News
Virgin Australia says konnichiwa to Tokyo
December 15th 2022
Virgin Australia (VA) will commence daily nonstop Cairns-Tokyo Haneda from June 28 next year. Read More » The airline will utilise the prized slots it was granted in 2019 after a hard-fought battle with Qantas Group carriers for access to the down town Tokyo airport. VA CEO, Jayne Hrdlicka, said the airline's expansion to Tokyo, to be flown by 787s, will provide more value and choice for Australians wanting to travel to Japan. “Importantly, it also means welcoming more Japanese tourists to the Sunshine state where they can enjoy unrivalled natural wonders including the Great Barrier Reef and the Whitsunday Islands,” Hrdlicka said. Also, VA is strengthening its partnership with Japan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA) by operating more codeshare flights between Australia and Japan and offering reciprocal frequent flyer benefits for members of the loyalty programs of the two airlines. “As a strategic and significant partner to ANA, we are excited about Virgin Australia's inaugural flight to Haneda that will enhance our commercial partnership,” ANA executive vice president of alliances and international affairs, Junichiro Miyagawa, said. Establishment of VA’s Cairns-Tokyo Haneda route is supported by Cairns Airport and the Queensland government's attracting aviation investment fund.
Pre-pandemic, VA had intended to use its Tokyo slots to launch Brisbane-Haneda with A330-200s. The route plan was abandoned after the onset of COVID-19, the consequent withdrawal of VA’s six wide-bodies from its fleet and the sale of the carrier to Bain Capital.
