Spring Airlines is to make tickets on its new route between Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Ibaraki Airport in Japan available to individual travelers for the first time since the airline became the first Chinese budget air carrier to open an international air route last month.

From August 30, tickets will be available on the carrier's website two weeks in advance on a first-come, first-served basis. The first 10 percent of the 180 seats on each flight will be priced the lowest, at 312 yuan ($45.90) one way before taxes.

"Once the lowest band of tickets is sold out, there will be two other price bands available of 624 yuan ($91.80) and 936 yuan ($137.70)," Zhang Wu'an, spokesperson of the Spring Airlines, told the Global Times.

At present, tickets on the chartered flights, which run every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, are only available to groups arranged by tour operators.

"Now, both individual and tour groups will have the opportunity to book their tickets at the same time," Zhang said.

Because the Civil Aviation Administration of China approves the timetable of chartered flights on a monthly basis, the carrier is unable to release tickets any further in advance, Zhang said.

A staff member from the publicity department of the Shanghai-based China Eastern Airlines, who declined to be identified, said the carrier was not concerned about its 16 Japan routes being undercut by the new Spring Airlines route.

China Eastern Airlines charges between 2,160 yuan ($317.70) and 2,760 yuan ($405.90) for an economy class seat in September to Tokyo Narita International Airport.

"China Eastern has a lot of advantages, like our Tokyo flights arrive at the city directly," the staff member said.

Ibaraki, the airport used by Spring Airlines, is around 80 kilometers from downtown Tokyo, and the two-hour shuttle bus trip to Tokyo costs 500 yen ($6).

However, the route will use Tokyo Narita International Airport on September 6, 13 and 27 due to scheduling conflicts with Japan's Ministry of Defense. Spring Airlines said the prices and times of flights on these days will remain unaffected.

Go to Forum >>0 Comments