Airlines

AirAsia Zest eyes flights to Japan

215

AirAsia Zest has expressed interest in launching flights to Japan, possibly by the third quarter of the current year. Chief Executive Officer Marianne Hontiveros mentioned Narita (Tokyo) and Osaka as potential destinations.

Hontiveros explained:

We’ve applied for [flight rights to] Japan with the CAB [Civil Aeronautics Board].

Following the approval of AirAsia Zest’s application, Hontiveros said that flights may begin as early as June or July this year. 

Increased air travel between Philippines and Japan

This development comes on the heels of a significant expansion in air travel between the Philippines and Japan.

After successful air talks, flight frequencies between Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and Narita International Airport surged to 400 weekly flights (80,000 seats).

The agreement also opened up 14 weekly flights between NAIA and Tokyo’s Haneda Airport.

Included in the agreement is that unlimited traffic is permitted between secondary Philippine airports and Haneda.

Competition heats up

Other airlines are seizing the opportunity for expansion in the Japanese market. Tigerair Philippines (now part of Cebu Pacific Air) had previously announced plans to fly to Tokyo and Incheon (South Korea). Additionally, both Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific have announced increased flights to Japan.

According to the aviation think tank Centre for Aviation (CAPA), the Philippines-Japan route was “under-served over the last five years” due to capacity restrictions imposed by the Japanese Civil Aviation Bureau. However, recent agreements have significantly expanded opportunities for airlines from both countries.

Written by
Dirk Andrei Salcedo

Dirk is the founder and editor-in-chief of Aviation Updates Philippines (AUP), a platform dedicated to providing the latest news and insights on the aviation industry in the Philippines. With a strong passion for aviation and a background in computer engineering, he manages all aspects of AUP, from website development to content curation.

Leave a comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Newsletter

Featured Stories

Categories

Related Articles

Airlines

Cebu Pacific shifts ATR fleet to Clark, upgrades Manila-San Jose service to A320

Budget carrier Cebu Pacific is implementing notable operational changes, relocating portions of...

Airlines

AirAsia Philippines part of major 30-route expansion by AirAsia Group in 2025

AirAsia Aviation Group has unveiled significant expansion plans for 2025, announcing the...

Airlines

Emirates outlines seven new destinations in A350 network expansion

Emirates has announced seven additional destinations to be served by its growing...

Aviation Safety

AirAsia Philippines enforces CAAP’s power bank safety regulations

AirAsia Philippines has announced the strict enforcement of new guidelines regarding power...