Japan Air Commuter Co., Ltd. (日本エアコミューター株式会社, Nihon Ea Komyūtā Kabushiki-gaisha) is a Japanese regional airline based in Kirishima, Kagoshima Prefecture.[2] It operates feeder services in support of Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways.[3] Its main base is Kagoshima Airport, with focus cities at Itami Airport, Amami Airport and Fukuoka Airport.[4] JAC is owned by Japan Airlines (60%) and 12 local municipalities of the Amami Islands and Kagoshima (40%).[4]
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Founded | 1 July 1983 | ||||||
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Commenced operations | December 1983 | ||||||
Hubs | Kagoshima | ||||||
Focus cities | |||||||
Frequent-flyer program | JAL Mileage Bank | ||||||
Alliance | Oneworld (affiliate) | ||||||
Fleet size | 11 | ||||||
Destinations | 14 | ||||||
Parent company | Japan Airlines (60%) | ||||||
Headquarters | Kirishima, Kagoshima, Japan | ||||||
Key people | Kato Hiroki (President)[1] | ||||||
Employees | 467 (1 March 2017)[1] | ||||||
Website | www |
The airline was established on 1 July 1983[5] and started operations in December 1983. A joint investment plan with public and private investors in fourteen Kagoshima Prefecture municipalities established Japan Air Commuter.[5] At the time JAC was an affiliate of Toa Domestic Airlines, later known as Japan Air System.[5] Japan Air System later merged into Japan Airlines.
In the 1990s JAC had its headquarters in the Kagoshima Airport Building Annex in Mizobe, Aira District, Kagoshima Prefecture.[6]
In October 2019, JAC, Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Oriental Air Bridge, and Amakusa Airlines formed Essential Air Service Alliance LLP (EAS LLP), a limited liability partnership, as an alliance among the three Kyushu regional carriers, with the aim of consolidating safety and technical operations, sales promotions, procurement, personnel, and other functions.[7][8] JAC began code sharing with All Nippon Airways in October 2022, with certain flights carrying both ANA and JAL flight numbers.[9]
JAC joined Oneworld as an affiliate member in October 2020.[10]
Japan Air Commuter operates to the following destinations (as of January 2020):[11]
As of July 2023[update], Japan Air Commuter operates the following aircraft:[12][13]
Aircraft | Total | Orders | Passengers | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
ATR 42-600 | 9 | — | 48[14] | |
ATR 72-600 | 2 | — | 70 | |
Total | 11 | — |
Japan Air Commuter has previously operated the following aircraft:[15]
Aircraft | Fleet | Year Introduced | Year Retired | Notes/Refs |
---|---|---|---|---|
De Havilland Dash 8 Q400 | 11 | 2002 | 2018 | |
Dornier 228 | 3 | 1983 | 1995 | |
NAMC YS-11A-500 | 12 | 1988 | 2006 | [16][17][18] |
Saab 340B | 11 | 1992 | 2019 | [19] |
Media related to Japan Air Commuter at Wikimedia Commons