Probably not the best time to be launching a new airline in the middle of a Coronavirus pandemic, but thats exactly what low cost carrier Zip Air is doing. The new airline with widebody Boeing 787 Dreamliners will make its first flight in less than two weeks.
Initially intended for human passengers, Zip Air will instead make its maiden flight as a cargo carrier. Details of their passenger service will be announced as soon as travel restrictions ease up in their destinations. The Tokyo based airline is suppose to fly to Bangkok, Seoul, and Honululu as its first 3 destinations with a possible expansion to the Philippines in the next 5 years or so if we see the airline grow.
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It's not as bad as it looks though as cargo demand commercially is extremely high at the moment, especially within Asia. Also the fact that Zip Air is owned by Japan Airlines gives it a tremendous advantage in surviving compared to other airlines. Zip Air has Japan Airlines to lean on for cushioning unlike other airlines such as South Korea's Air Premia (which is also launching this year) with no parent shareholder to lean on. The combined network of both airlines can help fill in gaps for flights as well as introduce better price points for select flights.
Zip Air was probably looking at a big launch for their airline because of the passenger demand from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics but now have to adapt to the constantly evolving situation caused by Covid-19.
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