Peach Aviation (Osaka-Kansai) yesterday (October 17) announced that it has obtained approval from Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to operate flights to congested airports. Peach’s application was made on August 23, 2011 in accordance with Japan’s Aeronautics Act.

With this approval, Peach Aviation is officially authorized to operate scheduled domestic flights for the period between March 1 and March 24, 2012. Starting on March 1, there will be 3 round trip flights per day on the Osaka (Kansai) – Sapporo (Shin-Chitose) route and 4 round trip flights per day on the Osaka (Kansai) – Fukuoka route.

Peach plans to announce airfares in late November.

Peach Aviation, Japan’s first dedicated low cost carrier, is preparing for its first flight in March 2012. Peach will provide new travel options at affordable prices, and will act as a bridge between Japan and the growing economies of other Asian countries.

Peach Aviation became Japan’s first official LCC (low cost carrier) in February 2011. It will be commencing flights from its home base, Kansai International Airport, no later than March 2012.

According to the airline, “Peach Aviation creates new airline networks across Asian countries. It is dedicated to providing safe, reliable, and affordable flights that will create new value and options in air travel. Peach will become a bridge between the growing economies of Asia and Japan.”

Copyright Photo: Gerd Beilfuss. Peach’s first aircraft, an Airbus A320-214 with the temporary registration of F-WWIQ (msn 4887) arrives near sunset at Hamburg (Finkenwerder) for further work. The new airliner will become JA801P on delivery.

Peach Aviation (Osaka-Kansai) is a new budget airline in Japan as we have previously reported. The new airline was formed in February 2011 as A and F Aviation, a joint venture between ANA (All Nippon Airways) and First Eastern Investment Group. The company applied for its AOC in April 2011 and changed its name to Peach Aviation in May 2011. The company stock is held in almost equal portions by ANA, FEIG and the Innovation Network Corporation of Japan, with ANA holding a slightly larger share.

Peach’s distinctive aircraft livery was designed by Neil Denari and its crew uniforms by James Wilkie.

Peach plans to operate ten 180-seat Airbus A320 aircraft. Five A320s will be delivered in 2011 and five more in 2012. The aircraft are to be leased from GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS).

On October 12, 2011 Peach announced a contest to name its first A320.

Peach Aviation Limited (formerly A&F Aviation) (Osaka-Kansai) is the name selected by ANA (All Nippon Airways) and its partners as the new name of its joint-venture low-fare airline subsidiary. The new airline will operate Airbus A320s and the first route is expected to be the Fukuoka-Sapporo route starting in March 2012.

The name Peach was selected because of the fruit’s Asian origin and because Peach invokes an image of “longevity, energy and happiness”. The A320s will be painted pink and fuchsia.

The join venture was formed in February 2011 by ANA and First Eastern Investment Group (FEIG) (Hong Kong) initially called A&F Aviation. Since then the Innovation Network Corporation (INCJ) of Japan joined the group in March 2011. ANA (33.4%), FEIG (33.3%) and INCJ (33.3% basically share ownership now almost equally.

Image: Peach Aviation.

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