Aviation association calls for federal government to open up Tokyo Haneda as regional hub for business jets
Japan's small business-aviation community is pressing for 24h access to Tokyo Haneda airport and other regulatory reforms it believes necessary for the industry to expand.
Charter operators planning flights to Tokyo can only apply to land at Narita airport outside Tokyo. Only if Narita rejects the landing application, or the landing is scheduled after Narita's 23:00 curfew, can operators apply to land at more convenient Haneda.
The Japanese Business Aviation Association (JBAA) is pushing the federal government to open Haneda in line with the desires of the local Tokyo government, but against objections from the Narita-area government.
JBAA board member and Aviation Business International (ABI) president Toshi Iwata says Haneda could become a regional hub for business jets, but other JBAA members doubt access issues will be overcome and say the cost of basing business jets in Tokyo will probably remain too high to attract potential operators.
ABI is one of several agents in Japan that can arrange landings for foreign business jets. But international business jet operators often choose to avoid stopping in Tokyo and instead park in other Asian countries, from where their clients fly commercially to Japan. There are no local charter companies in Japan, forcing Japanese VIPs to charter business jets in other Asian countries. High fees, limited airport access, cumbersome Japanese Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) regulations and the lack of FBO facilities scare away foreign operators and local companies from expanding into business jet charters.
In recent years, the JCAB has reduced the notice requirement for chartered business jet landings from two weeks to three days, and further relief is expected. Private aircraft, including owner-operated business jets, can apply for landings on the day of flight and have unfettered access to almost all airports, including Haneda. There are, however, fewer than 100 private aircraft in Japan and most of these are small general-aviation aircraft rather than business jets.
Japan Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association executive director Arinori Yamagata says high fuel prices, import taxes and strict JCAB regulations scare away potential owners.
BRENDAN SOBIE / TOKYO
Source: Flight International
