While Air Japan has been around for a couple of decades now, it focused on operating flights on behalf of ANA. In March 2023, however, ANA announced that Air Japan would go through a rebrand and start operating as a standalone low-cost brand in addition to operating a portion of ANA’s fleet.
The new Air Japan, ANA’s answer to JAL’s ZIPAIR Tokyo, will primarily operate medium-haul flights to Southeast Asia, starting with a route from Tokyo Narita to Bangkok. That said, on November 15, 2023, the airline also announced its first short-haul route which will connect Tokyo Narita with Seoul Incheon.
Tokyo Narita – Seoul Incheon to Become Air Japan’s Second Route
Air Japan’s flights between Tokyo Narita and Seoul Incheon will launch on February 22, 2024, and are already on sale for dates through the end of March 2024. During that time period, they will operate five times a week (on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays) with the following schedule:
- NQ21 / Tokyo Narita – Seoul Incheon / 10:55AM – 1:30PM
- NQ22 / Seoul Incheon – Tokyo Narita / 2:40PM – 4:45PM
The airline’s first destination, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi, is expected to launch on February 9, 2024, and operate six times a week (all days except Tuesday to Bangkok and Wednesday to Tokyo). The schedule will be as follows:
- NQ1 / Tokyo Narita – Bangkok Suvarnabhumi / 5:55PM – 11:15PM
- NQ2 / Bangkok Suvarnabhumi – Tokyo Narita / 12:15AM – 8:10AM
All of these flights will be operated by Boeing 787-8 aircraft, the sole type to be used by the new low-cost, seating a total of 324 passengers in an all-economy class configuration. While it is likely both routes will continue during the Summer 2024 schedule too, the exact details are not known at this point.
Passengers on both routes can pre-order meals (for a fee). Light options like sandwiches and fruits are available on the Seoul Incheon route while proper meals are available on the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi route.
Yet Another Option on Extremely Popular Routes
Just like its Tokyo Narita – Bangkok route which will launch on February 9, 2024, and operate six times a week, the Tokyo Narita – Seoul Incheon route is already served by a number of airlines. In fact, it is the destination out of Tokyo Narita offering the widest choice of airlines.
There are already more than two dozen daily flights between Tokyo Narita and Seoul run mainly by Korean legacy airlines (Korean Air and Asiana Airlines) and low-cost airlines (Air Busan, Air Premia, Air Seoul, Eastar Jet, Jeju Air, Jin Air, and T’Way).
JAL’s low-cost ZIPAIR Tokyo operates flights on the route too. There’s even an Ethiopian Airlines’ fifth freedom flight that connects Addis Ababa with Tokyo Narita via Seoul Incheon.
Notably missing on the route are Japanese legacy carriers – ANA and JAL. That’s because those, as well as Korean Air and Asiana Airlines for that matter, operate multiple daily frequencies between airports closer to the two cities’ centers – Haneda and Gimpo.
There are also daily flights between Tokyo Haneda and Seoul Incheon operated by ANA’s other low-cost, Peach, and Korean Air. Asiana Airlines will return on the route in January 2024.
Between Tokyo Narita and Bangkok Suvarnabhumi, passengers currently have the option of flying on two Star Alliance members (ANA and Thai Airways), one oneworld member (JAL), and two low-cost carriers (Thai AirAsia X and ZIPAIR Tokyo).
ANA, JAL, and Thai Airways also connect Bangkok Suvarnabhumi with Tokyo Haneda.
Summary
ANA’s upcoming low-cost Air Japan will commence standalone operations in February 2024 (the airline already operates flights on behalf of ANA). The new brand’s first two destinations will be Bangkok and Seoul. Both of these will launch in February 2024 using Boeing 787-8 aircraft.
Air Japan will not be the first airline operating either of the routes. Instead, it will be another option among quite a few others on what are two of the most popular routes out of Tokyo. In addition to ANA, JAL, and the respective countries’ flag carriers already operating these routes, there are also plenty of low-cost connections.
Among others, JAL’s low-cost and Air Japan’s direct competitor ZIPAIR Tokyo flies from Tokyo Narita to both Seoul Incheon and Bangkok Suvarnabhumi. Interestingly, unlike Air Japan, ZIPAIR also offers business class on their flights with nice reverse herringbone seats.
