ZIPAIR Tokyo

Zipair, legally , is a Japanese low-cost airline headquartered on the grounds of Narita International Airport in Narita, Chiba Prefecture. Initially founded in 2018, the airline is a wholly owned subsidiary of Japan Airlines, from which it leases some of its Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet. Operations launched on June 3, 2020, as a cargo-only airline due to restrictions on passenger traffic related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and passenger operations launched on October 16, 2020.

History

Foundation

Japan Airlines (JAL) announced in May 2018 that it planned to launch a new international low-cost carrier in 2020, which was to compete with other Asian carriers attempting to expand into the Japanese market, such as AirAsia X. JAL established a wholly owned subsidiary legally incorporated as , in July that year. It was estimated that the airline would commence operation in time for the 2020 Summer Olympics.

In March 2019, the brand of the new carrier was named Zipair, referencing the words "Zip", which represents speed, and alluding to traveling to different postal areas " ZIP Code". Subsequently, T.B.L. was renamed "Zipair Tokyo Inc." Zipair's planned operations consisted of international flights from Narita International Airport to Bangkok and Seoul, launching on May 14 and July 1, 2020, respectively with Boeing 787-8 aircraft transferred from JAL. The airline planned to launch additional destinations in Asia, while flights to the United States were planned to be added by 2021.

Development since 2020

In early 2020, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on aviation disrupted Zipair's plans for its launch of operations, with Thailand banning all incoming passenger flights from April 4, 2020, and the Japanese government introducing strict border enforcement measures. Under these circumstances, Zipair announced on April 9, 2020 that its launch of service would be postponed until further notice, although later that month the airline applied with the U.S. Department of Transportation for the operation of a route to Honolulu to begin on October 25, 2020. On May 21, 2020, it was announced that the airline had submitted an application to the Japanese authority for the launch of cargo flights between Tokyo and Bangkok to meet the needs for air cargo during the suspension of passenger flights. Zipair proceeded to launch services on June 3, 2020, initially as a cargo airline, with its fleet of Boeing 787-8 aircraft.

Following its launch as a cargo-only airline, Zipair inaugurated its passenger services on October 16, 2020. The following month, on November 20, 2020, the airline announced the details of its first route to the United States, with flights between Tokyo Narita and Honolulu launching on December 19, 2020. On July 20, 2021, the airline announced a new service between Tokyo Narita and Singapore, with flights launching on September 7, 2021. On October 28, 2021, the airline added a third aircraft to its fleet with a Boeing 787-8 transferred from JAL. On November 12, 2021, the airline announced a new service between Tokyo Narita and Los Angeles International Airport to begin on December 25, 2021.

In June 2022, Zipair announced that the large letter Z on the tail fin of its livery would be replaced with a green geometric pattern to avoid misunderstandings, as the letter has been used as a military symbol by the Russian Armed Forces during Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Also in June 2022, the airline announced a new service between Tokyo Narita and San Jose International Airport to launch during December 2022, before subsequently specifying December 12, 2022 as the launch date for the service.

On February 21, 2023, Zipair announced plans to begin services to San Francisco and Manila during the year, as well as to increase its fleet to seven aircraft. It later announced on April 6, 2023, that it would begin service to San Francisco International Airport on June 2, 2023. Details of its Manila service were revealed on April 28, 2023, with flights to Ninoy Aquino International Airport beginning on July 1, 2023. On November 8, 2023, the airline announced plans to add an eighth aircraft in January 2024, and to launch a new service to Vancouver in March 2024, later specifying March 13, 2024 as the launch date of the service.

In early 2024, Zipair announced its plans for 2025 involving the increase of its fleet size to ten, but did not expect to launch any new destinations during 2024 beyond Vancouver. On October 9, 2024, the airline announced the launch of flights to Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport to begin on March 4, 2025. On March 19, 2025, the airline formalized plans to receive ten Boeing 787-9s from Japan Airlines starting in 2027.

Destinations

, Zipair serves the following destinations:

Fleet

, Zipair operates the following aircraft:

Service concept

Zipair operates two cabins and classes of service on its aircraft, consisting of a premium cabin with 18 ''Zip Full-Flat'' seats arranged in a 1–2–1 configuration, and an economy class cabin with 272 standard seats in a 3–3–3 configuration, in contrast to parent company Japan Airlines which arranges its Boeing 787 economy class seats in a less dense 2–4–2 configuration.

As a low-cost carrier, Zipair charges fees for extra services such as additional baggage allowances, and a buy on board service for in-flight catering, amenities, and goods, even for passengers traveling in its premium cabin. The airline also provides streamable in-flight entertainment to personal devices instead of in-seat screens, and complimentary Wi-Fi Internet access.

See also

* List of low-cost airlines in Japan

References

External links

Official website

{{Japan Airlines

Airlines of Japan
Japan Airlines
Airlines established in 2018
Airline companies based in Tokyo
Low-cost carriers of Japan
Japanese companies established in 2018