Oriental Air Bridge

ICAO: ORC Active as of Dec 10, 2025

19

Active Routes

1161

Flight Observations

9

Unique Destinations

9

Origin Airports

197

Avg Route Distance (mi)

389

Longest Route (mi)

0

Domestic Routes

19

International Routes
About Oriental Air Bridge

Oriental Air Bridge (ICAO: ORC)

This report provides comprehensive information about Oriental Air Bridge, often referenced by its ICAO code ORC, structured into three distinct sections.

Oriental Air Bridge Co., Ltd., initially established as Nagasaki Airways on June 12, 1961, was rebranded to Oriental Air Bridge in March 2001. This Japanese regional airline is headquartered on the grounds of Nagasaki Airport in Ōmura, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan, which also serves as its main operational base and hub.

The airline operates a fleet primarily composed of regional aircraft suitable for its network. As of May 2024, its fleet includes four Bombardier DHC-8-400 aircraft (74 seats) and two ATR 42-600 aircraft (48 seats). The ATR 42-600s were introduced in late 2022 to replace older Bombardier Dash 8 Q200s. Oriental Air Bridge focuses on regional domestic services, connecting islands within Nagasaki Prefecture and operating flights from key cities like Fukuoka and Nagoya (the latter often utilizing ANA Wings aircraft). Destinations include Akita, Fukuoka, Fukue, Iki, Komatsu, Miyazaki, Tsushima, and Chubu. While not a member of a major airline alliance, Oriental Air Bridge has codeshare agreements with All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Japan Airlines (JAL), facilitating broader connectivity for travelers. As a scheduled full-service regional carrier, it emphasizes essential air transportation for its routes.

What Travelers Say

Recent traveler reviews indicate a generally positive sentiment for Oriental Air Bridge, with an average rating of 7.4/10.

What Travelers Love:

  • Friendly Cabin Crew: Passengers frequently highlight the warm and attentive service provided by the cabin crew.
  • On-time Performance: The airline is noted for its good on-time performance for commuter flights.
  • Convenient Regional Connectivity: Travelers appreciate the vital link Oriental Air Bridge provides between the mainland and smaller islands, making travel efficient.

Common Complaints:

  • Limited In-flight Offerings: Due to the short flight durations and regional focus, in-flight meals and entertainment options are minimal, often limited to an *oshibori* (wet towel).
  • Aircraft Noise (Turboprops): Some travelers note that turboprop aircraft can be loud, which is typical for this type of aircraft on shorter routes.
  • Airport Check-in Procedures: As online check-in was historically unavailable (though some sources indicate it might be available since April 2023), passengers typically needed to check in at the airport.

Overall, travelers generally view Oriental Air Bridge as a reliable and essential regional carrier, particularly commending its crew and operational efficiency for short-haul flights. The primary areas for improvement, such as in-flight services, are largely inherent to its regional operational model.

Safety Information

Oriental Air Bridge emphasizes "safe operation" as its fundamental mission and the cornerstone of customer trust. The company prioritizes safety above all other considerations and continuously strives for its employees to acquire the latest knowledge and skills in safety.

The airline transparently reports operational disruptions due to equipment failures on its website, indicating a commitment to accountability. Examples of past minor incidents leading to flight cancellations or delays include issues with front landing gear steering, flap track fairings, engine covers, bleed air systems, anti-collision light lens covers, hydraulic fluid leaks, and rudder indicator malfunctions. [cite: 3 (from original search)] One notable past incident involved a hard touchdown and tail strike of a Dash 8-400 in October 2020. These incidents are generally operational in nature rather than major accidents.

Regarding regulatory compliance, Oriental Air Bridge operates under Japanese aviation authorities. Japan's aviation safety oversight typically meets high international standards, with Japan maintaining a Category 1 rating with the FAA. While specific IOSA (IATA Operational Safety Audit) certification for ORC is not explicitly detailed in publicly available information, the airline is not listed on the EU Air Safety List, which bans airlines from operating in the European Union due to failing to meet international safety standards. This absence from the list indicates compliance with international safety regulations. The airline's recent acquisition of new ATR 42-600 aircraft to replace older models also points to ongoing fleet modernization and a commitment to maintaining a modern and well-maintained fleet. No specific safety awards or recognitions were found in the available public information.

Content generated by AI based on web research • Updated 2 weeks, 1 day ago
Route Network Map
Most Popular Routes
179 flights
DH8B
FUK → KMQ
Fukuoka Airport → Komatsu
389 miles
140 flights
DH8B
KMI → FUK
Miyazaki Airport → Fukuoka
132 miles
137 flights
DH8D
FUK → KMI
Fukuoka Airport → Miyazaki
132 miles
79 flights
DH8D
NGS → TSJ
Nagasaki Airport → Tsushima
100 miles
75 flights
ATR
TSJ → NGS
Tsushima Airport → Nagasaki
100 miles
73 flights
ATR
69 flights
ATR
FUK → TSJ
Fukuoka Airport → Tsushima
80 miles
60 flights
DH8D
58 flights
AT43
FUJ → NGS
Fukue Airport → Nagasaki
65 miles
51 flights
ATR
Top Destinations
FUK (RJFF)
Fukuoka
Fukuoka
408 flights
4 routes
NGS (RJFU)
Nagasaki
Omura
163 flights
3 routes
KMQ (RJNK)
Komatsu
Komatsu
140 flights
1 route
TSJ (RJDT)
Tsushima
Tsushima
135 flights
2 routes
FUJ (RJFE)
Fukue
Gotō Islands
106 flights
2 routes
KMI (RJFM)
Miyazaki
Miyazaki
83 flights
2 routes
NGO (RJGG)
Chubu Centrair Int'l (Centrair)
Chita
62 flights
3 routes
IKI (RJDB)
Iki
Iki
58 flights
1 route
AXT (RJSK)
Akita
Akita
6 flights
1 route
Top Origin Airports
FUK (RJFF)
Fukuoka Airport
Fukuoka
348 flights
5 routes
NGS (RJFU)
Nagasaki Airport
Nagasaki
202 flights
3 routes
KMQ (RJNK)
Komatsu Airport / JASDF Komatsu Air Base
Kanazawa
179 flights
1 route
KMI (RJFM)
Miyazaki Airport
Miyazaki
157 flights
2 routes
TSJ (RJDT)
Tsushima Airport
Tsushima
118 flights
2 routes
FUJ (RJFE)
Fukue Airport
Goto
98 flights
2 routes
IKI (RJDB)
Iki Airport
Iki
39 flights
1 route
NGO (RJGG)
Chubu Centrair International Airport
Tokoname
10 flights
2 routes
AXT (RJSK)
Akita Airport
Akita
10 flights
1 route
Aircraft Types
DH8D
9 routes
ATR
4 routes
DH8B
4 routes
AT43
2 routes
Longest Routes
FUK → KMQ
Fukuoka Airport → Komatsu
389 mi
KMQ → FUK
Komatsu Airport / JASDF Komatsu Air Base → Fukuoka
389 mi
AXT → NGO
Akita Airport → Chubu Centrair Int'l (Centrair)
379 mi
NGO → AXT
Chubu Centrair International Airport → Akita
379 mi
FUK → NGO
Fukuoka Airport → Chubu Centrair Int'l (Centrair)
374 mi
Shortest Routes
IKI → NGS
Iki Airport → Nagasaki
58 mi
NGS → IKI
Nagasaki Airport → Iki
58 mi
NGS → FUJ
Nagasaki Airport → Fukue
65 mi
FUJ → NGS
Fukue Airport → Nagasaki
65 mi
TSJ → FUK
Tsushima Airport → Fukuoka
80 mi
All Routes
19 Total Routes
Showing 19 most popular routes
Route Destination Flights Distance Aircraft Last Seen
KMQ → FUK Fukuoka
Fukuoka
179 389 mi DH8B Dec 9, 2025
FUK → KMQ Komatsu
Komatsu
140 389 mi DH8B Dec 10, 2025
KMI → FUK Fukuoka
Fukuoka
137 132 mi DH8D Dec 10, 2025
FUK → KMI Miyazaki
Miyazaki
79 132 mi DH8D Dec 10, 2025
NGS → TSJ Tsushima
Tsushima
75 100 mi ATR Dec 10, 2025
TSJ → NGS Nagasaki
Omura
73 100 mi ATR Dec 3, 2025
NGS → FUJ Fukue
Gotō Islands
69 65 mi ATR Dec 10, 2025
FUK → TSJ Tsushima
Tsushima
60 80 mi DH8D Dec 10, 2025
NGS → IKI Iki
Iki
58 58 mi AT43 Dec 10, 2025
FUJ → NGS Nagasaki
Omura
51 65 mi ATR Dec 1, 2025
FUJ → FUK Fukuoka
Fukuoka
47 113 mi DH8D Dec 1, 2025
TSJ → FUK Fukuoka
Fukuoka
45 80 mi DH8B Dec 3, 2025
IKI → NGS Nagasaki
Omura
39 58 mi AT43 Dec 1, 2025
FUK → FUJ Fukue
Gotō Islands
37 113 mi DH8D Nov 15, 2025
FUK → NGO Chubu Centrair Int'l (Centrair)
Chita
32 374 mi DH8B Dec 10, 2025
KMI → NGO Chubu Centrair Int'l (Centrair)
Chita
20 372 mi DH8D Dec 10, 2025
AXT → NGO Chubu Centrair Int'l (Centrair)
Chita
10 379 mi DH8D Sep 19, 2025
NGO → AXT Akita
Akita
6 379 mi DH8D Jul 29, 2025
NGO → KMI Miyazaki
Miyazaki
4 372 mi DH8D Aug 13, 2025
Data Information:

Airline statistics are based on flight route observations collected from FlightAware AeroAPI and other sources. Flight counts represent observed operations, not scheduled frequencies. Route data is continuously updated as new flight information becomes available.

Data Freshness: Real-time
Last Update: Dec 10, 2025 06:06
Coverage: Observed routes only