Airport News Japan

FDA to Serve Sapporo and Fukuoka Routes from Shinshu Matsumoto Airport - Taking Over JAL Routes in June 2010

An FDA aircraft.

On November 30, Fuji Dream Airlines (FDA), based in Makinohara, Shizuoka Prefecture, announced that it will start serving two routes connecting Shinshu Matsumoto Airport with New Chitose (Sapporo) and Fukuoka starting in June of next year.

The two routes are currently flown by Japan Airlines (JAL) on a daily basis, but the carrier has decided to halt operations on them at the end of May next year. FDA had been deliberating and studying whether to accept a request from Nagano Prefecture and serve the routes, and the airline officially decided to take over operations on the day of its public announcement.

According to Nagano Prefecture, there was an official communication from FDA stating, “After JAL abandons the Sapporo and Fukuoka routes, we will serve them daily so that there will not be any [scheduling] gaps.” Adjustments to flight schedules and other details will be forthcoming, and the prefecture is taking a proactive and cooperative attitude towards the handover of the commercial routes, stating, “We will make great efforts towards a smooth start of service by FDA.”

FDA and Nagano Prefecture in Talks on Routes to Shinshu Matsumoto AirportFDA to Serve Fukuoka-Shizuoka Route - Inherits Route after JAL WithdrawalFDA Goes into Service - Regular Flights on 3 Domestic Routes from Shizuoka HubFDA Fuji Dream Airlines (Japanese)