ANA Holdings is reportedly considering an additional investment in the holding company for AIRDO and Solaseed Air, and is exploring earnings improvements through greater scale to end losses on domestic routes.
ANA Holdings announced that it is considering an additional investment in RegionalPlus Wings, the holding company for AIRDO and Solaseed Air. There is a shared recognition that the three companies' domestic route businesses will remain effectively loss-making without subsidies.
AIRDO and Solaseed Air operate domestic routes primarily from bases in Hokkaido and Kyushu and Okinawa, respectively, and ANA operates code-share services with both companies.
Following discussions by an expert panel, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism abolished in May the former investment restriction limiting major airlines' stakes in mid-sized airlines to 20%. Greater efficiency in the use of aircraft and personnel is expected if additional investment and the creation of consolidated subsidiaries proceed.
AIRDO and Solaseed Air integrated their management in 2022 amid the COVID-19 pandemic and are currently advancing cooperation, including the consolidation of maintenance operations.