All Nippon Airways (ANA) Japan’s second-largest airline has announced several new international routes, increased frequencies to key regional business destinations and plans to capitalise on Tokyo’s Haneda Airport's transformation into a 24-hour operation later this year.
The expansion contrasts with national flag carrier Japan Airlines's move to slash jobs and routes.
ANA is to start flying from Tokyo’s main existing international hub at Narita airport to Munich, Germany, seven times a week from July 1. It is also increasing frequency between Narita and Vietnam’s business capital Ho Chi Minh City from five to seven times weekly as well as frequency on services between Narita and the Chinese cities of Shenyang and Hangzhou to seven times weekly.
ANA will expand international routes from Haneda, starting with a new Haneda-Taipei (Songshan) route 14 times a week and increase the frequency of Haneda-Seoul (Gimpo) to 21 times a week. Haneda-Shanghai (Hongqiao) and Haneda-Beijing will now have 14 flights per week.
Haneda airport has largely been the Japanese capital’s domestic airport since Narita opened in the late 1970s. However, it is currently building a fourth runway on an artificial island in Tokyo Bay away from the mainland’s crowded residential areas that will enable it to operate around the clock. The project is scheduled to be completed by October 31 this year.
ANA is considering using Haneda for night-time routes to the west coast of the US and to destinations in Southeast Asia.
Kenny Coyle
