Air Do and Solaseed Air set to merge

According to news outlet Nikkei, Air Do and Solaseed Air are set to announce both airlines will merge, which is planned to be completed by the autumn of 2022. The merger is a move to reduce losses inflicted on both companies due to the Corona-pandemic and make the airline's more efficient.

The plan is to establish a new joint holding company, which will own both airlines and that will be utilised to reach better effiency in the procurement of products, aircraft and supplies as well as maintenance of aircraft. For now, a merger of both brands is not being considered as this will be too complex regarding landing rights at various Japanese airports.

Both airlines are backed by All Nippon Airways with that airline owning 17% of Solaseed Air and 32,5% of Air Do. This is, however, not surprising in Japan, as both ANA and JAL have stakes in almost all airlines in the country.

Air Do was founded in 1996 as Hokkaido International Airlines but launched and started flying in December 1998, already as Air Do. It has its headquarter at Sapporo and also has hubs at New Chitose Airport and Tokyo-Haneda. It currently serves ten domestic destinations with its fleet of eight B737-700s and two B767-300s and two B767-300ERs.

Solaseed Air was founded in 1997 as Pan Asia Airlines. A year later it was renamed into Skynet Asia Airways and launched operations in 2002. In July 2011 it was renamed to Solaseed Air. It calls Miyazaki its home and has additional hubs at Naha and Tokyo-Haneda. Similar to Air Do, the airline is only flying domestic destinations, in total eleven. Solaseed Air currently has a fleet of fourteen B737-800s.

Photos by Anton Homma.