News! Japan's best airlines (no, it's not Japan Airlines)... Japan's best airlines, All Nippon Airways will launch a LCC (Low Cost Carrier).

Japan's ANA to launch budget carrier

TOKYO — Japan's All Nippon Airways (ANA) is to launch a low-cost carrier that will operate both international and domestic short-haul routes from the second half of 2011, the company said Thursday.

ANA said it had signed an agreement with Hong Kong-based private equity firm First Eastern Investment Group to establish "the first Japanese low-cost airline", adding that it would operate independently from ANA.

The new company will be established by the end of this year, ANA said, with the aim of flying both international and domestic short-haul routes out of Kansai International Airport, Osaka by 2011.

"Regardless of the intense competition in the air transportation industry, we anticipate an increase in passenger traffic demand in East Asia," said Shinichiro Ito, president and chief executive of ANA.

The carrier "came to the conclusion that a low cost carrier would be the right approach to compete effectively in this market" he said.

The airline said the new company will be 66.7 percent owned by Japanese investors, with ANA holding a 39 percent stake.

First Eastern will hold the remaining 33.3 percent stake, the maximum foreign ownership currently allowed in Japan.

From Google AFP