Taiwan's LCCs – Tigerair Taiwan and V Air – focus expansion on Japan; other markets incubating

In just over a year Taiwan's LCCs - Tigerair Taiwan and V Air - have carved a 10% share of the Taiwan-Japan market. More Taiwanese visit Japan than any other market while Taiwan is Japan's third largest outbound market after Korea and mainland China. Taiwanese have affinity for Japan and share some culture, and additionally a Nov-2011 open skies agreement has unlocked growth. Summer 2016 seat numbers are 143% higher than five years earlier in summer 2011. Summer 2016 is 26% up from 2015.

Six years ago there were no LCCs in the market. Now, LCCs make up 26% of the total market and have a higher share on specific routes: 30% between Osaka and Taipei, 43% between Tokyo and Kaohsiung. Taiwanese LCCs account for 35% of the LCC market - double their share at the start of 2016.

Lower costs in Taiwan and a home market advantage give Taiwanese LCCs a strong growth outlook in Japan. Yet elsewhere they are struggling to find new markets. Japan accounts for 57% of Tigerair Taiwan and V Air's seat capacity. Korea and Hong Kong are bilaterally constrained, while Southeast Asia has not been as popular a market. Taiwan's LCCs made quick wins in the underserved Japanese market but now have work ahead of them to build awareness of new markets.