JAL eyes AirAsia's turf for first low-cost route

AirAsia’s rival: A file picture showing several Japan Airlines passenger planes at Tokyo’s Haneda airport. Japan Airlines, which is starting its own budget carrier next month, will begin flying to South-East Asia initially. It has decided to go head-first into the home turf of AirAsia. — AFP

SINGAPORE: Japan Airlines Co (JAL) has decided to go head-first into the home turf of Asia’s largest low-fare carrier.

The Japanese operator, which is starting its own budget carrier next month, will begin flying to South-East Asia initially, Masaru Onishi, a director at Japan Airlines, said in an interview in Sydney yesterday.