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CHEAPER FLIGHTS TO JAPAN: Japan Airlines is launching an int'l budget carrier

Increased competition on flights to and from Japan? We LOVE the sound of that because where there's more competition, there's cheaper fares!

Increased competition on flights to and from Japan? We LOVE the sound of that because where there’s more competition, there’s cheaper fares!

The Japan Airlines Group (JAL Group) is planning to launch the Japanese version of Scoot Airlines – a low-cost international carrier featuring premium service on a fleet of 787s.

However, as it’ll be a carrier from the Land of the Rising Sun, we expect they’ll ditch Scoot’s quirky attitude in favour of that polite Japanese approach.

Japan Airlines

The unnamed budget off-shot was announced in the JAL Group’s 2020 Medium Term Management Plan and will be its second low-cost product after Jetstar Japan, which the group co-owns with Qantas.

Initially, JAL plans to launch the first low-cost commercial flights in 2020 from Narita International Airport to select destinations in Asia, Europe and the Americas on two Boeing 787-8 aircraft.

In an online statement, the JAL Group said the aim of the new budget model is to provide “customers with new options when travelling to/from Japan”.

Image: Japan Airlines/Facebook

Image: Japan Airlines/Facebook

But how will this new LCC affect JAL’s Jetstar Japan partnership with Qantas?

Well, according to the JAL Group, it won’t have any affect on the existing low-cost carrier, except possibly more create more customers as the group plans to work with Jetstar Japan, which features mostly domestic and short-haul international flights.

“Through these actions, the company will take on the challenge to deliver and meet the needs of diversified customer groups around the world.”

JAL Group

 

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What are your thoughts on Japan Airlines’ new low-cost carrier?