AirAsia X extends Japanese operations to Nagoya

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NAGOYA: AirAsia X Bhd (AirAsia X) commenced its inaugural direct flight into Nagoya from Kuala Lumpur on Monday, making it the group’s third destination in Japan after Tokyo and Osaka.

Flight D7 542 arrived in Chubu Centrair International Airport at 14:20pm carrying 341 passengers, a 90 per cent passenger load. The airline will commence four weekly flights into Nagoya, Japan.

The AirAsia X flight, D7 542 which was operated by the Airbus A330-300 aircraft landed with a welcoming water canon salute arranged by Chubu Centrair International Airport at the tarmac. AirAsia X chairman Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, director Datuk Fam Lee Ee, chief executive officer Azran Osman-Rani and a few of AirAsia X’s senior management officials were among the passengers on board the inaugural flight.

They were warmly greeted at a press conference by the Malaysian Ambassador to Japan Datuk Shaharuddin Mohd Som, Centrair International Airport senior executive vice president and chief operations officer Shigeki Ito, Chubu Economic Federation chairman Toshio Mita, Japan government officials, Tourism Malaysia representatives, members of the media and relevant business partners.

“With AirAsia X’s renowned low fares, guests from Japan may now travel from our ports in Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya when exploring their travel and holiday plans to the South East Asia region and beyond via the Kuala Lumpur hub.

“This is very much in line with the government’s tourism agenda, and the airline’s commitment to boost the Malaysian tourism industry as well as increase tourism traffic across our group network. Similarly, with the addition of Nagoya, guests will have more travel options to explore Japan, and we believe Nagoya being a scenic and historical destination will be a popular tourist destination,” Osman-Rani said.

Guests at the press conference received a surprise visitor when Caterham F1 driver Kamui Kobayashi entered the function room and unveiled the inaugural launch fare together with Osman-Rani.

In commemoration of its first flight into Nagoya, AirAsia X will be offering launch fares from as low as RM299 (11,000 yen) on economy and RM999 (29,900 yen) on premium to Nagoya from Kuala Lumpur.

Fly Thru launch fares are also available from selected destinations in Malaysia, Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, India and Vietnam to Nagoya. Bookings are available online from March 18 to 30 for immediate travel between March 19 and September 30, 2014.

Nagoya is strategically located just 50 minutes from Osaka city and 1 hour 40 minutes from Tokyo via train. Nagoya, the largest city in the Chubu region, more famous as the birth place of Toyota was also the birth place of the 3 samurai who unified Japan in the 16th century. Home to the famous Atsuta Shrine, known as the second-most venerable shrine in Japan, and the restored Nagoya castle which was then burnt down during World War II.

Also famous for its abundance of cherry blossom trees during spring time, Japanese macaques, otherwise known as Snow Monkeys bathing in the hot springs are also a big tourist attraction in this region.