JAL launching long-haul LCC Zip Air

[Mattg]

Japan Airlines is setting up a new long-haul, low-cost airline using 787 Dreamliners. The airline will take flight from next year, initially flying NRT-ICN and NRT-BKK with a fleet of two aircraft. The airline plans to expand steadily with two additional Dreamliners each year and is eventually looking to serve US west coast destinations from Narita.

Japan Today article here - Japan Airlines’ ZIPAIR low-cost carrier to start flights next year - Japan Today

Japan Airlines has named its new low-cost carrier ZIPAIR, and said it will connect Narita airport near Tokyo with Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi and Incheon airport near Seoul next year, as demand for budget air travel grows in Asia.

The operator of the low-cost carrier (LCC) service offering medium to long-haul flights, ZIPAIR Tokyo, said it aimed to eventually offer trans-Pacific and European flights as well, and to turn profitable in two years after the maiden flight in summer 2020.

Skift has some interesting analysis here - The Curious Case of Japan’s New Low-Cost, Long-Haul Carrier

 

[Captain Halliday]

I’m not sure I’d call NRT-INC long haul.

It’s only 681 miles and basically the same as SYD-ADL.

Maybe they’re going to go the other way around.

 

[Mattg]

I’m not sure I’d call NRT-INC long haul.

It’s only 681 miles and basically the same as SYD-ADL.

Maybe they’re going to go the other way around.

They've said that they would start with shorter intra-Asia routes while the airline is still in the launch phase, then expand going forward.

 

[moa999]

Wonder what this means for Jetstar Japan (1/3 JAL, Mitsubishi and Qantas)
Were they offered the opportunity first to invest internationally?

As for the livery.
Well no, it's not time for Times New Roman to come back into fashion

 

[Himeno]

This was announced a while ago. They want it up and running for the Olympics. How long it lasts after that is another matter.

 

[juddles]

The trend towards LCC's is omnipresent in the industry. So maybe they will do ok.

Feeling cantankerous tonight, so the following is in that vein.....

Premium carriers will attract more and more premium pax who are prepared to pay more for a reasonable experience.

LCC's will cater to the hordes who book on price alone.

vent post-flight frustrations at their less-than-stellar experience.

 

[ozfflyer]

The trend towards LCC's is omnipresent in the industry. So maybe they will do ok.

Feeling cantankerous tonight, so the following is in that vein.....

Premium carriers will attract more and more premium pax who are prepared to pay more for a reasonable experience.

LCC's will cater to the hordes who book on price alone.

vent post-flight frustrations at their less-than-stellar experience.

one flaw with above, is the recession is really starting to kick in.

Building industry is stuffed. Many builders/developers/traddies going broke.

Retail is stuffed.

International travel ex Australia in big trouble.

Discretionary spending plummeting.

Less premium carriers. Not even sure what that means. Only one I can think of ex Australia is SQ. Less premium pax. More people trying to upgrade but some might end up on LCC, in their biz class.

Taking to one airline rep few weeks back & although they've flooded the market with loss leader seats to USA in low season, they are not selling, so something has to give, like reducing the schedule & maybe parking some aircraft. The more loss leaders out there the more airlines will fail. The Qantas's of this world will not be immune. Noticed lately that many Qantas international fares are still the higher but not much more than the next highest fare on same route.

 

[moa999]

Doesn't help that fuel and therefore airfares are quite a bit higher this year