Low Price Flights

The Japanese aeronautics industry, one of the most heavily regulatory in the area as regards restricting gate entry and carrier possession, is, however, in the process of adopting the low-cost aeronautics paradigm favoured in other areas. Nippon Airways supports Peach Airways, which has already begun flights from Kansai Osaka to Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Nagasaki and Sapporo and offers about half of the prices of the big carriers.

Okinawa will be added in July and Hong Kong, Seoul and Taipei will open later. AirAsia Japan is planning to start operating flights from Tokyo Narita Airport in August and from 2013 on to Japan. AirAsia, the largest low-cost operator in the area, is headquartered in Kuala-Lumpur and now has the strength to dominate this market in Southeast Asia.

At the end of 2012, Jetstar will link Japan, a budgetary alliance between Japan Airlines and the low-cost units of Qantas, Tokyo and Osaka. Anticipate low rates for the future as the Jetstar Japan chief executive has already promised the Japanese press not to loose a price battle. Qantas and China Eastern Airlines are also teaming up to create a low-cost airline named Jetstar Hong Kong.

It follows the route of other airlines from the same group, such as Jetstar Pacific, which has established itself in Vietnam. However, in China, where Spring Airlines is currently the only low-cost operator on the continent serving major domestic markets such as Hong Kong and Japan, none of the four major continental airlines currently has a low-cost operator.

Today's high-priced busses and trams to and from Japanese cities are still an important topic in Japan and could reduce the excitement for any cheap flight. An easy price for a single flight from Tokyo city centre to Narita International Station by rail could be the same as a cheap flight to Hokkaido - about 3,000 Japanese Yen.

Throughout Asia, Singapore Airlines launches Scoot, which will be operational later in 2012, offering long-haul flights through the Singapore to Sydney and Gold Coast Australia area. Others are growing low-cost carriers, such as Cebu Air, a dominating operator in the Philippines. In addition to Malaysian AirAsia, Singapore's Tiger Airways and Indonesian Lion Air will also receive new aircraft within the next year.