Kansai Airports to Offer a Record 1,273 Flights per Week in KIX 2016 Winter Schedule

Kansai Airports today announced its international 2016 Winter Schedule, offering a record 1,273 flights per week due to strong inbound demand. After its record international first half program, Kansai International Airport (KIX) will add 32 new weekly international flights, reaching 1,273 flights per week (an increase of 57 flights compared to winter 2015.) This comprises of 1,131 passenger flights per week (a record) and 142 cargo flights per week (6th highest for the Winter Schedule).

A key milestone for the 2016 winter schedule is the re-opening of the route to Auckland, New Zealand by Air New Zealand (3 weekly flights), confirming the growth potential of Kansai International Airport (KIX) long haul network, after the opening of routes to Los Angeles and Vancouver in 2015.

North America continues to be a stable destination, despite the reduction of two flights per week compared to Winter 2015. However Europe has seen a fall-off in Japanese outbound demand as a result of security concerns, as a result there will be a reduction in European weekly flights to 22 (compared to 29 in Winter 2015). The decrease in outbound demand has been partially offset by stronger inbound demand, despite the recent Yen appreciation.

On short haul routes, with demand for Asian flights growing. Kansai Airports will benefit from 19 new weekly flights to South Korea (Korean Air, adding 8 flights, Asiana Air, adding 7 flights, and Jin Air, adding 4 flights).

The 2016 Winter Schedule also sees Kansai Airports reaching a new record for China flights with 451 flights per week (+11), which includes China Eastern Airlines (Beijing route), China Southern Airlines (Shanghai route), Shanghai Juneyao Airlines (Nanjin route), Shenzhen Airlines (Wuxi route) increase flights to 7 per week (daily flight). This Winter Schedule will also see the launch of the first China service operated by a Japanese Low Cost Carrier (LCC), Peach Aviation with 5 weekly flights to Shanghai. Spring Airlines will also start new route to Huaian and Jieyang. South-East Asia continues to be a dynamic growth market for Kansai Airports, with 11 new weekly flights to Manila, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

Both legacy carriers and LCCs are increasing their KIX international activity this Winter, with the strongly growing LCC share increasing to reach 34.5% of international traffic, or approximately 390 flights (compared to 32.9% in W15) from the 17 LCC carriers now using KIX.

Domestic traffic from KIX will benefit from the new daily services to Narita launched by Spring Japan. LCC’s now account for 56% of the domestic flights at KIX.

In the cargo market, Winter traffic is expected to grow with the addition of Unitop Airline which launched 6 weekly cargo flights to Shenzen.

Number of International Flights at KIX