Tag Archives: AirAsia.com

AirAsia Japan to become Vanilla Air

AirAsia Japan (Tokyo-Narita), the failed joint venture between AirAsia (Malaysia) (Kuala Lumpur) and ANA (All Nippon Airways) (Tokyo), will be rebranded as Vanilla Air by its now full parent, ANA, which acquired AirAsia’s shares in the joint venture. Vanilla Air will become the new name in December. In the meantime, AirAsia Japan is cancelling hundreds of flights between September 1 and October 26 (see below).

Read the full story from Channel NewsAsia: CLICK HERE

Vanilla Air logo

The current AirAsia Japan aircraft are being returned to AirAsia. AirAsia previously issued this statement about the cancelled joint venture and as a result the following cancelled flights:

1 SEP – 26 OCT 2013 : From/ To Nagoya (Chubu)

Nagoya (Chubu) → Fukuoka Fukuoka → Nagoya (Chubu)
Flight No. Departure Arrival Flight No. Departure Arrival
JW8621 6:45 8:05 JW8622 8:40 9:55
JW8627 19:55 21:15 JW8628 21:40 22:55

 

Nagoya (Chubu) → Sapporo (Shin-Chitose) Sapporo (Shin-Chitose) → Nagoya (Chubu)
Flight No. Departure Arrival Flight No. Departure Arrival
JW8617 15:40 17:20 JW8616 17:45 19:30

 

Nagoya (Chubu) → Seoul (Incheon) Seoul (Incheon) → Nagoya (Chubu)
Flight No. Departure Flight No. Flight No. Departure Flight No.
JW865 10:45 12:45 JW866 13:10 15:00

 

1 OCT – 26 OCT 2013 : Narita=Sapporo (Shin-Chitose) & Narita=Okinawa (Naha)

Tokyo (Narita) → Sapporo (Shin-Chitose) Sapporo (Shin-Chitose) → Tokyo (Narita)
Flight No. Departure Arrival Frequency Flight No. Departure Arrival Frequency
JW8521 7:10 8:55 Thu, Sat JW8520 9:20 10:55 Thu, Sat
7:15 9:00 Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri, Sun 9:25 11:00 Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri, Sun
JW8523 11:25 13:20 Thu, Sat JW8522 13:45 15:20 Thu, Sat
111:30 13:25 Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri, Sun 13:50 15:25 Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri, Sun

 

Tokyo (Narita) → Okinawa (Naha) Okinawa (Naha) → Tokyo (Narita)
Flight No. Departure Arrival Frequency Flight No. Departure Arrival
JW8665 15:55 18:50 Thu, Sat JW8666 19:20 21:55
16:00 18:55 Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri, Sun

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A320-216 JA02AJ (msn 5200) climbs away from the Tokyo (Narita) base.

AirAsia Japan: AG Slide Show

AirAsia Japan to be shut down on October 31

AirAsia Japan (Tokyo-Narita) will cease all scheduled services on October 31, 2013. ANA has decided it will not merge the joint venture with Peach Aviation. The airline started operations on August 1, 2012.

All four Airbus A320s will be returned to AirAsia (Malaysia) the following day.

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A320-216 JA01AJ (msn 5153) approaches the Tokyo (Narita) hub.

AirAsia (Japan): AG Slide Show

Route Map:

AirAsia Japan 6:2013 Route Map

Is AirAsia ready to give up on its ANA joint venture AirAsia Japan?

AirAsia (AirAsia.com) (Malaysia) (Kuala Lumpur) may be getting ready to quit its AirAsia Japan (Tokyo-Narita) joint venture with ANA (All Nippon Airways) (Tokyo) according to a report by the Wall Street Journal. The WSJ is reporting there is management “tension” and different approaches between the two main carriers.

One report has AirAsia selling all of its stock to ANA. ANA in return will merge AirAsia Japan with Peach Aviation. However this has not been confirmed by any of the parties which are reportedly exploring their options. Can the marriage between a fast-growing low fare airline and a mainline legacy flag carrier be saved?

AirAsia Japan commenced operations on August 1, 2012.

Read the full story from the Malaysian Insider: CLICK HERE

The CEO of AirAsia Japan issued this statement on June 11:

In regards to the recent media announcements on the dissolution of AirAsia Japan Co., Ltd., a joint venture between ANA Holdings Inc. and AirAsia Berhad; please be informed that our shareholders are still exploring all available options and any decision will be further subject to respective corporate approvals.

Rest assured that with the strong support from our major shareholder, ANA Holdings Inc., AirAsia Japan will continue to operate flights as usual.

As a Japan-based Low Cost Carrier (LCC), our goal is to make your dreams of travel a reality.
Your support is truly appreciated.

See you in the clouds!

Yours sincerely,

Yoshinori Odagiri
CEO, AirAsia Japan

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. The only way to tell it is AirAsia Japan is the small “Japan” inscription by the nose and the JA Japanese aircraft registration. Airbus A320-216 JA03AJ (msn 5325) climbs away from the Tokyo (Narita) base.

AirAsia logo

Current Route Map:

AirAsia Japan 6:2013 Route Map

AirAsia Japan: AG Slide Show

 

AirAsia Philippines acquires 40% of the stock of Zest Air in a stock trade

AirAsia Philippines (Angeles City, Pampanga-Clark International Airport) has agreed to acquire all of the shares Zest’s affiliate Asiawide Airways from Alfredo Yao, vice chairman of Export and Industry Bank Inc. and the Zest-O Corporation. This acquisition will give AirAsia 40 percent of the shares of Zest Air (Zest Airways) (Manila). In return, Yao will get a 15 percent share in closely held AirAsia (Kuala Lumpur) according to this report by Bloomberg.Each airline, both former competitors, will now operate separately but will be aligned with each other.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Top Copyright Photo: Terry Wade. AirAsia’s (AirAsia.com) (Philippines) Airbus A320-216 RP-C8191 (msn 4989) is seen at London (Gatwick) prior to the delivery.

AirAsia: AG Slide Show

Zest Air: AG Slide Show

Middle Copyright Photo Below: AirAsia. AirAsia and Zest Air officials celebrate the new association.

AirAsia-Zest Air Celebration (AirAsia)(LR)

Bottom Copyright Photo: Manuel Negrerie. Zest Air’s (Zest Airways) Airbus A320-232 RP-C8994 (msn 743) climbs away from Taipei (TPE).

India to review the AirAsia-Tata joint venture proposal on March 6

AirAsia (AirAsia.com) (Malaysia) (Kuala Lumpur) and the Tata Group (Mumbai) have announced a new joint venture proposal. If approved by the Indian government the new JV would bring a new low-fare airline to India under the AirAsia brand based in Chennai.

According to this report by One India News the Indian Finance Ministry is due to take up the proposal before the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) on March 6.

AirAsia has applied to control 49 percent in this new joint venture with Tata Sons Ltd and Arun Bhatia’s Telestra Tradeplace Pvt Ltd. If approved, this will be the return of Tata to the aviation business. State-owned Air India grew out of Tata Airlines, which began operations in 1932. Ironically Air India (Mumbai) and other Indian carriers are likely to oppose the entry of AirAsia.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Guillaume Besnard. AirAsia’s Airbus A320-216 9M-AFQ (msn 3018) in the special ZOOM! color scheme arrives at Bangkok.

AirAsia (Malaysia): AG Slide Show

Thai AirAsia to return to Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport on October 1

Thai AirAsia (AirAsia.com) (Bangkok) will move all of its operations from the large (but more congested) Suvarnabhumi International Airport (BKK) back to the smaller (but underutilized) Don Mueang International Airport (DMK) on October 1. The low-fare airline is currently being impacted at BKK with a runway closure that is renovating the east runway until August 9, 2012.

The company issued the following statement:

“AirAsia affirms its readiness to transfer all operations to Don Mueang International Airport by October 1, 2012. The airline assures Don Mueang Airport will be able to accommodate its growing fleet and provide its customers with the utmost satisfaction.”

Thai AirAsia is planning to grow its Airbus A320 fleet to 48 aircraft.

Copyright photo: Jay Selman. Airbus A320-216 HS-ABI (msn 3729) in the standard 2003 livery lines up to land at BKK.

Thai AirAsia: 

AirAsia Japan prepares to launch scheduled operations on August 1

AirAsia Japan (AirAsia Japan Company Limited) (Tokyo-Narita) is getting ready to take delivery of its second Airbus A320 (JA02AJ). The new airline took delivery of its first Airbus A320 (JA01AJ) June 8, 2012 at Toulouse, France. As we previously reported, the new carrier will start scheduled operations on August 1 from Narita International Airport to Sapporo and Fukuoka, and from August 3 to Okinawa with an initial fleet of these two A320s.

AirAsia Japan will start international operations to Seoul (Incheon) and Pusan in South Korea in October, with the fleet growing to four A320s by the end of 2012.

AirAsia Japan’s A320s are configured in a high comfort, all economy layout with 180 seats. Each aircraft is powered by CFM56 engines.

AirAsia Japan, established in August 2011, is a joint venture between Japan’s largest airline ANA Group (67%) and low-cost airline AirAsia (33%). Operating under the AirAsia brand, AirAsia Japan will serve both domestic and international destinations.

Copyright Photo: Yvan Panas. The second Airbus A320, specifically this A320-216 with the test registration of F-WWIX will be delivered this month as JA02AJ. Oddly this aircraft wears a different color scheme from the first A320 (JA01AJ). It is unclear if this represents a new livery for the AirAsia family of airlines.

Bombardier is in talks with AirAsia about a possible order

Bombardier (Toronto) is reportedly in talks with AirAsia (Malaysia) (Kuala Lumpur) about a high density (160 seat) version of its new CSeries airliner according to this report by Reuters.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Ken Petersen. AirAsia has built its expanding fleet around the Airbus A320.

AirAsia (Malaysia): 

Virgin Atlantic to sell its 10% share in AirAsia X

Virgin Atlantic Airways (London) is expected to sell its 10 percent share of AirAsia X (Kuala Lumpur) to existing stockholders for $21 million.

Read the full report from Asia One: CLICK HERE

Top Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum.

Virgin Atlantic: 

AirAsia X: 

Bottom Copyright Photo: Pepscl.

AirAsia faces possible legal action in Australia, will launch a new logojet in Thailand

AirAsia (AirAsia.com) (Kuala Lumpur) is facing possible legal action by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission for allegedly failing to disclose the full price of fares for flights from Australia to internation destinations according to this report by the Sydney Morning Herald.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Laurent Errera. Thai AirAsia will soon take delivery of this new “World’s Best Low Cost Airline 2009 2010 2011” logojet. The special Airbus A320-216 with the temporary marks of F-WWIZ will become HS-ABW (msn 4980) on delivery.