Long haul LCCs: big opportunities in Japan and Korea

Japan and Korea are important markets for the reasonably large long haul, low cost airlines based in Southeast Asia. Europe's long haul LCCs are eyeing Japan and Korea, subject to aeropolitical rights.

Yet Japan and Korea have only one long haul LCC of their own: Korean Air's Jin Air. More long haul LCCs are inevitable but an all-new independent long haul LCC is unlikely to launch from the region.

Cities in Japan and Korea have far larger local markets than do the homes of existing long haul LCCs. This could even negate the need for precious short haul feed. Airlines could transfer existing flights to a long haul LCC platform and/or use it to expand to new markets. This could occur in an airline's main city or a smaller city where it has a low nonstop long haul presence.

CAPA's 11/12-Jun-2018 "LCCs in Northeast Asia Summit" in Seoul will further explore this topic.

Later in the year, 4/5-Oct-2018 in Seville, Spain, CAPA's Low Cost Long Haul Global Summit will deal expressly with long haul operators and their local connectivity.