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Air Japan

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Not to be confused with Japan Airlines or Air Nippon.
"AJX" redirects here. For other uses, see AJX (disambiguation).

Air Japan
株式会社エアージャパン
Kabushiki-gaisha Ea Japan
IATA ICAO Call sign
NQ[1] AJX[1] AIR JAPAN[2]
Founded
  • June 29, 1990; 34 years ago (1990-06-29)
    (as World Air Network)
  • July 5, 2000; 24 years ago (2000-07-05)
    (as Air Japan)
  • March 8, 2022; 2 years ago (2022-03-08)
    (as AirJapan)
Commenced operations
  • January 1, 2001; 23 years ago (2001-01-01)
    (as Air Japan)
  • February 9, 2024; 10 months ago (2024-02-09)
    (as AirJapan)
Operating basesNarita International Airport
Frequent-flyer programANA Mileage Club
Fleet size2
Destinations4
Parent companyAll Nippon Airways
HeadquartersNarita, Chiba, Japan
Key peopleHideki Mineguchi (President & CEO)
Employees903 (June 2023)[3]
Websitewww.air-japan.co.jp
www.flyairjapan.com

Air Japan, legally Air Japan Co., Ltd. (株式会社エアージャパン, Kabushiki-gaisha Eā Japan, styled AirJapan), is a Japanese low-cost airline headquartered on the grounds of Narita International Airport in Narita, Chiba. Initially founded in 1990 as a charter airline,[4] it was relaunched in 2022 as the low-cost long-haul arm of the ANA Group.[5]

History

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Early years

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Former logo

Air Japan was established as World Air Network on June 29, 1990, and became the charter airline arm of All Nippon Airways (ANA), but suspended operations in September 1995. On July 5, 2000, World Air Network was renamed Air Japan, and began operating services under the ANA brand. It relaunched service as a scheduled airline on January 1, 2001; its first flight departed from Osaka to Seoul, South Korea with a Boeing 767-300 transferred from ANA.[6][7][8]

On April 2, 2010, it was announced that Air Japan and ANA & JP Express would merge, with Air Japan being the surviving company.[9][10] In taking over the operations of ANA & JP Express, which operated Boeing 767 cargo aircraft, Air Japan subsequently began operating both the passenger and cargo version of the Boeing 767. It would continue operating Boeing 767s on behalf of ANA, before beginning to operate Boeing 787s on behalf of ANA as well in 2018.[11][12]

Redevelopment

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On March 8, 2022, ANA unveiled plans to transform Air Japan into a low-cost medium-haul carrier, with flights to be launched in the second half of the 2023 fiscal year. It was launched with the slogan Fly Thoughtful, and its brand name was restyled and revised to AirJapan.[5] Up to this point, Air Japan had shared the same callsign with All Nippon Airways on all flights except routes to and from Seoul Incheon, Hong Kong, Taipei, and Honolulu which used the Air Japan call sign.[citation needed]

On March 9, 2023, ANA announced that Air Japan would be servicing flights to and from Southeast Asia starting in February 2024, using Boeing 787s in an all-economy class layout.[13][14][15] The airline is intended to be ANA's rival to Japan Airlines' Zipair Tokyo, which competes in the same sector.[16][17] Later that year, Air Japan's first destination from its Tokyo Narita hub was announced as Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport, beginning on February 9, 2024, marking the airline's inaugural flight as a low-cost airline.[18]

Corporate affairs

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The airline has its headquarters at the ANA Sky-center (ANAスカイセンター) 3B, Narita International Airport in Narita, Chiba.[19] The headquarters were previously in Higashikōjiya [ja] (東糀谷), Ōta, Tokyo.[20] In addition to its headquarters, Air Japan also used to have offices at Shiodome City Center in Minato, Tokyo.[20]

Destinations

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As of July 2024, Air Japan operates passenger flights to the following destinations under its own brand.[21] The list does not include destinations that the airline served whether with charter flights, scheduled flights operated on behalf of ANA, or any destinations served prior to its 2022 redevelopment as a low-cost airline.

Country City Airport Start date End date Notes Refs
Japan Tokyo Narita International Airport February 9, 2024 Present Base [18]
Singapore Singapore Changi Airport April 26, 2024 Present [22]
South Korea Seoul Incheon International Airport February 24, 2024 Present [23][24][25]
Thailand Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport February 9, 2024 Present [18]

Fleet

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As of July 2024, Air Japan operates the following aircraft:[26]

Air Japan fleet
Aircraft In service Orders Passengers Notes
Boeing 787-8 2 4 324 Leased from All Nippon Airways.
Total 2 4

Fleet development

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Prior to its redevelopment and relaunch as a low-cost airline, Air Japan operated Boeing 767s and 787s on behalf of ANA.[11][12] Following redevelopment, Air Japan's fleet plans consist of Boeing 787-8 aircraft to be transferred from ANA. The airline's first Boeing 787-8, registered JA803A, was planned to be received on January 26, 2024, ahead of the airline's launch on February 9.[27] Its second aircraft was planned to be received in April 2024, with a total of six aircraft to be received by the end of the 2025 fiscal year.[28]

Service concept

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Air Japan's aircraft are configured entirely in economy class seating, consisting of 324 seats in a 3–3–3 layout. As a low-cost airline, Air Japan charges fees for additional services including additional baggage allowances and Wi-Fi access, and offers a buy-on-board service for in-flight catering, amenities, and goods. It offers streamable in-flight entertainment to personal devices.[14][28]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Air Japan". ch-aviation. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  2. ^ "Aviation Codes Central". Retrieved April 16, 2006.
  3. ^ "About Us". Air Japan. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
  4. ^ "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. March 27, 2007. p. 58.
  5. ^ a b "ANA Holdings Unveils AirJapan, a New International Airline Brand Taking off in the Second Half of Fiscal 2023". All Nippon Airways. March 8, 2022. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  6. ^ "Company Information". Air Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 9, 2023. Retrieved April 30, 2007.
  7. ^ "All Nippon Airways Will Launch New Airline; Air Japan Operations Begin January 1, 2001". All Nippon Airways (Press release). August 31, 2000. Archived from the original on December 11, 2004.
  8. ^ "About Us". Air Japan. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  9. ^ "Merger of Consolidated Subsidiaries". All Nippon Airways. April 2, 2010. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
  10. ^ Yeo, Ghim-Lay (September 9, 2010). "ANA to announce new low-cost carrier today". FlightGlobal. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  11. ^ a b "Operating airline (Air Japan)". All Nippon Airways. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  12. ^ a b "Air Japan Fleet Details and History". Planespotters.net. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  13. ^ Schlappig, Ben (August 2, 2023). "AirJapan, ANA's New Boeing 787 Low Cost Carrier". One Mile at a Time. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  14. ^ a b "AirJapan Unveils Inaugural Products and Services". All Nippon Airways (Press release). March 9, 2023. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  15. ^ "Air Japan unveils inaugural products and services". Business Traveller. March 9, 2023. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  16. ^ Brophy, Selene (March 13, 2023). "Japan's ANA Unveils Features of New Carrier Air Japan". Skift. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  17. ^ Villamizar, Helwing (August 3, 2023). "ANA Shares New Details on Subsidiary AirJapan". Airways. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  18. ^ a b c "NRT-BKK route will begin on Fri, February 9, 2024". Air Japan (Press release). October 10, 2023. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  19. ^ "Corporate Profile". Air Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on May 8, 2016. Retrieved May 7, 2016. Principle offices Narita airport 3B ANA Sky-center Narita airport Narita-city (所在地 成田空港事務所 千葉県成田市成田国際空港ANAスカイセンター３B)
  20. ^ a b "Company Guide". Air Japan. Archived from the original on April 10, 2009. Retrieved May 19, 2009. 本店 ： 東京都大田区東糀谷六丁目7番56号
  21. ^ "Flight routes". Air Japan. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  22. ^ "NRT-SIN route will begin on Fri, April 26th, 2024". Air Japan (Press release). February 5, 2024. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  23. ^ "NRT-ICN route will begin on Thu, February 22nd, 2024". Air Japan (Press release). November 15, 2023. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  24. ^ Liu, Jim (November 15, 2023). "Air Japan adds Tokyo-Seoul service from late-Feb 2024". AeroRoutes. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  25. ^ Kohase, Yusuke (February 22, 2024). "AirJapanの787、主脚に不具合 バンコク発前に交換、成田－ソウル初便欠航" [AirJapan's 787 has main landing gear problem, to be replaced before departure from Bangkok, first Narita-Seoul flight canceled]. Aviation Wire (in Japanese). Retrieved February 22, 2024.
  26. ^ "AirJapan". Planespotters.net. January 30, 2024. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
  27. ^ Velani, Bhavya (January 20, 2024). "Air Japan First Boeing 787 with New Livery to Land in Tokyo on 26 Jan". Aviation A2Z. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  28. ^ a b "AirJapan、初号機をお披露目 2月9日にバンコク就航" [AirJapan unveils first aircraft to fly to Bangkok on February 9]. Traicy Japan (in Japanese). February 6, 2024. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
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