TOKYO, April 18 -- Travellers flying from Singapore to Japan will soon enjoy smoother access to regional destinations, following a new joint venture between Singapore Airlines (SIA) and All Nippon Airways (ANA).

The agreement, signed yesterday, will allow both airlines to coordinate schedules, fares, and seat capacity on flights between the two countries. Ticket sales will start in May, and joint flights will launch in September.

"When you operate medium-haul flights [using] wide-body planes, it is not commercially viable for us to operate to all the smaller airports in Japan [given the thinner traffic].

"Partnering with a pre-eminent carrier like ANA makes sense, because our customers can seamlessly connect to all these destinations,"...