The much-respected Air4casts company said yesterday that its data service concentrating on Tokyo flight schedules at Narita and Haneda airports for April and May indicate that April’s passenger seat numbers are down by -19.4%, while May’s numbers have fallen by -6.4%.

Air4casts predicts that in all probability these numbers will decline further ‘for the reason that airlines have been regularly adjusting their capacity planning downwards since mid-March.’

The company said: “Today’s schedules point to a further 10% point fall to -19.4% for April. In the last seven days all but two of the airlines operating out of Tokyo have cut capacity. The Air4casts provision in the latest forecast set was 20% for Narita which may well be insufficient.”

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Interestingly, Air4casts notes that national airlines JAL and All Nippon Airways have actually made ‘less swingeing cuts’ than their international competitors, with JAL down by -9% and All Nippon off by -10%.

Underlining this point, Air4casts added: “By contrast, Delta which is ranked number 3, is off by 29% but fourth-ranked United has cut by 19%.”

Crucially Air4casts says that all but two airlines have made capacity cuts in April, although it adds that it is still too early to analyse what will happen in May.

Besides its quality analysis on past, present and future airline passenger statistics, Air4casts also offers a subscription service which predicts travel retail footfalls. For more information, click here: www.air4casts.com/#”