Photo/Illutration Air Japan Co.’s aircraft (Provided by ANA Holdings Inc.)

Air Japan Co., a subsidiary of ANA Holdings Inc., will launch flights between Narita Airport in Chiba Prefecture and Bangkok beginning on Feb. 9 next year, the company announced Aug. 2.

Like a low-cost carrier, fares will start from 15,500 yen ($108) one-way.

The airline aims to attract inbound tourists from Southeast Asia.

While the seat pitch and the reclining function are similar to those of All Nippon Airways, fares have been reduced by eliminating fuel surcharges and charging separately for seat assignments, checked baggage and in-flight meals.

Thirteen types of in-flight meals, including Japanese boxed lunches, will be available for between 800 yen and 2,000 yen.

To attract families, the airline will offer a fixed fare of 5,000 yen for children under 2 without a seat and 8,000 yen for children 6 or younger.

The service will connect Narita Airport’s Terminal 1 with Suvarnabhumi International Airport starting with six flights a week.

Daily flights are scheduled to commence within the next fiscal year, starting in April 2024.

The airline said it plans to launch other routes around May 2024.

“We are considering Kansai International Airport as an option and plan to enhance our presence in Asia by establishing routes to both airports,” said Hideki Mineguchi, president of Air Japan.

Zipair Tokyo Inc., a subsidiary of Japan Airlines Co. (JAL), has been performing well. It began low-cost carrier operations in 2020.

The budget airline launched eight routes to the United States and Asia, with fares at around half those of JAL.

Among these, the Narita-Honolulu route is capturing demand for overseas travel, which is recovering.

During the summer vacation period from July 28 to Aug. 25, the usual three flights per week have been increased to four to seven flights, which are almost fully booked.

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