Nagoya sees international recovery, as Jetstar Asia reboots Okinawa flights

Asia-Pacific carriers added to their Japan networks, with a particular focus on Nagoya, while Jetstar Asia outlined plans for a return to Okinawa and Osaka. Hong Kong Airlines commenced a four-times weekly service to Nagoya’s Central Japan International Airport (CJIAC), which will become a daily service in August. The new route adds to its existing Japan network of Fukuoka, Tokyo Narita, Okinawa, Osaka Kansai, and Sapporo. In mid-July, the carrier will increase flights to Japan to 73 weekly, hitting 97% of pre-pandemic levels. “With the launch of Hong Kong Airlines’ service, the number of flights connecting Hong Kong and the Chubu region has increased to 21 flights per week, returning to the pre-pandemic levels,” says Riki Inuzuka, president and CE of CJIAC. “This represents a recovery of 60%.” South Korean low-cost carrier Jin Air also plans to launch a twice-daily service on the Seoul Incheon-Nagoya route from 15 September using Boeing 737-800 aircraft. The addition of Nagoya will increase Jin Air’s Japanese network – operated from Seoul Incheon and Busan – to seven destinations. Singapore-based LCC Jetstar Asia also plans a return to Japan, with the launch of a three-times-weekly service to Okinawa from 30 November. It will be the only carrier on the Singapore-Okinawa route. Before the coronavirus pandemic, the carrier operated charter services to Okinawa in 2014, and scheduled services from 2017. Jetstar Asia will also resume a Singapore-Manila-Osaka Kansai service from 24 November, operating the service five times weekly. The carrier estimates that the two new services will carry over 180,000 passengers between Singapore and Japan annually. <br/>