Japan's ANA to launch budget carrier: reports

TOKYO, Sept 9, 2010 (AFP) - Japan's All Nippon Airways (ANA) is to launch a low cost carrier, a decision set to be formally approved at its special board meeting on Thursday, reports said.

The new budget airline, to be based at western Kansai International Airport, will start both international and domestic passenger services as early as autumn 2011, the Nikkei business daily and Kyodo News reported.

With the budget carrier, passengers are expected to be able to fly between Kansai and Tokyo's Narita airports for around 5,000 yen (60 dollars), about a third of the shinkansen bullet train fare linking the two cities, Kyodo said.

The new firm will also offer deep discounts on airfares for international flights -- mainly those to Asian countries from Kansai -- as it intends to take on competition from foreign budget airlines, Kyodo said, citing unnamed sources.

ANA will formally decide on creating the new company at a special board meeting on Thursday, the reports said.

ANA will be the top shareholder with a roughly 30 percent stake in the new firm, while also inviting foreign air carriers, investment funds and Japanese firms from outside the aviation business to invest, Kyodo said.


by Lucile Malandain
(c) 2010 AFP