Skynet Asia Airways Co. said Wednesday it has put off the launch of a new route between Kumamoto and Tokyo's Haneda airport due to a delay in aircraft maintenance work.
The new route was to be introduced Friday.
The carrier notified the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry of the decision earlier in the day and said it will try to complete the necessary work by Saturday and begin services on the new route soon after.
For the route, Skynet plans to use two leased 150-seat Boeing 737-400 jets, which have been undergoing maintenance in Paris. They have yet to receive an airworthiness certificate required for commercial operations.
"I'm very sorry about the delay for our customers," Skynet President Mitsunori Mera said. "We are working on switching passengers booked on the affected flights to other companies' flights."