AirAsia Japan today commenced its twice daily flights connecting Nagoya and Sapporo.
 
A total of 166 guests, representing a 92 percent load factor, were on board the inaugural service. Flight DJ 0001 took off from Nagoya’s Chubu Centrair International Airport and arrived at 0925h (GMT +9) at New Chitose International Airport in Sapporo.
 
On hand to greet guests departing from Nagoya were AirAsia Japan CEO Osamu Hata, China Centrair International Airport CEO Masanao Tomozoe and Nagoya Civil Aviation Bureau chief Toshihide Funayama.
 
AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes said: “Airasia Japan’s inaugural flight is all about the blood, sweat and tears that we have put into making true low-cost travel in Japan a reality, and I want to give a special thanks to Chubu Centrair for being there for us every step of the way. Many airports can learn from them.
 
“This is only the first of many routes AirAsia Japan will service. Japan has huge potential, not just in terms of domestic but international as well, and with our extensive network across Asia Pacific, we will expand as fast as we can to connect Nagoya with the rest of Japan, North Asia and Asean and to make Nagoya a major inbound destination to rival Tokyo and Osaka.”
 
AirAsia Japan CEO Osamu Hata said: “It’s an exciting day for AirAsia Japan as we served our first guests from Nagoya to Sapporo. The strong load factor on today’s inaugural flight shows there is strong demand for our unique low fares, high service product, and I am confident our Japanese guests will be thrilled to experience first-hand what has made AirAsia the world's best low-cost airline for nine years running.”
 
AirAsia Japan is a joint venture between AirAsia Berhad, Rakuten Inc, Octave Japan Infrastructure Fund I GK, Noevir Holdings Co Ltd and Alpen Co Ltd. The airline operates two A320-200 aircraft from its main hub in Nagoya’s Chubu Centrair International Airport. - TradeArabia News Service