Earlier today, the Tokyo Haneda-based low-cost carrier Skymark Airlines revealed schedules for its planned flights from Tokyo Narita to Saipan and Nagoya Centrair.
While the airline occasionally operates charter flights out of Tokyo Narita, the new flights will be its first scheduled flights out of the airport since October 2014.
BC811/816: Tokyo Narita – Saipan and Back
Skymark Airlines’ scheduled flights between Tokyo Narita (NRT) and Saipan (SPN) in the Northern Mariana Islands are expected to start on November 29, 2019, and to operate daily with the following schedule:
- BC811 / NRT – SPN / 10:15AM – 03:00PM
- BC816 / SPN – NRT / 04:35PM – 07:30PM (05:05PM – 08:00PM on Saturdays)
While the airline has previously operated charter flights between the two airports, it will be its first time to operate scheduled flights on the route. In fact, it will be the first time for Skymark to operate scheduled international flights.
The flights will be operated by Skymark Airlines’ ETOPS-certified Boeing 737-800s.
Until May 2018, Delta Air Lines operated flights between the two airports. However, currently, there is no airline offering a non-stop connection between Tokyo and Saipan.
BC867/860: Tokyo Narita – Nagoya Centrair and Back
The second route Skymark announced the details of today is a domestic service between Tokyo Narita and Nagoya Centrair. Unlike the route to Saipan, these flights are only expected to be operated twice a week with the following schedule:
- BC867 / NRT – NGO / 09:25PM – 10:40PM (Fridays & Sundays)
- BC860 / NGO – NRT / 06:40AM – 08:00AM (Saturdays & Mondays)
These routes will be operated using 737-800s – the sole aircraft type in the airline’s fleet – as well.
Currently, both ANA (3 x daily) and JAL (2 x daily) operate flights on the route, primarily serving passengers connecting to and from international flights at Narita. Both of the airlines also offer flights between Tokyo Haneda and Nagoya Centrair. That route is served three times a day (1 x ANA, 2 x JAL).
The main way of getting between Tokyo and Nagoya, however, is using the bullet trains which operate multiple times per hour. As for ANA and JAL, many of their passengers on this route connect in Tokyo rather than starting or ending their journey there.
As such, I am not sure how useful passengers will find the new Skymark flights to be. Especially so considering the fact that the schedule is very limited.
Instead, I would assume that Skymark came up with these flights to be able to rotate aircraft used for the Saipan route in and out of Tokyo Narita while being able to make some additional revenue (and hopefully profit).
Summary
Skymark Airlines attempted to operate scheduled international flights in the past. Back then, however, it didn’t go as planned. The airline ordered A380s which it intended to use on flights to New York. Those never materialized, and instead, Skymark found itself on the brink of bankruptcy.
This time, though, its international plans are not as grandiose. Saipan is much closer than New York, the airline has already operated charter flights to the island, there is no competition on the route, and it will use Boeing 737-800s which are already in its fleet.
Because of that, I think the route has a good chance of being successful and will be a good stepping stone for the airline’s further international expansion later in the future.
As for the Nagoya Centrair flights, I have no idea about how popular they will be – or even about whether Skymark actually needs them to be popular.
