KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia Japan today commenced its twice daily flights connecting Nagoya and Sapporo.
In a statement, AirAsia said a total of 166 passengers, representing a 92 percent load factor, were on board the inaugural service of the Flight DJ 0001, which took off from Nagoya’s Chubu Centrair International Airport and arrived at 09:25h (GMT +9) at New Chitose International Airport in Sapporo.
AirAsia Group chief executive officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said Airasia Japan’s inaugural flight is all about the blood, sweat and tears that the company has put into making true low-cost travel in Japan a reality.
“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,” he said.
He added that with AirAsia's extensive network across Asia Pacific, the company would expand as fast as it 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 the strong load factor on today’s inaugural flight shows there is strong demand for AirAsia's unique low fares, high service product.
“It’s an exciting day for AirAsia Japan as we served our first guests from Nagoya to Sapporo. 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,” he said.
AirAsia Japan is a joint venture between AirAsia Bhd, 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.
On hand to greet guests departing from Nagoya were Osamu Hata, China Centrair International Airport chief executive officer, Masanao Tomozoe and Nagoya Civil Aviation Bureau chief Toshihide Funayama.