The opening of the second runway has lifted hopes for a prominent role that Kansai airport can play in Asian air transportation. With the first, 3,500-meter runway and now the second, 4,000-meter runway, the airport can pitch itself as a 24-hour operation. But it is saddled with high costs and faces tough competition.
Kansai International Airport Co. has debts of ¥1.2 trillion due to construction and other costs. The airport's landing fee is among the world's highest. For a jumbo jet, it's ¥820,000 compared with ¥460,000 at Incheon airport in South Korea and ¥270,000 at Changi airport in Singapore.
Competition from Japanese airports also is expected to intensify. Toward the end of fiscal 2009, Narita airport's second runway will come into service. In fiscal 2010, the fourth runway at Haneda airport will be completed and the airport will begin serving regular international flights part-time.