A Brief Look Inside Japanese Budget Airline ZIPAIR’s New B-787 Aircraft

We’re all familiar with the national airline of Japan—Japan Airlines, or more commonly referred to as the abbreviated JAL. However, their lesser-known low-cost counterpart, ZIPAIR, is scheduled to launch and begin operations in the summer of 2020.

ZIPAIR currently only has one aircraft in service in its fleet, and it’s none other than a Dreamliner leased from parent company, Japan Airlines. The other 787 they’ve leased is undergoing renovation. Building on the hype surrounding its launch, ZIPAIR has begun the unveiling of this exciting new budget option for travellers.

So far, they have revealed their first cabin interior design for the Boeing 787-8 aircraft—a 290-seat mid-size, wide-body plane that will boast 18 business class seats and 272 economy class seats.

Like most low-cost carriers, in-flight entertainment screens will not be equipped onboard. Instead, passengers will be charged separately for internet access or movies, which they can then stream on their smart devices. Economy Class seats will be equipped with a power supply outlet and tablet holders.

Moving onto Business Class, seats in this cabin will be arranged in a 1-2-1, double aisle configuration, with seats that are able to recline up to 180 degrees, i.e. fully flat. With genuine leather seats equipped with reading lights and charging ports, you’ll soon forget that you’re even travelling with a low-cost airline.

The destinations currently on ZIPAIR’s list are Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok, slated to begin on 14 May 2020, and Incheon Airport, Seoul, set to happen on 1 July 2020. Although flights to Singapore have yet to be scheduled, I’m confident that ZIPAIR will reach the sunny shores of our island soon enough, and we’ll all be able to enjoy a wider variety of options during our travels to East Asia.

ZIPAIR Tokyo | Website