Skynet Asia Airways Co. opened a new route between Kumamoto and Tokyo's Haneda airport Saturday, one day behind schedule due to a delay in the arrival of its aircraft.
Skynet began operating the route with one aircraft and reduced the number of flights on its first day. Full services are scheduled to begin Tuesday, with two jets operating five round-trip flights a day.
The company canceled all scheduled flights on what would have been the opening day of the Haneda-Kumamoto service Friday after failing to complete maintenance work and the necessary paperwork in Paris for both of its leased Boeing 737-400 jets.
People who had booked flights on Friday were shifted to flights on the same route operated by All Nippon Airways Co. and other airlines. Skynet will take similar measures through Monday.
Industry sources said a delay in leasing contract talks for the jets interfered with the process and Skynet had to wait longer for aviation authorities to issue an airworthiness certificate required for commercial operations.
Skynet, based in Miyazaki, began business operations in August last year and operates a single route between Haneda and Miyazaki.