Budget air carrier to start japan-europe flights

apanese low-cost carrier Skymark could soon be offering cheap flights from Europe to Japan. Last week, Airbus confirmed that the budget airline had ordered four of its enormous A380 "superjumbos", signalling a significant gear shift for a carrier which currently operates a fleet of relatively small Boeing 737s within Japan.

According to reports, the new A380s will be used to begin long-haul services between Tokyo and London, Paris and Frankfurt and will be introduced in 2014, potentially providing a cheaper alternative to flights between Japan and Europe currently operated by major airlines such as JAL, ANA, British Airways, Air France and Lufthansa.

Skymark will become the first budget airline and the first Japanese airline to fly the Airbus A380, which can carry up to 853 people in an all-economy class configuration and is currently in use with Air France, Emirates, Lufthansa, Qantas and Singapore Airlines.

Source: The Independent