TokyoTomo Travel Guide

Today, Japan Airlines (JAL) applied to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) of Japan, seeking antitrust immunity with American Airlines (AA) so that both members of the oneworld® Alliance may enter a Joint Business Agreement (JBA) and cooperate more closely on the operations of flights between North America and Asia.

“We are excited to have taken another defining step towards forging a closer relationship with our partner American Airlines so that we can combine strengths to offer our customers travelling on trans-Pacific routes unprecedented convenience and flexibility.” said Japan Airlines President and Chief Operating Officer Masaru Onishi of what will be Japan’s first ever antitrust immunity application. “With the immunity, we can greatly enhance competition in this region of growth, including at the strategically-located Haneda Airport which will soon commence scheduled international flights. This is an opportune time for both airlines to retain existing customers, attract new travellers and to lift revenue.”

Japan Airlines and American Airlines have jointly submitted the application for antitrust immunity with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) on February 12, 2010.

“We very much look forward to working even more closely with our valued oneworld partner, Japan Airlines,” said Gerard Arpey, AMR’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “We appreciate the important role of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and look forward to receiving the appropriate government approvals that will allow us to provide customers with more integrated air service in one of the world’s growing aviation markets and provide benefits to both the U.S. and Japanese economies.”

Upon attaining approval from the MLIT and the U.S. DOT, Japan Airlines and American Airlines will operate as two independent legal entities working closely together to strengthen their service offerings to customers on their flights between the United States and Asia. Passengers will benefit from a more comprehensive network, expanded flight options, access to more fare levels and enhanced services while continuing to enjoy reciprocal frequent flyer accrual and redemption benefits and access to both airlines’ lounges. JAL and AA will also be able to improve their efficiencies, lower operating costs, and robustly heighten competition in the trans-Pacific aviation market.

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China’s low cost carrier (LCC), Spring Airlines (9S), unveiled its new service to Ibaraki Airport. The airline plans to operate program charter flights between Ibaraki Airport and Shanghai’s Pu Dong Airport for the period of two months starting from the end of July this year and thereafter it aims to serve the route as a scheduled carrier. Aircraft to be put into service will be 180-seater Airbus A320. The airline initially plans to operate approximately three flights per week with the final flight schedule subject to coordination with Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), Ministry of Defense and JASDF Hyakuri Air Base.

Masaru Hashimoto, Governor of Ibaraki Prefectural Government, visited Spring Airlines’ Head Quarters in Shanghai on June 5. The final agreement on the inaugural flight date came on June 6 after he met with Wang Zhenghua, Chairman at Spring Airlines. Commenting on its new service from Ibaraki Airport, Wang said that he was encouraged by Hashimoto’s untiring enthusiasm for a start of the international flights and also by the user-friendliness for LCC (low cost carriers) provided at Ibaraki Airport. Hashimoto congratulated Spring Airlines on its first international flight to Ibaraki Airport, adding that he is eager to boost the Ibaraki/Shanghai route in concert with Spring Airlines.

Meanwhile, Spring Airlines is finalizing its future sales strategy for the Japan market. Chairman Wang has reportedly said that the airline intends to start selling 10 to 20 percent of available seat capacity on its Japan route at low priced fares once the local conditions permit such ticket sales in Japan for individual customers.

Source: Travel Vision

Travel Vision Inc. provides information on the travel industry in Japan via "Daily Travel Vision", a Japanese-language e-mail newsletter, and the "Travel Vision" website. There are nearly 110,000 people working in the Japanese travel industry, and Travel Vision is proud to be bringing travel news to more than 30,000 people through Daily Travel Vision.

Seiji Maehara, Minster of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), revealed a motto “Carry Out One’s Word” as an objective 2010 during the recent joint press interview. He asserted that the year 2010 will be “The Year” for MLIT to implement respective policies for the tourism-oriented nation and the Open Skies agreement to be compiled by the Growth Strategy Meeting.

In terms of the tourism policy, MLIT will, among others, start groundwork in an effort to achieve 20 million visitor arrivals by 2016, 25 million by 2019 and eventually 30 millions visitors from overseas. Commenting on the promotion of visitor arrivals from China, in particular, Transport Minister Maehara pointed out the fact that only one million travelers visit Japan annually from China out of a population of 1.3 billion, probably because of the strict entry regulations for Chinese nationals. He clearly stated that the current regulations applicable for Chinese visitors should be reviewed including income limitation and should be relaxed accordingly. In the wake of China’s recent move to lift a ban on Japanese companies to operate overseas travel business in China, MLIT will ask that an early selection of Japanese travel agencies be done.

Regarding domestic tourism, MILT will aim to address development of “new tourism,” spreading out the holidays evenly and enhancing the partnership with other ministries and agencies. Spreading out the holidays is budgeted as a government pilot program, by which MLIT considers also changing school holidays depending on the regions. The partnership with the other ministries and agencies will make it possible to develop “agricultural tourism,” “ecological tourism,” and “medical tourism” as well, Maehara suggested.

As far as the government administration in aviation is concerned, the Minister mentioned that the Airport Development Special Account Act shall be thoroughly reviewed and, in this context, MLIT stands by the principles that an additional airport will not be built. In stead, aircraft landing fees will be lowered in a drive to enhance favorable environment on a competitive basis. “What is especially important for us is to focus on the realization of 24-hour international flight operations at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport,” indicated Maehara, stressing that MLIT will allocate more than half of the increased take-off and landing slots at Haneda to international flights, thus enabling airlines to operate international long-haul routes also during the day, coordinating with Narita International Airport.

Commenting on the three airports in the Kansai region, the Minister said that it is such a burning issue, but he explained again that MLIT will keep Osaka’s Itami Airport with scaled-down flight operations. With regards to Kansai International Airport, he said that the challenge the airport faces is how to increase the number of airline customers and the only strategy remains foreseeable is to boost traffic demand from and to Kansai. While MLIT considers reducing the interest-bearing debt of 1,100 billion yen in favor of Kansai International Airport, it must also consider a strategy to stimulate its travel demand, Maehara cited, adding that he would make a final decision taking into consideration various ideas to be exchanged at the Growth Strategy Meeting to find the best way.

Meanwhile, MLIT intends to provide Kansai International Airport the subsidies in the amount of 7.5 billion yen, provided that the Growth Strategy Meeting comes up with the final conclusion compiled therein by June, 2010.

Source: Travel Vision

Travel Vision Inc. provides information on the travel industry in Japan via "Daily Travel Vision", a Japanese-language e-mail newsletter, and the "Travel Vision" website. There are nearly 110,000 people working in the Japanese travel industry, and Travel Vision is proud to be bringing travel news to more than 30,000 people through Daily Travel Vision.