TOKI Air has begun scheduled ATR 42-600 flights to Sado Airport, restoring regular passenger service to the Japanese island for the first time since 2014.
The airport's 890-meter (2,920-ft) runway is the shortest commercial runway in the world used by the ATR 42-600, according to the manufacturer.
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Opened in 1959, Sado Airport originally linked the island with Niigata before scheduled services ended in April 2014. Local authorities have discussed extending the runway to 2,000 meters for many years, with the goal of accommodating regional jets and opening routes to airports such as Tokyo Haneda and Osaka Itami, but the proposal has never progressed beyond the planning stage.
Preparations for TOKI Air's arrival began in 2022, when the airport upgraded its runway, taxiways and terminal facilities. The airline later conducted simulator sessions, crew familiarization flights and charter operations before launching scheduled services.
The ATR 42-600 is now the largest commercial aircraft certified to use Sado Airport. The operation is particularly notable because ATR cancelled development of the ATR 42-600S, a short takeoff and landing (STOL) version that would have offered even greater performance on very short runways.
The return of scheduled flights gives Sado Island its first regular air link in 12 years and offers an alternative to ferry services, which have remained the island's primary connection with mainland Japan.
ATR also noted that Sado Airport's grooved runway surface has been certified for use by the ATR 42-600. The aircraft is approved for crosswind operations of up to 45 knots, an important capability for an airport exposed to frequently changing weather conditions.
