Topics on airlines at Fukuoka Airport in 2019

A nice new year's eve to everyone.

I want to write about the recent trends on international airlines at FUK (=a three digit code for Fukuoka Airport).

The biggest trending topics of 2019 is the withdrawal of Delta Airlines from Fukuoka and the return of Hawaiian Airlines flight. Delta Airlines began operating a scheduled service between Fukuoka and Honolulu in December 2011. However, the company was withdrawn from service on May 8. Hawaiian Airlines, on the other hand, resume flight to Fukuoka four times a week on November 27.

Moreover when the diplomatic relations between Japan and Korea were worth after the export control of semiconductor materials to Korea in July, there are some airlines in Korea seems to be reduced flights and have downsized. Let's see an example. Air Seoul, a budget airline owned by Asiana Airlines that just begun in last August, was suspended flights to Fukuoka on October 26. Another example is Korean Air, the national flag carrier of Korea. The airline keeps the number of flights between Fukuoka and Seoul three times per day (or four times daily on a winter timetable). However, actual equipment will be changed to B737s depending on the day.

But there is a good news. Air Asia X, Malaysia's low-cost carrier, launched a new service from Kuala Lumpur on March 1. They also began flying from Don Muang Airport in Bangkok on July 5. In addition, Thai Lion Air, the Thai-Indonesian joint venture company, began operating a scheduled service between Fukuoka and Bangkok in February. Recently there is a strong demand for inbound tourism from South East Asia to Japan, which was followed by a series of new flights.