ZIPAIR used to be one of those rare airlines that connected Tokyo Narita and Manila at what felt like exactly the right time, and at a price that still felt reasonable. For many people using the route for family visits, business trips, or a life split between Japan and the Philippines, it was an easy airline to rely on. Unfortunately, that will end on Saturday, March 28, 2026.
The background seems to include aircraft allocation and a stronger focus on North America, but for passengers the real question is much simpler: So what do we book next? ZIPAIR’s real strength was not just price. It was that very convenient schedule: leave in the morning and arrive around lunchtime, or leave Manila in the afternoon and get back to Japan in the evening. Once that sweet spot disappears, which flights are the least stressful replacement? This article tries to sort that out.
Hiroshi is a Tokyo-based project manager specialising in international operations within the global MedTech company. Originally from Hokkaido, he holds a postgraduate degree in international relations — including study periods in the United States and Sweden — and has lived and worked across Malaysia, Switzerland, China, and the Philippines.
Beyond his industry career, he served as Manager for the 23rd World Scout Jamboree in 2015, where he managed liaison with delegations from over 150 countries, coordinated with the World Organisation of the Scout Movement (WOSM), and led on-site risk response. He has also contributed to disaster relief efforts following the Great East Japan Earthquake and other natural disasters across Japan.
This blog covers travel, productivity, technology, and global careers — written as a way of thinking through ideas and consolidating what he learns along the way.
