Peach Aviation (MM, Osaka Kansai) has announced it will develop Sapporo Chitose into an operational base during the 2018 financial year.

The ANA - All Nippon Airways (NH, Tokyo Haneda) subsidiary said in a statement the move would allow it to develop routes between Sapporo-Chitose and other airports on the island of Hokkaido, as well as between other Hokkaido airports and those on the main island of Honshu. International flights are also on the cards, it said.

At present, Peach connects Sapporo with Osaka Kansai and Tokyo Narita.

The LCC also maintains bases at Okinawa Naha, Osaka Kansai, Sendai, and Tokyo Narita.