Ambitous Airline from Japan Eyes to Restart its International Service from New Airport

 

Skymark Aims to Reenter the International Market---The independent Japanese airline once challenged international service

12 June 2025

The Editor

In conjunction with the start of international flight service of Kobe Airport,  Skymark Airlines announced in its May 15, 2025 financial results that it will re-enter the international flight market.

 First, Skymark will operate several charter flights in FY2025 to study the business potential for international flight development. It is also clearly stated in its annual business policy.

 Although Skymark has not clarified the Japanese origin and destination, Kobe Airport is expected. as Kobe Airport is Skymark's Kansai base; it opened its Terminal 2 building on April 18, 2025 and began accepting international charter flights.

 Kobe Airport aims to begin operating scheduled international flights around 2030, and Skymark is expected to look to switch from charter flights to scheduled flights around that time.

Kobe Airport (UKB), Obayashi Corp.

Are destinations in East Asia?

Overseas destinations are also undecided, but since the company only owns Boeing 737 aircraft, it is expected to be in East Asia.

 Previous international charter flights from Kobe Airport have been to Incheon, Shanghai, Nanjing, Taipei, and Taichung. Skymark is also likely to offer flights to any of these three countries.

 We do not know whether Skymark will fly to/from airports that overlap with these countries or choose different airports, but if they aim for different cities, Busan, Kaohsiung, or Hong Kong would be candidates.

Will the Saipan route be revived?

Skymark made its first foray into international flights with the Narita-Saipan in November 2019. However, the service was forced to be suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic, and it has not been restored.

 The Marianas Visitors Authority has been pushing Skymark to reopen the Saipan route. Therefore, the resumption of the Saipan route would be considered. However, inbound traffic has been stronger recently than in 2019, and the Saipan route, with its strong outbound traffic, may not seem to be a high priority.

 Still, a variety of destinations will be considered during the charter phase, and the Saipan route will likely be revived as one of them.■

SKYMARK will launch NARITA-SAIPAN flights within this year

SKYMARK Extends its Wings Out of Japan: Its first international service is Narita-Saipan

September 24, 2019

The editor

Skymark, the third-largest airline in Japan, formally announced its plans to launch Narita-Sapan, the first scheduled international flight for the once-bankrupt airline.

  Skymark already operated chartered flights to Saipan in Mach, then followed by August and September while studying of launching scheduled flight service to the island destination, once a popular spot for Japanese travelers but now no JAL and ANA service is available.

   However, Skymark will launch its scheduled flight between Narita and Saipan starting sometime this year as daily service.

   At the same time, the airline will start domestic flight of Narita-Chubu (Nagoya) to attract those Japanese tourists in central Japan to Saipan desitnaion.

   Skymark once envisioned to launch Narita-New York line with its planned purchasing of A380s. However, the compnay soon filed bankruptcy and its expansion of network beyond Japanese borders became a pie in the sky.

   The airline has only operated scheduled passenger flights in the domestic network.

   As of today, there is no direct flight from Japan to Saipan. Japan Airlines ceased its flights in 2005.  Delta Airlines also finished passenger flights from Japan in May 2018 and Saipan has become a distant destination without direct flight service from Japan. Saipan may get the attention of those leisure tourists from japan once again.

   Skymark will announce details of the flight schedule later.