AirAsia Japan’s maiden flight a proud moment for Tony Fernandes

Tan Sri Tony Fernandes described AirAsia Japan’s maiden flight as a proud moment, which was launched despite obstacles. In a post on his Facebook page, Fernandes appreciated AirAsia Japan’s employees who made the low-cost carrier’s launch possible. “Very proud. Despite so many obstacles we managed to launch AirAsia Japan. “Took off today with full load to Sapporo. “It’s a tough old business but this 16 years shows what AirAsia is made of. “Arigato Gozimus. Take a bow AirAsia Japan All Stars,” he said. AirAsia Japan officially launched its operations in Japan yesterday, following its maiden flight connecting Nagoya and Sapporo. The inaugural flight carried a total of 166 guests on board, from Nagoya’s Chubu Centrair International Airport and New Chitose International Airport in Sapporo. Passenger volume on the Nagoya-Sapporo flight represented a strong load factor of about 92%. For a start, the low-cost carrier will offer flights connecting Nagoya and Sapporo twice daily. In a statement, Fernandes said that AirAsia Japan wants to introduce more flights covering various destinations, moving forward.

“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, and with our extensive network across Asia-Pacific, we will expand as fast as we can to connect Nagoya with the rest of Japan, North Asia and Asean.

“We also want to make Nagoya a major inbound destination to rival Tokyo and Osaka,” he said. AirAsia Japan is 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 the Chubu Centrair International Airport. This marked AirAsia Bhd’s second attempt at penetrating the Japanese aviation industry.

Its initial attempt via a loss-making partnership with ANA Holdings Inc ended in 2013, following differences in opinion related to several issues.

Proud moment: Fernandes (in costume) in Nagoya for AirAsia Japan’s maiden flight from Nagoya to Sapporo. With him is AirAsia Bhd’s executive chairman Datuk Kamarudin Meranun.