JAL and ANA reset course for growth after pandemic shrinks both

The coronavirus pandemic has forced Japan's top two airlines to cut their planes in service to the lowest level in nearly a decade. Now, bitter rivals All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines are seeking strength in numbers of a different kind. ANA and Singapore Airlines have sought approval for a joint venture covering six countries, including Japan, Singapore and Australia. The bid is expected to receive a decision from regulators soon. Weakened by the long-running travel restrictions during the pandemic, airlines are hungry for such alliances. Building networks of international routes allows them to use planes more efficiently and improve the ease of connecting flights for travelers. Airline partnerships are seen as a determining factor in post-pandemic competition in the industry. "We want to recruit as many partners as possible and contribute capital if necessary," said Koji Shibata, who took the post of president of ANA parent ANA Holdings on Friday. For rival JAL, the anxiety was palpable. A JAL executive expressed concern that such an alliance would hold an 80% market share in the targeted routes. "They will gain in price leadership, which could hurt on competition," the executive said. JAL and Australia's Qantas had sought a joint venture, but the Australian antitrust commission stepped in to block the deal in September. The watchdog cited an over 80% market share in the affected flights as a reason behind the decision. Story has much more.<br/>