Virgin Australia eyes Tokyo Haneda slot to launch Brisbane flights

Friday, 27 Sep, 2019 0

Virgin Australia is hoping to secure a lucrative landing slot at Tokyo Haneda Airport so it can launch nonstop Tokyo flights from Brisbane.

The airline applied for authorisation with the International Air Services Commission and plans to operate the Brisbane-Tokyo Haneda route with Airbus A330-200 jets.

"The Japan market represents an excellent strategic fit for Virgin Australia, as a destination with a strong growth outlook for both inbound and outbound travel, and which appeals to our leisure and corporate customers," Virgin Australia stated in its submission to the IASC.

Japan’s ministry of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism released four new slots for flights to and from Australia – one each for Japan’s big two JAL and ANA – and two for Aussie carriers.

The slots are for daytime services as Japan hopes to boost routes and flight frequencies ahead of expected high demand for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

"The new capacity to Haneda provides an excellent opportunity for a new entrant to successfully break into the market and establish a strong position for itself," the Virgin Australia submission added.

"An allocation of capacity to Virgin Australia will therefore enable us not just to compete with the Qantas Group and Japan Airlines, but to effectively compete."

Virgin would cement its entry in the Japan market by codesharing with ANA.

below social share icons

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.

In 2019, Buffalo Tours and Olympus Tours joined the Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) family and formed Discova. With the...

The superpower in bed banks for 30 years We are an award-winning and trusted accommodation wholesaler since 1991. We are...

The Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau (DMCVB) is the only organization that promotes metro Detroit regionally, nationally and...

Atout France guides and supports the French regions with their development strategy and helps set up investment projects in order...

Holiday Extras is the UK market leader in airport parking, airport hotels, worldwide airport lounges, destination car hire, airport transfers...

Since 1932, P&O Cruises has offered Aussies and Kiwis the opportunity to take to the seas and have the holiday...

We are the UK’s leading Canada travel experts Canadian Affair Company Information Founded in 1995, Canadian Affair offers an...

With long periods of Thailand’s History, according to evidences and studies, Sukhothai was the first kingdom of Thailand. At that time, an early Thai...

Intrepid Travel is a world leader in sustainable experience-rich travel that has been taking travellers to discover the world’s most amazing places...

This is Jersey. An island shaped by the sea where some of the most astonishing tides in the world circle...

We’re here to provide the very best experience in train travel. From booking your ticket, to asking us a question...

Located in the heart of the Northeast and within easy driving distance of a third of the population of the...

ECOMMPAY is an international payment service provider and direct bank card acquirer, engineering bespoke payment solutions for clients worldwide. Our...