ANA to re-launch AirAsia Japan with new brand, oversight – can ANA get it right this time around?

Following the dissolution of the AirAsia Japan joint venture with the AirAsia Group that allowed the use of the AirAsia brand, All Nippon Airways will re-launch the Tokyo Narita-based operation in late Dec-2013 under a new brand to be announced in Aug-2013. This is not merely about re-painting aircraft and updating signage. ANA is effectively starting from scratch. It will keep the AOC, employees and relationships, but must source new aircraft since the existing ones are supplied by AirAsia, as is AirAsia Japan's booking system. And there are countless other projects big and small that must be undertaken.

This is no small task to be completed in less than six months. The challenge is higher when considering ANA is a full-service carrier and its core knowledge is not in the LCC spectrum. ANA gained some LCC experience through the launch of Peach and AirAsia Japan, but it was largely in the backseat during those projects and input was not always constructive. To its credit, ANA has learned considerably about LCCs in the past three years, but is it ready to take the reins?