Spring Airlines Japan

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Spring Airlines Japan
春秋航空日本
Shunjū Kōkū Nippon
IATA
--		 ICAO
--		 Callsign
--
Founded October 2012
Commenced operations May 2014 (planned)
Operating bases Narita International Airport
Fleet size 1
Destinations 4 (initial plan)
Parent company Spring Airlines and Japanese investors
Headquarters Narita, Chiba Prefecture, Japan
Key people Hiroshi Ukai, Representative Director
Total equity JPY 1.5 billion
Website http://www.china-sss.com/JP/JP

Spring Airlines Japan Co., Ltd. (春秋航空日本株式会社 Shunjū Kōkū Nippon Kabushiki Gaisha) is a low-cost airline headquartered in Narita, Japan. It is 33% owned by Spring Airlines, a Chinese low-cost carrier, with the remainder held by various Japanese investors. SAJ originally planned to begin operations in autumn 2013,[1] but as of September 2013 plans to begin operations at the end of May 2014, using Terminal 2 of Narita International Airport as its operating base.[2]

History

Spring Airlines announced in 2011 that it had plans to establish a subsidiary in Japan; it would be the first Chinese airline to do so.[3] Spring was required to find one or more local partners due to Japanese legal restrictions that would limit its investment to a minority stake.[4]

The airline received an air operator's certificate on December 17, 2013,[5] having filed in September 2013 with 1.5 billion yen of equity capital, of which Spring Airlines invested 33%. The remainder of the airline's capital was provided by Japanese financial institutions, IT enterprises and trading companies, among others. There are plans to raise a further 4.5 billion yen of capital prior to commencement of operations.[2]

Spring Airlines Japan plans to use primarily Japanese staff, such as retired Japan Airlines pilots. Its head of operations, Minoru Uchida, is a former JAL pilot.[2]

Destinations

The airline plans to serve the following destinations:[2]

SAJ may also eventually operate international services from Japan to secondary cities in China[6] and to Taiwan.[2]

Fleet

SAJ took delivery of its first Boeing 737-800, JA01GR, at New Chitose Airport in 2013.[7] Although Spring Airlines uses Airbus A320 aircraft, the Japan operation elected to use the 737 due to its greater popularity among Japanese airlines and the relative ease of finding 737-qualified pilots, and is considering adopting 737 MAX aircraft in the future.[2]

The aircraft are fitted in a 189-seat configuration with 18 seats (the first three rows) curtained off as a premium cabin.[8]

References

  1. ↑ "Spring Airlines Japan approved, delays launch to 2014: report". CAPA. 13 June 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Yoshikawa, Tadayuki (5 September 2013). "春秋航空日本、成田－高松など国内3路線就航へ　14年5月末". Aviation Wire. Retrieved 6 September 2013. 
  3. ↑ Wang, Ying (30 August 2011). "Spring Airlines looks to Japan for expansion". China Daily. Retrieved 2 September 2013. 
  4. ↑ Sanders, Fay (30 September 2011). "Spring Airlines on hunt for JV partner and first five narrowbodies". Ascend. Retrieved 2 September 2013. 
  5. ↑ "春秋航空日本、事業認可を取得　14年５月から国内３路線就航". 日本経済新聞. 17 December 2013. Retrieved 18 December 2013. 
  6. ↑ "国内ＬＣＣの低価格競争過熱　中国・春秋航空、日本参入を正式発表". SankeiBiz. 9 May 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013. 
  7. ↑ "Spring Airlines Japan's lone 737-800 finally touches down in Sapporo". CH Aviation. 25 July 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013. 
  8. ↑ Yoshikawa, Tadayuki (26 December 2013). "春秋航空日本、機体と制服をお披露目". Aviation Wire. Retrieved 2 January 2014. "全189席のうち、前方3列の18席は上級クラスとする予定で、普通席との間はカーテンで仕切られる。" 

External links

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