JAL will launch its own budget airline
Japan has confirmed it will launch a separate low cost unit to capture growing demand for budget air travel in Asia.
The as yet unnamed low cost carrier will start flying in the summer of 2020 using two Boeing 787-8 aircraft and will be based at Tokyo Narita Airport.
It will focus on medium- to long haul routes with flights across Asia, and to Europe and the Americas.
JAL will invest up to 20 billion yen in the business with the goal of turning a profit within three years, it said.
It will not compete with Jetstar Japan, in which JAL has a minority stake.
Jetstar Japan, which is a joint venture between JAL and Qantas, operates short haul routes within Asia Pacific.
Low cost carriers have captured about half of the air travel market in Asia but only a small proportion in Japan itself.
Full service carriers JAL and rival ANA still dominate the market while Japan’s bullet trains offer stiff competition to LCCs on domestic journeys.
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
Euromonitor International unveils world’s top 100 city destinations for 2025