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Ibaraki Airport Eager to Attract LCC, Changing Air Terminal Design
for LCC Entrants; Positive Response from Air Asia X End-May 2008
Ibaraki Airport plans to proactively attract low cost carriers
(LCC). Following the Asia Gateway Initiative, the Open Skies policy
allowing foreign airlines to serve regional airports and the
abolishment of lowest fare limit imposed on the air fares, Ibaraki
Airport decided to change its original design concept at the end of
2007 and decided to build an air terminal which is attractive enough
for LCCs to come.
Studying the concept of the LCC Terminal at Kuala Lumpur Airport,
the Budget Terminal at Singapore's Changi Airport and Gold Coast
Airport, Ibaraki aims to become a model airport to attract airlines,
providing low operating expenses.
13 aircraft slots (26 aircraft movements) will be daily available
at Ibaraki Airport at the time of the opening. As of May 8, however,
no airlines, international or domestic, have officially announced an
intention to inaugurate service from/ to Ibaraki Airport. One of the
factors that hold airlines back from a decision is that airlines are
unable to complete fleet planning for regional airports while they
are eyeing more expansion at the metropolitan airports.
Under such a circumstance, Ibaraki Airport is more proactively
approaching LCCs that include Jet Star (JQ) and Viva Macau(ZX) to
serve Ibaraki. Once LCCs start operating flights serving the airport,
Ibaraki endeavors to attract domestic airlines as well, expecting
connecting traffic demand to grow within Japan.
Ibaraki Airport made airport sales calls to Malaysia-based Air
Asia X (D7) this past March and April. During the second call in
April, volunteers from Ibaraki prefectural assembly visited the LCC
Terminal first hand and at the same time urged the management of Air
Asia X to inaugurate service to Ibaraki.
"We got a positive response," said the airport promotion division
of Ibaraki Prefectural government. Although D7 is said to be making
comparisons with other airports in Japan, the promotion division
reported that the airline appreciated the efforts to lower the ground
handling costs at Ibaraki Airport.
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