Air Canada has delayed the expansion of its Vancouver to Tokyo service due to lower than expected demand.
Last August, the airline had announced it was adding a second flight between YVR and Haneda International Airport. At the time, it was part of the airline’s announcement of a 17% expansion of service to Asia, which included daily non-stop flights to Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong.
The announcement was touted during a provincial trade mission to Japan that included transportation minister Shirley Bond (See “Air Canada adding daily non-stop flight to Tokyo” – BIV Business Today, November 4, 2010).
The flight would have departed Vancouver at 7 p.m. or 7:30 p.m., complementing its daily 1:55 p.m. flight to Narita International Airport. It was initially seen as a viable alternative for passengers because Haneda is 44 kilometres closer to downtown Tokyo than Narita.
On Wednesday, however, the airline said the new flights wouldn’t launch until it could obtain more convenient arrival and departure times at Haneda. Originally slated to start in March, the flights had midnight arrival and departure times, which only connected with flights from Haneda to Bangkok and Singapore. Most international flights from Haneda depart throughout the day and only a handful of domestic Japanese flights depart after midnight.
Air Canada Spokeswoman Angela Mah said customers who might already have bought tickets on the new flights will have the option of obtaining a refund or rebook on Air Canada’s regular flight from Vancouver to Narita.
YVR’s loss, however is Calgary’s gain. Citing strong demand from business and leisure travelers, Air Canada said effective March 26 it was increasing the number of flights from Cowtown to Tokyo-Narita to five flights a week from three.