Explore Fairbanks President and CEO Deb Hickok announced today that Japanese charter specialist Japan Air Travel Marketing and its U.S. affiliate, Interpacific Aviation and Marketing, have contracted with air carrier Uzbekistan Airways to provide three charter flights from Japan to Fairbanks, beginning December 26.

The flights will be on December 26, 29, and 30, with each of the flights coming from the cities of Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya respectively.  Boeing 757-200’s with a capacity of 180 passengers will be used for the service. Charter passengers will stay in Fairbanks for three nights and four days, participating in aurora-centered tour programs and other winter activities being coordinated by local tour company AIE Tours.

“We are very honored to have the opportunity to provide the vital service between Japan and Fairbanks,” said Mark Dudley, regional director for Interpacific Aviation and Marketing. “We’re already planning to expand the service to include a series of summer charters as well.”

Tokyo-based tour operator Club Tourism International, Inc., a long-time promoter of Fairbanks as an aurora viewing destination to Japanese visitors, promoted and sold the packages on the charter.

“What better way to end the year by welcoming yet another new charter service to Fairbanks, especially from Japan, one of our biggest winter markets for many years now.” said Hickok. “It truly is a partnership to make this happen, with Fairbanks International Airport, the Customs and Border Protection office, Omni Logistics, Interpacific Aviation and Marketing, and AIE Tours all doing their part to make this a successful operation on the ground.”

Headquartered in Tashkent, the capital city of Uzbekistan, Uzbekistan Airways flies to more than 40 cities in Europe, Asia, Japan and the United States, with representative offices in 25 different countries.