航空路線縮小

(Aug. 13, 2008) The Yomiuri Shimbun
Airlines should rethink cuts to domestic routes
航空路線縮小　効率的な航空網を作り直せ（8月13日付・読売社説）

This summer holiday might be the last chance for many people across the nation to return to their hometowns by plane.
空の便での帰省は、今年の夏が最後になる人も少なくないのではないか。

Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways have decided to reduce the number of flights on international and domestic routes and are abandoning some routes altogether, starting in October.
In total 30 routes will see a reduction or ceasing of flights.
日本航空と全日本空輸が１０月以降、国内と国際線合わせて３０路線を縮小することを決めた。

The two airlines have decided on these adjustments to deal with the spiraling cost of jet fuel. Jet fuel prices are more than 70 percent higher than the average price last year.
直接の理由は燃料代の高騰だ。ジェット燃料価格は昨年平均より７割以上高い。

JAL's fuel cost for fiscal 2008 is likely to increase by about 120 billion yen, compared with fiscal 2007. Under such circumstances, cutting unprofitable routes is unavoidable.
日航の今年度の燃料代は前年度より１２００億円近く増える見通しだ。これでは不採算路線の縮小もやむを得まい。

Airports have been built based on overly optimistic flight-demand projections and have resulted in airlines flying on inefficient routes, a situation that has been brought to light by the rise in the price of jet fuel.
甘い需要見通しに基づいて空港を造りすぎ、非効率な航空路線の存続を許してきたツケが、燃料高であぶり出された面もある。

The reduction of flight routes should be regarded as a good opportunity to reestablish cost-effective flight networks.
今回の路線縮小を、効率的な航空網を作り直すきっかけにすべきだ。

JAL plans to abolish three international routes and 12 domestic ones. ANA will end flights to Guam, its first international route.
日航は国際３路線、国内１２路線を廃止する。全日空は初めて国際線に進出したグアム便から撤退する。

The two airlines will reduce domestic flights on 12 routes, the largest reduction of flights ever made in the middle of a fiscal year.
国内線の減便も両社あわせて１２路線にのぼる。年度途中としては、過去にない規模の縮小だ。

===

Hub airports won't escape cuts
（拠点空港も対象）

Routes at hub airports that have formed core parts of flight networks will no longer be regarded as sacred cows. Departures and arrivals on 18 routes at Kansai Airport and Chubu Airport, both of which serve as international hub airports, are included in the 30 routes the two firms are targeting for flight cuts and reductions.
廃止・減便される３０路線のうち１８路線が、国際拠点空港である関西、中部国際空港の発着便だ。航空網の中核となる拠点空港の路線も、もはや聖域ではないということだろう。

Kansai Airport, which will lose 20 percent of its domestic routes at the same time, intends to ask the two airlines to reconsider the cuts.
国内路線の２割を一気に失う関空は、廃止路線の復活を求めるという。

But airlines are preparing to increase their flights to Haneda Airport, which serves more passengers. If there is no improvement in the profitability of flights at Kansai Airport, it will be difficult for airlines to avoid making cuts there.
だが、航空各社は利用者が多い羽田路線へのシフトを進めている。関空の収益性向上がなければ、復活は難しい状況だ。

Kansai Airport has suffered from a lack of profitable routes because its role, and those of the neighboring Itami and Kobe airports, has not been clearly defined. It is time for the roles of each airport as part of the Kansai region's flight network to be drawn up and presented as a blueprint.
関空路線の収益悪化は、近隣の伊丹、神戸空港との棲み分けが進まないことも大きな要因だ。国と関係自治体は、３空港の役割分担をはっきりさせて、関西の航空網の青写真を示すべき時だろう。

===

Terminal decline
（斜陽なる空港）

The situation in other parts of the nation is similar.
関西以外でも事情は同じだ。

There are about 100 airports across the nation and all are competing for passengers and routes. Despite the fact that most of them are in the red, new airports are slated for Shizuoka and Ibaraki prefectures.
全国には１００近くの地方空港があり、路線や客を奪い合っている。ほとんどの空港が赤字なのに、来年以降、さらに静岡、茨城両県にも空港ができる。

Airports should no longer be allowed to urge airlines to add new routes that have little chance of being profitable. It is necessary to introduce drastic measures, such as making airports share routes with neighboring airports.
存続のあてのない路線誘致にすがることは、もう許されまい。路線を近隣空港と譲りあうなど、大胆な運営見直しが必要だ。

It also is imperative that airports are run in such a way that they avoid going into debt.
赤字を垂れ流さない経営も不可欠だ。

In an effort to win routes, some airports are currently considering introducing a system in which they would pay compensation to airlines if seat occupancy falls below a certain level.
路線誘致のため、搭乗率が基準を下回った場合は航空会社に現金を支払う「搭乗率保証」制度の導入を検討中の空港もある。

But this system risks increasing the burden on taxpayers in municipalities that run airports.
しかし、これでは住民の負担を増やしかねない。

Such airports should first consider whether extra routes are really needed.
路線の必要性を第一に考えるべきだ。

However, airlines also should reconsider their cuts. Among the routes to be abolished, there are some with a seat occupancy rate of more than 70 percent--considered the level at which a profit can be made.
廃止される中には、搭乗率が採算確保の目安となる７０％を超えている路線もある。

Airlines should also factor in the effect of other cost-cutting measures, such as using smaller planes and reviewing the use of discount fares before making cuts.
航空会社にも小型機への切り替えや割引運賃の見直しなど、工夫の余地がある。
factor＝計算に入れる、考慮する

Airlines should consider the effect that a reduction of routes would have on travellers before introducing what might amount to stopgap measures.
利用者の足を奪う路線縮小を急場しのぎに使ってはならない。
amount to＝状態、結果になる、達する

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Aug. 13, 2008)
（2008年8月13日02時09分 読売新聞）