ANA Holdings launched its new airline brand, Air Japan, on Friday (Feb 9), adding to its portfolio a medium-haul low-cost carrier that taps into the increasing tourist traffic from Asia, including Thailand. The airline commenced operations with six weekly round-trip flights from Narita Airport near Tokyo to Bangkok, utilizing Boeing 787-8 aircraft.
According to ANA, the inaugural flight took off on Friday afternoon, offering passengers an all-economy class seating arrangement that boasts the same legroom as full-service flights.
Air Japan President Hideki Mineguchi said the airline’s seat comfort will be a major selling point, expressing hopes for passengers to enjoy their travel experience to Bangkok. The airline also announced plans to expand its services, including flights from Narita to Incheon Airport near Seoul starting February 22 and to Singapore beginning April 26. Passengers have the option to purchase in-flight meals featuring popular Japanese dishes such as sushi and oyakodon.
The launch of Air Japan comes at a time when Japan is experiencing resurgence in inbound tourism following the lifting of COVID-19-related border restrictions last year. The country recorded a more than six-fold increase in foreign visitors in 2023, reaching 25.1 million, with recent data indicating a return to pre-pandemic visitor levels. (NNT)
