Airbus Tries to Go Big in Japan With Discount Carrier Skymark

Airbus SAS’s hope of cracking the Japanese market with its A380 superjumbo lies with a low-cost carrier that only runs domestic routes with a fleet of short-distance jets.

Skymark Airlines Inc., which began service in 1998, plans to buy at least four A380 superjumbos from Airbus next year and is considering flying the planes to the U.S. and Europe, Kazusa Naito, a spokeswoman, said by telephone today. The carrier now operates 15 Boeing 737s that seat about 150 passengers. The A380 typically seats 525, and can carry more than 800 people.