AirAsia Group has decided to cease AirAsia Japan operations effective 5 October 2020.

Since its incorporation in July 2014, AirAsia Japan airlines have been operating domestic and international flights from its base in Chubu Centrair International Airport. The COVID-19 pandemic with the travel restrictions and the uncertainties it created have severely curtailed demand for business and leisure travel resulting in flight reductions, cancellations and grounding of aircraft. These factors have weighed heavily on AirAsia Japan’s ability to continue operations.

Representative Director and COO of AirAsia Japan, Jun Aida said, “Despite our unrelenting efforts to sustain operations through successive and wide-ranging cost reduction initiatives, we have concluded that it would be an extremely challenging feat for us to continue operating without any visibility and certainty of a post-pandemic recovery path.

“I would like to express our deepest gratitude and appreciation to our loyal guests and other stakeholders who have supported us all along. This painful decision to cease operations was decided neither in haste nor taken lightly. It was agreed upon after conducting a thorough business review. Further steps to this decision will be made in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations including the Japan Civil Aeronautics Act.

“We have cancelled all flights. All affected guests will be contacted via email with further information within the next 7 days. Guests may also view our dedicated support pages below.”

The cessation affects the domestic and international flights operated by AAJ in Japan with letter code DJ and does not affect other flights into and out of Japan operated by other airlines within the AirAsia Group. International services to Japan, from Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines will resume in the future after travel restrictions are lifted and borders with Japan are reopened.