Air Japan direct flight aims high: Bangkok to Tokyo route to tempt Thai travellers

Air Japan today announced plans to target Thai passengers by offering a direct flight from Bangkok to Tokyo next year.

The president of Air Japan, Hideki Mineguchi, revealed to the media that Air Japan is a new low-cost airline under ANA Holdings, which will provide the airline’s first flight from Narita International Airport in Tokyo to Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, Thailand.

The airline president disclosed that the first flight will take off on February 10, 2024. The Japanese airline plans to operate the flight with a Boeing 784-9, which can serve 324 passengers. The flight will be available only in economy class.

According to Mineguchi, the route will be available six times a week in the initial stage of the operation. The airline plans to add one more flight a week within the year.

Furthermore, the airline also considered offering direct flights from Bangkok to the Kansai region and from other countries in Southeast Asia to Japan within the first three years of operation.

Mineguchi anticipates that 70% of passengers would be Thais and predicted that 30% would likely be female Japanese passengers. He added that Japanese women loved travelling in Thailand.

Mineguchi says the airline is targeting Thai travellers after Japanese reluctance to travel abroad due to the depreciation in the currency, the yen. Moreover, the younger generation is not interested in travelling abroad or applying for a passport.

Mineguchi also expressed confidence in the growth of low-cost airlines and believes that Air Japan has the potential to compete in the market. He emphasised that the highlights of Air Japan are attentiveness, delicacy, in-flight meals of Japanese style and quality, comfortable passenger seats, the availability of phone chargers, and free Wi-Fi.

According to a report on Gorgeous Bangkok, fares for the Bangkok-Tokyo flight will start at 4,350 baht per trip.

The direct flight from Bangkok to Tokyo (NQ002) will depart from Suvarnabhumi Airport at midnight and arrive at Narita Airport at 8.10am. Six flights will be available every day of the week, except Wednesday.

The direct flight from Tokyo to Bangkok (NQ001) will depart from Narita Airport at 5.55pm and arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport at 11.15pm. Six flights will be available every day of the week, except Tuesday.