Summary

  • Despite having a large Japanese population, ZIPAIR appears to be ending San Jose flights.
  • It introduced the route from Tokyo Narita in December 2022, with no services now scheduled or bookable after October 24, 2024.
  • Since 1990, seven airlines have tried to make long-haul flights from San Jose work.

Situated near San Francisco, San Jose has seen considerable upheaval to its long-haul network – and its challenges continue. In the latest schedule update over the weekend, San Jose’s sole long-haul and widebody operator, ZIPAIR, signaled that it is pulling out.

The airport serves Silicon Valley and more; economic challenges and the slow rebound in business travel have partly caused its woes. This is compounded by a much bigger, busier, and more well-known airport not far away. Airlines can and will consolidate to cut costs, reduce complexity, and improve performance.

ZIPAIR: Tokyo Narita to San Jose

The airline is a lower-cost and wholly owned subsidiary of Japan Airlines. It exclusively uses 290-seat Boeing 787-8s, some previously operated by its parent. ZIPAIR’s first US route was to Honolulu in 2020, followed by Los Angeles in 2021, San Jose in 2022, and San Francisco in 2023. As of July 2024, its sole North American addition this year was Vancouver.

ZIPAIR Boeing 787-8 parked at gate at NRT

Photo: Lukas Souza | Simple Flying

ZIPAIR currently serves San Jose six times weekly. Until last week, the plan was to run through the winter with five weekly services. However, the airline’s latest schedule filing, now reflected in its booking engine, shows that the last flight will be on October 24, shortly before northern airlines, including ZIPAIR, shift to winter schedules based on IATA slot seasons. As of July 8 and subject to change, no flight is scheduled or bookable in 2025.

Its July schedule is as follows, with all times local:

  • Tokyo Narita to San Jose: ZG30, 16:25/16:30-10:00/10:05
  • San Jose to Tokyo Narita: ZG29, 12:00/12:05-14:50/14:55
ZG NRT-SJC

(This is how I see changes.) Image: Cirium

It only filled seven in 10 seats

According to the US Department of Transportation, ZIPAIR carried about 107,000 San Jose passengers last year. It filled approximately 206 out of 290 seats (71%) – a low number.

Many seats were unfilled, especially at the start of the year (53-54%, partly because of COVID-19) and in October and December (60%-70%, mainly because of winter). I do not have data about its average fare, but it was probably pretty low – a double whammy.

ZIPAIR Boeing 787-8

Photo: viper-zero | Shutterstock

While seat load factors (SLF) are just one performance measure and should not be considered in isolation, they are nonetheless telling. San Jose had about the same SLF as Honolulu and the worst in its US network.

San Francisco, only introduced in June 2023, filled an average of 77% of seats (also pretty low, but it was new; how were the fares?) and Los Angeles 81%. It appears that ZIPAIR will now consolidate in San Francisco, which will be especially important in the winter.

San Jose’s long-haul routes since 1990

ZIPAIR was the fourth Asian airline to attempt San Jose flights and the third airline (Asian and US) between Tokyo and the city. Readers may recall American’s San Jose hub. It was tried twice: first in the 1990s, closed due to a considerable loss, then again in the ‘naughties’ post-Reno Air. American even used its MD-11s from San Jose.

ZG NRT-SJC launch1

Photo: an Jose Mineta International Airport

Using US DOT and Cirium data, I see that these long-haul routes have existed since 1990 (I do not have data before 1990). It doesn’t help that all the airlines except Hainan also serve San Francisco.

  • Air China: Shanghai Pudong (2016-2018)
  • American: Tokyo Narita (1991-2006)
  • All Nippon: Tokyo Narita (2013-2020)
  • British Airways: London Heathrow (2016-2020, 2022-2023)
  • Hainan: Beijing Capital (2015-2020)
  • Lufthansa: Frankfurt (2016-2018)
  • ZIPAIR: Tokyo Narita (2022-2024)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *