Narita Airport needs further reform to compete with major Asian rivals

News Desk

The Yomiuri Shimbun

Publication Date : 06-04-2013

 

It is necessary for Narita Airport to make further efforts to increase its convenience if it is to survive competition with other major Asian airports.

Narita Airport's flight slots have been increased from 250,000 a year to 270,000, mainly for international routes.

The Chiba prefectural government, residents near the airport and other parties concerned approved the expansion of the annual flight slots to 300,000 as part of an urgent response to Haneda Airport's launch of regular international flights in the autumn of 2010. The latest move is a step toward Narita's 300,000 goal.

Narita was surpassed by Incheon International Airport of South Korea in terms of the number of passengers on international routes in 2010. This pushed Narita down to fifth place among five major Asian airports, with those in Shanghai, Singapore and Bangkok also ranking above it. The situation is serious.

The use of Narita's runways and the hours for take-offs and landings have been strictly regulated, for reasons including a movement in opposition to the airport around the time of its opening. This left Narita unable to increase its flight slots even to meet demand from airlines. This is considered the main reason for the current situation. Narita Airport's rivals have been successively reinforcing their airport functions in the meantime.

However, it is noteworthy that the airport started to fully exploit Japan's "open skies" agreements with other countries since the latest expansion. Under the deregulation pacts, airports can freely allocate routes and numbers of flights based on requests from airlines rather than intergovernmental negotiations.

The agreements cover Narita's connections to about 100 foreign cities. With an increase in the number of new airlines being launched at the airport, we can expect carriers to provide diversified services as well as cuts in airfares and expanded flight networks.

Mounting problems

However, Narita also faces mounting problems. In the past, Narita Airport has tended to rely on one favorable condition--the rich air transport demand in the Tokyo metropolitan area. With the expansion of the flight slots, the airport must change its entire character.

According to the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry, airport fees per passenger for international routes at Narita Airport are nearly twice those charged by other major Asian airports.

The airport lowered landing fees from April for the first time in seven years, but there still is a significant gap between Narita and overseas airports. Cutting airport costs is effective for luring airline companies. The airport needs to use its wisdom to cut the fees it charges airlines in off-peak hours.

Another urgent task for the airport is handling low-cost carriers (LCCs). Two companies that started service at Narita last year exploited new demand and contributed to the airport by increasing the number of passengers using it. A terminal building for LCCs is now being prepared, and priority should be placed on its usability by LCCs.

Transit functions key

To enhance the attractiveness of Narita as an international hub, it is indispensable to reinforce its transit functions to connect North America and other Asian countries. Steps to meet the ever-expanding air transport demand of other Asian countries must be considered.

It is also important to improve ground transportation serving the airport, which is far from the centre of the capital.

Under the circumstances, a one-hour extension of late-night take-off and landing hours, to prevent night flights from being cancelled, was a significant improvement. We hope the airport will continue negotiations with the local governments and other parties concerned, aiming at further flexible operation of runways.

Its competition with Haneda Airport should help Narita enhance its attractiveness as an airport for the Tokyo metropolitan area.

There is still a long way to go before becoming renowned for convenience and comfort, which should be Narita Airport's ultimate policy destination.