Vanilla Air (Tokyo Narita) and Peach Aviation (MM, Osaka Kansai) have announced they will merge their flight operations with the onset of the Winter 2019/20 season.

According to a joint statement, Vanilla Air will wind down its services during the Summer 2019 season ahead of an outright termination of flight operations with effect from October 26, 2019. From that point onwards, Peach will gradually take over Vanilla Air’s route network.

The transition from Vanilla Air to Peach will be enacted as follows:

  • Osaka KansaiTaipei Taoyuan: 1x daily return flights / Last Operated by Vanilla Air on May 7 / Operated as Peach: From June 29;
  • Tokyo NaritaOkinawa Naha: 1x daily return flights / Last Operated by Vanilla Air on May 31 / Operated as Peach: From June 1;
  • Okinawa Naha – Taipei Taoyuan: 1x daily return flights / Last Operated by Vanilla Air on May 31 / Operated as Peach: From June 28;
  • Tokyo Narita – Sapporo Chitose: 6x or 8x daily return flights / Last Operated by Vanilla Air on August 31 / Operated as Peach: From September 1;
  • Tokyo Narita – Amami O Shima: 1x daily return flights / Last Operated by Vanilla Air on August 31 / Operated as Peach: From October 1;
  • Osaka Kansai – Amami Oshima: 1x daily return flights / Last Operated by Vanilla Air on May 6 / Scheduled to operate as Peach throughout the winter;
  • Tokyo Narita – Kaohsiung: 1x daily return flights / Last Operated by Vanilla Air on September 30 / Scheduled to operate as Peach throughout the winter;
  • Tokyo Narita – Ishigaki: 1x daily return flights / Last Operated by Vanilla Air on September 30 / Scheduled to operate as Peach throughout the winter;
  • Tokyo Narita – Taipei Taoyuan: 3x daily return flights / Last Operated by Vanilla Air on October 26 / Scheduled to operate as Peach throughout the winter;
  • Fukuoka – Taipei Taoyuan: 1x daily return flights / Last Operated by Vanilla Air on October 26 / Scheduled to operate as Peach throughout the winter;
  • Tokyo Narita – Hakodate: 1x daily return flights / Last Operated by Vanilla Air on March 30 - Route terminated;
  • Tokyo Narita – Hong Kong International: 1x daily return flights / Last Operated by Vanilla Air on May 31 - Route terminated although Peach will operate between Okinawa (Naha) and Hong Kong from June 28;
  • Okinawa Naha – Ishigaki: 2x daily return flights / Last Operated by Vanilla Air on May 31 - Route terminated.

"Peach will strive to increase competitiveness in Asia, cultivate new demand, and secure the increase in demand to visit Japan by merging both airlines’ route networks and building on the brand strength that has accumulated," the statement said.

Peach said that with the integration of Vanilla Air's fleet of fifteen A320ceo, it will operate over 50 aircraft from 2020 to further enhance route network connectivity between Japan and Asia. It will also aim to proactively enter the medium-range LCC market.