Tokyo: Japan's Skymark Airlines expects to almost triple its fleet to as many as 50 aircraft in the next four years, using Boeing 737 jets and Airbus A380s, its chief said yesterday.
The expansion was part of a bid to turn the largely domestic discount carrier into an international airline to challenge Japan's two big established operators Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways on long- and short-haul routes, said CEO Shinichi Nishikubo.
Nishikubo, who has a 52 per cent stake, is also the company's biggest shareholder.
"The core of our fleet will be leased 737s," Nishikubo said.
With two jetliner types and 50 jets Skymark would have about a quarter of the 210 aircraft operated by nearest rival ANA, which flies six models ranging from Boeing 747s to propeller-engined 56-seat Bombardier regional planes.
Skymark has no plan to issue new shares to pay for the expansion, which will also include hiring 300 cabin crew and 110 maintenance personnel, he added.
Skymark shares soared after Nishikubo's comments and ended up 5.8 per cent.
Skymark, which currently flies 18 737s, in November became the first Japanese airline to buy the Airbus A380. The discount carrier ordered four of the aircraft, worth $1.4 billion (Dh5.1 billion) at list price with the option for two more, and said it may eventually operate a fleet of 15 of the superjumbos to ferry passengers to destinations in Europe and the US.
The company said it planned to pay cash for two of the ordered aircraft and lease the others, although he warned that any strong gain in the US dollar, which would add to the yen cost of the purchase, might prompt the carrier to cancel its options.
Rolls-Royce engines
Nishikubo said he may pick Rolls-Royce engines for the aircraft despite problems that have grounded some Airbus superjumbos as long as the UK maker can say how it intends to fix the fault.
A Qantas airliner had to make an emergency landing in Singapore after one of its Rolls-Royce engines exploded mid-air.
