ANA to Introduce Flexible Intl Flight Schedule, Adjusting Flight Frequency in Response to Demand

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:30 JST, January 29, 2026

All Nippon Airways Co. will introduce flexible flight scheduling for international routes on a weekly basis from March, in order to meet changing demand of foreign visitors to Japan, The Yomiuri Shimbun has learned.

ANA currently operates flights on two seasonal schedules for summer and winter. It is rare for an airline to adjust flight frequencies at this scale in response to travel demand.

With the introduction of the new service, ANA is expected to improve profits through increased passenger numbers and a higher passenger load. The move is also expected to make purchasing tickets easier for customers, with an increase in flights during peak periods.

Airlines usually schedule flights in two blocks — summer, or a seven-month period from late March to late October, and winter, or the remaining five-month period — setting routes, day and time, often on a weekly basis.

Under the new system, ANA will adjust the number of flights on a weekly basis, while respecting current scheduling.

For example, with some visitors from Singapore typically touching down during cherry blossom season, flights between Narita Airport and Singapore, usually operated seven times a week, will be increased to 14 during certain periods, including from April 20 to May 8.

According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, about 60,000 Singaporeans visited Japan in April and May last year, respectively, compared to only about 20,000 in August.

Conversely, flights between Narita Airport and Mumbai, usually run seven times a week, will be cut back to three from July 18 to Aug. 31 due to an anticipated decrease in passengers during the period.

ANA has already implemented flexible scheduling for domestic flights.

Regarding the system for international flights, the challenge was to clear the various hurdles with partner countries and find available planes.

ANA is believed to have determined the new system was feasible after analyzing less busy airport time slots and conducting necessary negotiations.