Japanese regional airlines Airdo Co. and Solaseed Air Inc. merge their operations to cut costs and effectively utilize resources amid a slump in travel demand caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Two regional airlines battered hard by the pandemic will merge next year to shed billions of yen in annual costs, but will maintain separate business operations to hold onto key flight slots to Tokyo.
The move by Sapporo-based Airdo Co. and Miyazaki-based Solaseed Air Inc., announced on May 31, is intended to cut costs through joint procurement of fuel and supplies, as well as through streamlining back-office operations, including human resources and financial affairs.
They aim to slash 3 billion yen ($27 million) to 5 billion yen in annual costs within four to five years after the merger, which is planned to take place in October 2022.
Japanese regional airlines Airdo Co. and Solaseed Air Inc. say they will set up a holding company in October 2022 to merge their operations, in a sign of accelerating industry consolidation after the coronavirus pandemic battered travel demand.