ANA is pissed

ANA has been whining for a while about the unfair competitions the Japanese government has created as a result of the Japan Airlines bailout. But this time, ANA is so pissed that they threaten to withdraw from the airport due to the financial support JAL received from the local government!

So which airport has made ANA so mad this time? You probably have heard of this airport quite a lot in the last year or so. It is Shizuoka Airport, the 98th airport in Japan which opened in June 2009. It turns out the Shizuoka prefectural government was so desperate to attract airlines/JAL to fly to the airport, they have promised JAL that they will subsidize the Fukuoka route if the average flight load in fiscal year 2009 is below 70%. Also, JAL has been using some of the stimulus package from the local government to offer discounted fare on the route.

I guess ANA didn't know about such an assistance was offered to JAL and when they found out they were not so happy about it. So they met with the government and demanded they immediately stop such measures and do not provide the pledged financial assistance to JAL even if the flight load is below 70% on the Fukuoka route. ANA even threaten to withdraw from the airport because they feel like the trust between the airlines and airport to create a fair competition environment has been broken. ANA currently flies to Naha and Sapporo from Shizuoka. If ANA ends up withdrawing from Shizuoka, it will leave Fuji Dream Airlines be the only domestic carrier left because JAL will withdraw from the airport by the end of March.

Since JAL is going to withdraw, I think it's pretty clear which side the airport should make them happy. But the problem is how to cut off the measures? How about provide the same amount of subsidy to ANA and FDA at the moment until JAL withdraw? This case everyone (except the local government) is happy :)

Source: Yomiuri Online (in Japanese)