New Services Targetting Budget Travellers

With low-cost carriers such as Jetstar Japan and Airasia Japan starting operations at Narita Airport this summer, new services for budget airline users are increasing.

Bus companies, hotels and travel agencies have been adding services, for example, for people who catch early budget flights.

Three domestic budget airlines performed well during the Aug. 10-19 Bon holiday period, when many people travel to their hometowns by plane. The average seat-occupancy rate was 94.3 percent for Peach Aviation, 91.2 percent for Airasia and 89.5 percent for Jetstar.

"We had a large number of family customers [during the period]," a Jetstar spokesperson said.

Keisei Bus Co. and Narita Airport Transport Co. recently began services to take people to and from the airport late at night and in the early morning, when budget airlines schedule their flights. The bus companies also started a service between Narita Airport and JR Tokyo Station in tandem with the beginning of Jetstar's service on July 3.

The bus departs from JR Tokyo Station at 1:30 a.m. and arrives at Narita Airport at about 4:30 a.m., enabling customers to catch a low budget flight at around 6 a.m.

The one-way fare is priced from 1,000 yen to 2,000 yen, but discount 800 yen tickets will be available by the end of September to attract budget airline customers who are seeking low prices.

On Aug. 17, Airport Transport Service Co., which operates limousine bus services, began early morning services that start from JR Tokyo Station and JR Shinjuku Station.

Meanwhile, hotels near Narita Airport expect increased demand from people traveling on early morning budget airline flights.

Narita Excel Hotel Tokyu is offering a discount deal targeting budget airline customers, in which people can stay at the hotel for 3,500 yen if they check out by 5:30 a.m. The hotel offers customers a free bus transfer to Narita Airport.

While the hotel originally planned to stop offering the deal at the end of September, it decided to extend it until March next year due to its popularity.

In July, Hotel Nikko Narita and Narita View Hotel started free early morning transportation services to the airport.

Some travel agencies have begun cooperating with budget airlines.

For example, while customers must apply for H.I.S.'s domestic package tours at least 10 days before their departure if flying with a major airline, H.I.S. allows people who use budget airlines to apply for such tours just one day before their flight.

JTB Corp. offers packages at low prices when they include flights with Jetstar Japan. For example, a two- or three-day Hokkaido package tour including Jetstar flights is priced from 16,300 yen to 36,800 yen.

"The packages using Jetstar are 30 to 50 percent cheaper compared to similar deals that use major airlines," a JTB spokesperson said.


http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/business/T120824003671.htm