Japan’s Skymark Airlines goes large with Airbus
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Skymark Airlines, the third biggest carrier in Japan, has taken delivery of it first wide-body aircraft.
The airline welcomed two new Airbus A330-300 aircraft into its fleet last week, to mark the start of a major fleet expansion programme that will eventually see the arrival of 10 A330s and six double-decker A380s.
“We are confident that with these cost-efficient, reliable A330-300s in our fleet, we will grow our business and win market share by attracting passengers who demand only the highest levels of comfort,” said Skymark’s president, Shinichi Nishikubo.
“Together with our A380s to come, we confirm Skymark’s intention to remain at the forefront of our market, having one of Japan’s youngest, most modern fuel-efficient fleets.”
The new A330s will be configured in a low density seating layout, featuring just 271 ‘green seats’ in a single premium cabin. By comparison, some low-cost carrier’s operate the same aircraft with more than 400 seats.
The aircraft will initially be used on the route between Tokyo Haneda to Fukuoka from April 2014, before being rolled out to Sapporo and Okinawa at a later date.
The move marks the latest win for Airbus in Japan – a market long dominated by Boeing. Late last year, national carrier JAL placed its first ever order with the European planemaker, for up to 56 A350s.
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