Japan Airlines
Encyclopedia
is an airline
headquartered in Shinagawa
, Tokyo
, Japan
. It is the flag carrier
of Japan and its main hubs are Tokyo's Narita International Airport
and Tokyo International Airport
(Haneda Airport), as well as Nagoya's Chūbu Centrair International Airport
and Osaka
's Kansai International Airport
. The airline and four of its subsidiaries (J-Air
, JAL Express
, JALways
, and Japan Transocean Air
) are members of the Oneworld
airline alliance
.
JAL group companies include Japan Airlines for international and domestic services; JALways for international leisure services; JAL Express
for international and domestic low-cost services; Hokkaido Air System
, J-Air
, Japan Air Commuter
, Japan Transocean Air
and Ryukyu Air Commuter
for domestic feeder services; and JAL Cargo for cargo and mail services. JAL group operations include scheduled and non-scheduled international and domestic passenger
and cargo
services to 220 destinations in 35 countries worldwide, including codeshares. The group has a fleet of 279 aircraft
. In the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009, the airline group carried over 52 million
passengers and over 1.1 million ton
s of cargo and mail
.
JAL was established in 1951 and became the national airline
of Japan in 1953. After over three decades of service and expansion, the airline was fully privatized in 1987. In 2002, the airline merged with Japan Air System
, Japan's third-largest airline and became the sixth largest airline in the world by passengers carried. The airline filed for bankruptcy protection on January 19, 2010, after losses of nearly ¥100 billion in a single quarter.
. was established on August 1, 1951, with the government of Japan
recognizing the need for a reliable air transportation system to help Japan
grow in the aftermath of the World War II
. The airline was founded with an initial capital
of ¥
100 million
; and its headquarters
located in Ginza
, Chūō
, Tokyo
. Between August 27 and August 29, the airline operated invitational flights on a Douglas DC-3
Kinsei, leased from Philippine Airlines
. On October 25, Japan
's first post-war domestic airline service was inaugurated, using a Martin 2-0-2
aircraft, named Mokusei, and crew leased from Northwest Airlines
. On August 1, 1953, the Diet of Japan
passed the , forming a new state-owned Japan Air Lines on October 1, which assumed all assets and liabilities of its private predecessor. On February 2, 1954, the airline began its first international service, carrying 18 passenger
s from Tokyo to San Francisco. The flight was operated by a Douglas DC-6B named City of Tokyo, made stops at Wake Island
and Honolulu before arriving in San Francisco. To this day, the flights between Tokyo and San Francisco are still designated as Japan Airlines Flight 1 and 2, to commemorate its first international service. The airline, in addition to the Douglas DC-3, Douglas DC-6B and Martin 2-0-2s, operated Douglas DC-4
and Douglas DC-7
C during the 1950s.
In 1960, the airline received its first jet, a Douglas DC-8
, and entered service to Seattle and Hong Kong
. Soon after, it decided to re-equip the fleet, exclusively using jet aircraft. During the 1960s, many new international destinations were established, including London
, Moscow
, New York
, Paris
and Pusan. By 1965, Japan Air Lines was headquartered in the Tokyo Building in Marunouchi
, Chiyoda
, Tokyo
. In 1972, under the , the so-called "aviation constitution" enacted by the Japanese government, JAL was granted flag carrier
status to operate international routes. The airline was also designated to operate domestic trunk routes in competition with All Nippon Airways
and Toa Domestic Airlines. The signing of Civil Air Transport Agreement between the People's Republic of China
and Japan on April 20, 1974, caused the suspension of air route between the Republic of China (Taiwan)
and Japan on April 21. A new subsidiary, Japan Asia Airways
, was established on August 8, 1975, and air services between the two countries were restored on September 15. During the 1970s, the airline bought the Boeing 727
, Boeing 747
, Convair 880
and McDonnell Douglas DC-10
to accommodate its growing routes within Japan and to other countries.
In the 1980s, the airline performed special flights for the Crown Prince Akihito
and Crown Princess Michiko of Japan, Pope
John Paul II
and for Japanese prime ministers, until the introduction of the dedicated government aircraft using two Boeing 747-400
, operated as Japanese Air Force One
and Japanese Air Force Two
. During that decade the airline introduced new Boeing 747-100SR, Boeing 747-SUD and Boeing 767
jets to the fleet, and retired the Boeing 727s and Douglas DC-8s.
By 1965, over half of the JAL's revenue was being generated by transpacific routes to the United States
, and the airline was further lobbying the United States for fifth freedom rights to fly transatlantic routes from the East Coast. In 1978 and 1984, JAL started flights to São Paulo
and Rio de Janeiro
, respectively, via Anchorage and San Juan; the stopover was changed to Los Angeles
in the 1980s-1990s, and then to New York
's John F. Kennedy International Airport
in 1999. Through 2009, the airline operates fifth freedom flights between New York and São Paulo; and between Vancouver and Mexico City
.
in the late 1970s, with the government announcing the abandoning of the 45/47 system in 1985. In 1987, Japan Airlines was completely privatized, and the other two airlines in Japan, All Nippon Airways
(ANA) and Japan Air System
(JAS), were permitted to freely compete with JAL on domestic and international routes. Increased competition resulted in changes to the airline's corporate structure, and it was reorganized into three divisions: international passenger service, domestic passenger service, and cargo (including mail) service, and increased marketing efforts were realized.
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Japan Airlines began the 1990s with flights to help evacuate Japanese citizens from Iraq
before the start of the Gulf War
. In October 1990, Japan Air Charter was established, and in September 1996 an agreement with The Walt Disney Company
was announced, making Japan Airlines the official airline of Tokyo Disneyland
. JAL Express
was established in April 1997, with Boeing 737
aircraft. In the 1990s the airline encountered further economic difficulties stemming from recessions in the United States and United Kingdom
, plus a domestic downturn. Following years of continuous profit since 1986, the airline began to post operating losses in 1992. Cost-cutting initiatives, including the formation of the low-cost JAL Express domestic subsidiary and the transfer of tourist operations to JALways
(the successor to Japan Air Charter), helped return the airline to profitability in 1999.
In 1997, the airline flew Japanese prime minister Ryutaro Hashimoto
to Peru
to help negotiate in the Japanese embassy hostage crisis
. Japan Airlines further placed orders for Boeing 777
s during the 1990s, allowing for fleet renewal. It was one of eight airlines which participated in the Boeing 777 design process, shaping the resulting design to their specifications.
In 2001, Japan Air System
and Japan Airlines agreed to merge; and on October 2, 2002, they established a new holding company called , forming a new core of the JAL Group. Aircraft liveries were changed to match the design of the new JAL Group. At that time the merged group of airlines was the sixth largest in the world by passengers carried.
On April 1, 2004, JAL changed its name to Japan Airlines International and JAS changed its name to Japan Airlines Domestic. JAS flight codes were changed to JAL flight codes, JAS check-in desks were refitted in JAL livery and JAS aircraft were gradually repainted. On June 26, 2004, the parent company Japan Airlines System was renamed to Japan Airlines Corporation.
Following the merger, two companies operated under the JAL brand: and . Japan Airlines Domestic
had primary responsibility for JAL's large network of intra-Japan flights, while JAL International operated both international and trunk domestic flights. On October 1, 2006, Japan Airlines International and Japan Airlines Domestic merged into a single brand, Japan Airlines International.
The airline applied to join Oneworld
on October 25, 2005. Japan Airlines claimed that its Oneworld membership would be in the best interests of the airline's plans to further develop the airline group and its strong commitment to provide the very best to its customers. Japan Airlines, together with Malév and Royal Jordanian
, joined the alliance on April 1, 2007.
On April 1, 2008, JAL merged the operations of its subsidiary Japan Asia Airways
(JAA) into JAL mainline operations. JAA had operated all JAL group flights between Japan and Taiwan
between 1975 and 2008 as a separate entity due to the special political status of Taiwan
.
, which would create a single larger international airline and replace Japan Airlines International; however, media reports suggested that this proposal would be opposed by ANA given its comparatively better financial performance as an independent carrier. The task force also examined possible partnerships with foreign carriers.
By September 2009, JAL was considering allowing Delta Air Lines
to acquire a majority equity stake in JAL. Delta was part of the SkyTeam
alliance, a rival to the Oneworld alliance in which JAL participated. JAL was also in talks with Skyteam member Air France-KLM
and with JAL's existing Oneworld partner American Airlines
regarding potential equity investments in JAL. JAL was already set on cutting 5,000 jobs as part of its restructuring plan.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism supported the Delta deal because Delta had an extensive global network and had the largest Japanese operation of any foreign airline, an operation which it had inherited through its merger with Northwest Airlines. MLIT also supported a transaction with Air France-KLM because it was a "healthier company" than American. Korean Air
, also a SkyTeam member and one of JAL's codeshare partners, was also in talks with JAL on the issue.
American also planned to team up with other Oneworld alliance members to recapitalise JAL. Executives from American, British Airways
and Qantas
met with executives at JAL to introduce plans of a joint offer. British Airways said that it was attempting to persuade JAL to remain part of Oneworld rather than aligning itself with Delta and SkyTeam. American CEO Gerard Arpey said that American and Oneworld remained committed to a partnership with Japan Airlines, as long as it remained a major international carrier, and reiterated his encouragement for JAL to stay with Oneworld during ceremonies to welcome Mexicana into the alliance.
In an interview with the Asahi Shimbun
on January 1, 2010, regarding opposition to bankruptcy proceedings, JAL president Haruka Nishimatsu stated his preference in forming a partnership with Delta Air Lines over American Airlines. On January 4, the Yomiuri Shimbun
reported that JAL and the Japanese government-backed Enterprise Turnaround Initiative Corporation would likely choose to form a business and capital tie-up with Delta, and that JAL would enter SkyTeam as part of the deal. The move, according to the report, would reduce JAL's international flight operations in favor of code-share agreements with Delta. The report also said that American Airlines had begun procedures to end negotiations with JAL. A JAL spokesman denied the report, stating that negotiations with Delta and American were continuing. American also responded, saying that they were still negotiating and that it would be best for Japan and the Japanese people if JAL remained with American and Oneworld. On January 6, American stated that it would be willing to make an investment even if JAL goes into bankruptcy.
On January 7, the Wall Street Journal reported that American Airlines raised its JAL investment offer by $300 million, to $1.4 billion. In separate comments to the press, Delta president Ed Bastian said that Delta was "willing and able to raise additional capital through third-party resources." On the same day, the Business Travel Coalition, a travel group representing 300 international companies, announced their opposition to an alliance between Delta and JAL. Chairman Kevin Mitchell said that such an alliance would likely create a monopoly, totaling 62% of the market share on flights between the United States and Japan. In a letter addressed to Transport Minister Seiji Maehara
, the group said that remaining with American would be "obviously best for competition and consumer choice."
, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
) originally objected to the bankruptcy declaration, but changed their mind after the Enterprise Turnaround Initiative Corporation of Japan
recommended court protection, according to a senior bank official. Shares of JAL were delisted from the Tokyo Stock Exchange
on February 20, 2010.
Kazuo Inamori
, founder of Kyocera
and KDDI
, took over as CEO, while Japan Air Commuter
president Masaru Onishi was promoted to president of JAL.
The Mainichi Shimbun
reported on January 28 that JAL would announce on February 1 its decision to end its partnership with American Airlines and Oneworld in favor of Delta and SkyTeam. But in a news conference on February 1, JAL president Masaru Onishi said that the new JAL leadership was "seriously reviewing the issue from scratch, without being influenced by previous discussions," and its decision on an alliance partner would be made soon.
On February 7, several news outlets reported that JAL would decide to keep its alliance with American Airlines and end talks with Delta. New JAL CEO Inamori and ETIC officials, according to the reports, decided that switching alliances (from Oneworld to Skyteam) would be too risky and could hinder JAL's ability to turn around the airline quickly. Two days later, JAL officially announced that they would strengthen their partnership with American, including a joint application for antitrust immunity on transpacific routes. The airline would also fortify its relationship with other partners in the Oneworld alliance.
In May, JAL began to see an increase in its passenger numbers by 1.1% year-on-year. In August, it was reported that JAL would cut 19,133 jobs from its workforce of 47,000 by the end of March 2015 – whilst also increasing capacity – in an attempt to make the business viable.
, Daiwa Securities, Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley
, Mizuho Securities and SMBC
Nikko Securities to underwrite the sale of its equity stake in JAL, without specifying amounts or dates.
On January 11, 2011, JAL and American announced that they would commence joint venture business operations from April 1, 2011.
In July 2011, Japanese newspapers reported that JAL had agreed to form a low-cost carrier
joint venture with Jetstar Airways
, the low-cost subsidiary of Qantas
.
JAL flights:
Japan Airlines now in the sponsor of Persija Jakarta
.
JALways
was the airline's international subsidiary
, which handled low-yield flights to resort destinations in Hawaii
, Oceania
and Southeast Asia
.
JALUX Inc., established in 1962, is the airline's procurement business which handles various work for the company, including the JAL SELECTION merchandise and in-flight meals and refreshments; supplies for Blue Sky and JAL-DFS shops; aircraft fuel components, cabin services and in-flight duty-free. JALUX merged with JAS Trading on January 1, 2004, to unify support operations for the JAL group.
JAL Cargo is the brand of the airline group's freight service and is a member of the WOW cargo alliance
with the following products, J Speed, General Cargo and Dangerous Goods. In the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009, the Cargo division carried 500,779 tonne
s of freight domestically and 627,213 tonnes of freight internationally.
On April 1, 2011, the airline changed its trade name from to .
The JAL livery is called the tsurumaru. It is of a Japanese red-crown crane with its wings extended in full flight. The Tsurumaru JAL logo was created in 1958 by Jerry Huff, the creative director at Botsford, Constantine and Gardner of San Francisco, which had been the advertising agency for Japan Airlines from its earliest days. JAL had used several logos up until 1958. When the airline arranged to buy the new Boeing 747’s, they decided to create a new official logo to announce the inaugural of their jet service world wide.
In the creation of the logo, Huff was inspired by the personal crests of Samurai families. In a book he’d been given,We Japanese, he found pages of crests, including the crane. On his choice of the crane, he writes: “I had faith that it was the perfect symbol for Japan Air Lines. I found that the Crane myth was all positive—it mates for life (loyalty), and flies high for miles without tiring (strength.)”
After its creation the livery was in use until 1989 when it was replaced by a livery called the "Arc of the Sun." The livery features the motif of a rising sun on a creamy parchment colored background. JAL is a strong supporter of UNICEF and expresses its support by having a "We Support UNICEF" logo on each aircraft.
JAL is known for adopting special liveries. A Boeing 747
(JA8908) carries an Adidas
soccer livery in 2002. Another Boeing 747 (JA8907) is the Matsui Jet, featuring the famous Japanese baseball
player Hideki Matsui
in 2003. The airline's Boeing 767-300
(JA8253) is the Expo 2005
aircraft. Various aircraft in the JAL fleet carry a Yokoso Japan
logo supporting the Visit Japan campaign. During late 2005, Japan Airlines began using a Boeing 777
(JA8941), featuring Japanese actor Shingo Katori
on one side, and television
series Saiyuki, along with its main character "Goku" on the other side.
JAL is also known for its liveries featuring Tokyo Disneyland
and Tokyo DisneySea
, as it is the official airline of the Tokyo Disney Resort
. They sponsor the attraction Star Jets (not related to past Star Jets fleet with the old tsurumaru livery), which feature a variation of the current livery on the ride vehicles. At one time there were more than six widebody aircraft painted with the special liveries.
JALways, whose fleet is entirely made of Boeing 747
aircraft, has painted all of its aircraft with tropical-influenced liveries along with Reso'cha titles. These aircraft are used on charter flights to holiday destinations in the Pacific, such as Hawaii
. Reso'cha is a marketing abbreviation for Resort Charter. Reso'cha planes were formerly known as JAL Super Resort Express.
In April 2007, JAL debuted a Boeing 777-300 (JA8941) with a special Oneworld
livery to promote the airlines's entry to the global airline alliance
. Previously this aircraft carried the Shingo Katori and the Saiyuki television livery. In 2008, JAL repainted a single Boeing 777-200
to have a green rather than red arc on its tail, along with a green origami airplane on the fuselage, and named it the Eco Jet, to highlight the company's efforts to reduce the environmental impact of commercial aviation. In 2009, JAL repainted JA8941 again, as well as a JTA 737-400
(JA8933) to promote Kobukuro
and their new album Calling as well as a live concert tour in Okinawa and around Japan. This livery was released officially on July 30, 2009. It has since then been replaced with a special Doraemon
livery.
On September 4, 2010, in conjunction with the Boku no Miteiru Fūkei
album, JAL and Arashi (which one of the songs, "Movin' On", is used for a commercial) introduced a new livery featuring the five members of Arashi in the aircraft; the first flight was on the day after on September 5.
On January 19, 2011, Japan Airlines announced a new livery based on the old livery tsurumaru used before 2008, and will be used starting April 1, 2011.
created JAL's brand identity in 1989. After Japan Airlines and Japan Air System
merged, the Tokyo
office of Landor and JAL worked together to create a new brand identity. Landor decided to use the "arc of the sun" image. The 2000s rebranding began in April 2002 and completed in April 2004. The brand identity firm designed 300,000 specific items for JAL. JAL announced that it would again change its branding on April 1, 2011.
, the Americas
, Europe
and Oceania
, excluding codeshares. The airline's international hubs are Tokyo
's Narita International Airport
, Tokyo International Airport
in Haneda, Osaka
's Kansai International Airport
and Osaka International Airport
in Itami. The airline group also serves 59 domestic destinations within Japan
.
In the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009, the airline introduced or increased services on ten international routes, including between Tokyo (Narita)
and New York
, and between Osaka (Kansai)
and Shanghai
; and it ceased operations on four international routes, including between Tokyo (Narita) and Xi'an
, and between Osaka (Kansai) and Qingdao
. Domestically, JAL suspended 14 routes, including between Sapporo and Okinawa. Additionally, the airline expanded codesharing alliance with fellow Oneworld
partners, British Airways
and Finnair
, and other airlines, including Air France
, China Eastern and Jetstar
.
Japan Airlines operates 121 passenger planes with a mixture of narrow-
and wide-body aircraft
. The airline operates with three classes of service (First
, class J
and Economy
); two classes of service (class J and Economy); and one class of service (Economy) domestically within Japan. Internationally, it operates with four classes of service (First, Executive
, Premium Economy
and Economy); two varieties of three classes of service (First, Executive and Economy) or (Executive, Premium Economy and Economy); and two classes of service (Executive and Economy).
Fleet notes
The Boeing customer code for Japan Airlines is 7x7-x46 for JAL International (pre-merger JAL aircraft) (i.e. 777-246) and 7x7-x89 for JAL Domestic (former JAS
aircraft). (i.e. 747-489) The airline is one of the few in the world to operate 10-abreast seating in the Economy cabin of the Boeing 777 fleet, the other airlines include ANA
, Air France
, China Southern
and Emirates
. JAL and ANA operate the 10-abreast seating in their Japan domestic fleet only.
On December 22, 2004, JAL announced the selection of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner as its next generation medium-size aircraft fleet. The airline is seeking 30 firm deliveries and 20 options; and joined other launch customers to be involved in the aircraft's future development. The airline later increased the firm order to 35 aircraft on April 3, 2007.
On June 30, 2005, the airline confirmed an order for six new Boeing 767-300ER
aircraft, powered by General Electric CF6-80C2 high-bypass turbofan engines. The three freighter and three passenger models, valued at approximately US$800 million
at list prices, were delivered between 2007 and 2008.
On February 22, 2008, it was reported that the airline has been considering the new Airbus A350
made by EADS
unit Airbus
, the Boeing 787's direct competitor in the medium-size aircraft market. Japan Airlines spokesman Stephen Pearlman said: "We have taken a look at the A350. As far as adding this aircraft to our fleet in future goes, I think it is one of the strong candidates."
J-Bird (JA8582) operated its final flight as Japan Airlines Flight 730 from Hong Kong International Airport
to Narita International Airport
on October 12, 2004. The aircraft was originally introduced into service on April 1, 1994. In addition, the airline operated its last two McDonnell Douglas DC-10
flights on October 31, 2005. One aircraft, JA8543, operated as Japan Airlines Flight 736 from Hong Kong International Airport to Narita International Airport, touched down at 16:05. Another aircraft, JA8541, operated as Japan Airlines Flight 952 from Incheon International Airport
to Narita International Airport, touched down at 16:37. This marked the DC-10's last flight with the airline, ending over 30 years of operations for this model.
The airline phased out three Boeing 747-200F
s in the 2008 financial year; and operated its last Boeing 747-300
Classic Jumbo Jet as JALways Flight 73 from Honolulu International Airport
to Narita International Airport on July 30, 2009, after 26 years of service to the airline group. The aircraft was met on arrival by the "Father of the 747", Mr Joseph F. "Joe" Sutter. One former JAL 747SR is now being used as a NASA
Shuttle Carrier Aircraft
. The airline plans to retire all of its Boeing 747
and Airbus A300-600
aircraft by March 2011. The airline retired its last Boeing 747
on March 1, 2011. The last flight was a flight from Honolulu International Airport
to Narita International Airport
, ending 41 years of service with the Boeing 747.
Aircraft that have previously been in service with Japan Airlines are (in alphabetical order):
^ Two 747-SR were converted to SUD (Stretched Upper Deck)
* Also Freighter versions operated by JAL Cargo
. They were named after birds.
Boeing 777-200 Star Jet
Boeing 777-300 Star Jet
–New York
route on August 1, 2008. It expanded to the Tokyo–San Francisco
route on September 13, 2008, and the Tokyo–Chicago
and Los Angeles
in 2009.
Eight JAL Suites and 77 JAL Shell Flat Neo Seat are installed in each Boeing 777-300ER
aircraft, with 46 Premium Economy and 115 Economy seats taking up the rest of the aircraft cabin. The purpose is to improve income yield per passenger, while reducing fuel cost per passenger mile, utilizing the most efficient aircraft available.
The airline's international services with existing cabins feature the fully reclining First Class
Skysleeper Solo or Skysleeper; Executive Class Seasons
Shell Flat Seat or Skyluxe Seat; Premium Economy
Sky Shell Seat; and Economy Class
. The First Class Skysleeper Solo reclines fully and features genuine leather upholstery from Poltrona Frau of Italy
. The Executive Class Seasons Shell Flat Seat is a lie-flat design with the ability to lower armrests to the same height as the seat when reclined. Premium Economy is a recent addition, it was first introduced on the Tokyo
–London
route on December 1, 2007. It features a shell-shaped seat that allows passengers to recline by sliding their seat forward, without having the seat in front intrude when reclining.
designed reclining seats that promote relaxation by allowing passengers to move naturally and maintain a balanced posture.
system, supported by the JAL Entertainment Network (JEN), features the latest hit movies and videos, games and audio programs. There are four generations of the MAGIC system: MAGIC-I, MAGIC-II, MAGIC-III, MAGIC-IV and the new MAGIC-V (To be installed on selected Boeing 767-300ER routes) Introduced on December 1, 2007, the MAGIC-III system provides Audio/Video On Demand
(AVOD) entertainment to all passengers. The number of movie, music, video and game channels on MAGIC-III was doubled from 57 to 130 by 2008; and it is installed on all seats on Boeing 767-300ER
, 777-200ER
and 777-300ER
aircraft. Aircraft with MAGIC-I and MAGIC-II have movies that automatically start when the AVOD system is turned on—once the aircraft reaches cruise level—and economy class passengers can tune in to watch the movie in progress; and all movies restart upon completion. Executive and First Class passengers have full AVOD control. MAGIC systems also have JAL's duty-free shopping catalogue, including flight crew recommendations and a video of specials available on the flight. MAGIC-V will feature the same entertainment as MAGIC-III, but with a touch screen controller, along with a handset. There will be USB ports for iPod connectivity, and an easier to control handset. (Being introduced on selected Boeing 767-300ER routes in late October).
On most JAL international flights, on-plane cameras are available, either on the wings, the belly or on the tail. When the aircraft is in the pushback; taxi; takeoff; ascent; descent; stacking; landing; and docking phases of flight, all TV's in the cabin automatically tune into the video camera outside the aircraft to provide "Pilot Vision" to the passengers.
, JAL's inflight magazine was called Winds. All of the JAL Group magazines are provided by JALUX.
In June 2006, JAL announced a promotion featuring the Nintendo DS Lite
. Between June 1 and August 31, all Executive and First Class passengers would be offered use of Nintendo DS Lites
specially manufactured for air travel, with the wireless capabilities of these units were removed in order to conform with airline safety
standards.
menu selections are typically offered, including seasonal menu selections varied by destination. Special meal offerings can be requested in each class during booking, including children's, religious, vegetarian, and other meals.
, is Japan Airlines' signature lounge. In addition, the airline also operates the following international, including First Class Lounge, Sakura Lounge annex and JAL Lounge; and domestic lounges, including Diamond Premier Lounge and JAL Lounge. Access to the lounges depend on the class of travel or the membership status in the JAL Mileage Bank or JAL Global Club.
The Sakura Lounge offers complimentary beverages, including juice, soda drinks, coffee, tea, mineral water and alcohol drinks; and snacks. A variety of reading materials are also available, such as major, local and sports newspapers; weekly magazines and economy books. Business services include public phones, fax and copy machines; and connect personal computer for internet communication using the wire LAN and the wireless LAN available in the Sakura lounges.
, JAL Express
, Japan Transocean Air
, Japan Air Commuter
, Hokkaido Air System
and Ryukyu Air Commuter
.The program's airline partners also include JAL's Oneworld
partners, as well as Air France
, China Eastern Airlines
and Emirates
. For the airline's most frequent flyers, JMB offers Fly On Program, a frequent flyer service status program; and JAL Global Club (JGC), an exclusive club designed for experienced travelers.
The JMB program has no membership fee and mileage will be valid to the last day of the 36th month following the month of the flight or transaction date. In addition, if a JMB member does not accumulate mileage within 36 months after becoming a member, or a JMB member's account remains inactive at zero mileage for a consecutive 36 month period, JAL may withdraw or cancel the membership of such member.
access for Japan domestic flights with lounge coupons via mileage deduction, priority check-in at Executive Class
counters for international flights, JGC counters and priority baggage for class J on JAL Group domestic flights, 10 kg (22 lb) or one piece of extra baggage allowance, priority boarding on international flights, priority airport standby and class J upgrade with class J coupon via mileage deduction. Services and benefits from April of the following year include 10 upgrade points for complimentary flight upgrades. JMB Crystal membership level is equivalent to Oneworld Ruby tier status, which entitles members to Oneworld Ruby benefits when travelling on a Oneworld member airline.
counters for international flights and JGC counters for Japan domestic flights, priority baggage, 20 kg (44.1 lb) or two pieces of extra baggage allowance and access to JAL Fast Security Lane. Additional services and benefits for Sapphire members from April of the following year include 20 upgrade points for complimentary flight upgrades. JMB Sapphire members will be invited to join the JGC, which is dedicated to cater for experienced travelers. JMB Sapphire membership level is equivalent to Oneworld Sapphire tier status, which entitles members to Oneworld Sapphire benefits when travelling on a Oneworld member airline.
membership after payment of an annual fee. Life-time membership will be given as long as a one-time qualifying member continues to pay the JALCARD annual fee. The Oneworld tier status as a JGC member will depend on the JMB Fly On program membership levels, with the following exception: JGC members will automatically attain Oneworld Sapphire status upon enrollment, regardless of the number of FLY ON Points accumulated in the previous calendar year.
JGC benefits include 3,000 bonus miles for the first JAL Group eligible flight flown every year, JAL or Sakura Lounge access with one guest, priority baggage, 20 kg (44.1 lb) or two pieces of extra baggage allowance, priority check-in, personlized leather baggage tags, annual gifts of a calendar and a diary and exclusive use of member lounges at designated hotels. In addition, JALCARD Club-A, Club-A Gold and JAL Diners Club holders receive 35 percent JALCARD flight bonus mileage.
s in Japan
over the years, most being dramas revolving around cabin attendants. Attention Please
was a drama in 1970 that followed the story of a young girl who joins JAL to be a cabin attendant while overcoming many difficulties. This show was remade in 2006 again as Attention Please starring Aya Ueto
who joins a class of cabin attendant nominees and later graduates. Most of the action of the story of the 2006 series takes place at JAL's Haneda flight operations headquarters. The series has had two specials since the original, marking the main character's transition into JAL's international operations.
During the 1980s, JAL was also the focus of another drama entitled Stewardess Monogatari which featured another young girl during training to be a JAL cabin attendant. During the 1990s, JAL featured several commercials with celebrities, including Janet Jackson
who danced and sang to a backdrop of JAL Boeing 747
s on rotation.
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, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It is the flag carrier
Flag carrier
A flag carrier is a transportation company, such as an airline or shipping company, that, being locally registered in a given country, enjoys preferential rights or privileges, accorded by the government, for international operations. It may be a state-run, state-owned or private but...
of Japan and its main hubs are Tokyo's Narita International Airport
Narita International Airport
is an international airport serving the Greater Tokyo Area of Japan. It is located east of Tokyo Station and east-southeast of Narita Station in the city of Narita, and the adjacent town of Shibayama....
and Tokyo International Airport
Tokyo International Airport
, commonly known as , is one of the two primary airports that serve the Greater Tokyo Area in Japan. It is located in Ōta, Tokyo, south of Tokyo Station....
(Haneda Airport), as well as Nagoya's Chūbu Centrair International Airport
Chubu Centrair International Airport
is an airport on an artificial island in Ise Bay, Tokoname City in Aichi Prefecture, south of Nagoya in central Japan.Centrair is classified as a first class airport and is the main international gateway for the Chūbu region of Japan...
and Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
's Kansai International Airport
Kansai International Airport
is an international airport located on an artificial island in the middle of Osaka Bay, southwest of Ōsaka Station, located within three municipalities, including Izumisano , Sennan , and Tajiri , in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. The airport is off the Honshu shore. The airport serves as an...
. The airline and four of its subsidiaries (J-Air
J-Air
, is a regional commuter airline with its headquarters in the Terminal Building in Nagoya Airfield and in Toyoyama, Nishikasugai District, Aichi, Japan and its main hub at Nagoya Airfield. J-Air previously had its headquarters in Ōmura, Nagasaki Prefecture. Its operations include scheduled...
, JAL Express
JAL Express
, is a low-cost airline with its headquarters in the on the grounds of Osaka International Airport and in Ikeda, Osaka Prefecture, Japan, and its main hub at Osaka International Airport. The airline also maintains Tokyo offices in the Japan Airlines Building in Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan...
, JALways
JALways
, formerly , was an international airline registered in Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan, with its headquarters on the third floor of the at Narita International Airport in Narita, Chiba Prefecture and its main hub at Narita International Airport. The airline had a secondary hub at Osaka's Kansai...
, and Japan Transocean Air
Japan Transocean Air
, or JTA, is an airline based in Naha, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It operates domestic services. Its main base is Naha Airport.- History :...
) are members of the Oneworld
Oneworld
Oneworld , branded as oneworld, is one of the world's three largest global airline alliances with its central management team, oneworld Management Company, based in New York City, New York, USA. Oneworld was founded in 1999 by American Airlines, British Airways, Canadian Airlines, Cathay Pacific...
airline alliance
Airline alliance
An airline alliance is an agreement between two or more airlines to cooperate on a substantial level. The three largest passenger alliances are the Star Alliance, SkyTeam and Oneworld. Alliances also form between cargo airlines, such as that of WOW Alliance, SkyTeam Cargo and ANA/UPS Alliance...
.
JAL group companies include Japan Airlines for international and domestic services; JALways for international leisure services; JAL Express
JAL Express
, is a low-cost airline with its headquarters in the on the grounds of Osaka International Airport and in Ikeda, Osaka Prefecture, Japan, and its main hub at Osaka International Airport. The airline also maintains Tokyo offices in the Japan Airlines Building in Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan...
for international and domestic low-cost services; Hokkaido Air System
Hokkaido Air System
, or HAC, is an airline with its headquarters on the property of Okadama Airport in Okadamachō, Higashi-ku, Sapporo. It operates scheduled domestic services in Hokkaidō. Its main base of operations is Okadama Airport.- History :...
, J-Air
J-Air
, is a regional commuter airline with its headquarters in the Terminal Building in Nagoya Airfield and in Toyoyama, Nishikasugai District, Aichi, Japan and its main hub at Nagoya Airfield. J-Air previously had its headquarters in Ōmura, Nagasaki Prefecture. Its operations include scheduled...
, Japan Air Commuter
Japan Air Commuter
is a Japanese airline based in Kirishima, Kagoshima Prefecture. It operates feeder services in support of Japan Airlines. Its main base is Kagoshima Airport, with hubs at Osaka International Airport, Amami Airport and Fukuoka Airport. - History :...
, Japan Transocean Air
Japan Transocean Air
, or JTA, is an airline based in Naha, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It operates domestic services. Its main base is Naha Airport.- History :...
and Ryukyu Air Commuter
Ryukyu Air Commuter
is an airline headquartered in Naha, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It operates domestic passenger services from the island of Okinawa to the Ryūkyū Islands and Amami Islands.-Code data:*ICAO Code: RAC*Callsign: RYUKYU-History:...
for domestic feeder services; and JAL Cargo for cargo and mail services. JAL group operations include scheduled and non-scheduled international and domestic passenger
Passenger
A passenger is a term broadly used to describe any person who travels in a vehicle, but bears little or no responsibility for the tasks required for that vehicle to arrive at its destination....
and cargo
Cargo
Cargo is goods or produce transported, generally for commercial gain, by ship, aircraft, train, van or truck. In modern times, containers are used in most intermodal long-haul cargo transport.-Marine:...
services to 220 destinations in 35 countries worldwide, including codeshares. The group has a fleet of 279 aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
. In the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009, the airline group carried over 52 million
Million
One million or one thousand thousand, is the natural number following 999,999 and preceding 1,000,001. The word is derived from the early Italian millione , from mille, "thousand", plus the augmentative suffix -one.In scientific notation, it is written as or just 106...
passengers and over 1.1 million ton
Ton
The ton is a unit of measure. It has a long history and has acquired a number of meanings and uses over the years. It is used principally as a unit of weight, and as a unit of volume. It can also be used as a measure of energy, for truck classification, or as a colloquial term.It is derived from...
s of cargo and mail
Mail
Mail, or post, is a system for transporting letters and other tangible objects: written documents, typically enclosed in envelopes, and also small packages are delivered to destinations around the world. Anything sent through the postal system is called mail or post.In principle, a postal service...
.
JAL was established in 1951 and became the national airline
Flag carrier
A flag carrier is a transportation company, such as an airline or shipping company, that, being locally registered in a given country, enjoys preferential rights or privileges, accorded by the government, for international operations. It may be a state-run, state-owned or private but...
of Japan in 1953. After over three decades of service and expansion, the airline was fully privatized in 1987. In 2002, the airline merged with Japan Air System
Japan Air System
was the smallest of the big three Japanese airlines, headquartered in the JAS M1 Building at Tokyo International Airport in Ōta, Tokyo. In contrast to JAL and ANA, its international route network was very small, but its domestic network incorporated many smaller airports that were not served by...
, Japan's third-largest airline and became the sixth largest airline in the world by passengers carried. The airline filed for bankruptcy protection on January 19, 2010, after losses of nearly ¥100 billion in a single quarter.
Regulated era
Japan Air Lines Co., LtdLimited company
A limited company is a company in which the liability of the members or subscribers of the company is limited to what they have invested or guaranteed to the company. Limited companies may be limited by shares or by guarantee. And the former of these, a limited company limited by shares, may be...
. was established on August 1, 1951, with the government of Japan
Government of Japan
The government of Japan is a constitutional monarchy where the power of the Emperor is very limited. As a ceremonial figurehead, he is defined by the 1947 constitution as "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people". Power is held chiefly by the Prime Minister of Japan and other elected...
recognizing the need for a reliable air transportation system to help Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
grow in the aftermath of the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The airline was founded with an initial capital
Financial capital
Financial capital can refer to money used by entrepreneurs and businesses to buy what they need to make their products or provide their services or to that sector of the economy based on its operation, i.e. retail, corporate, investment banking, etc....
of ¥
Japanese yen
The is the official currency of Japan. It is the third most traded currency in the foreign exchange market after the United States dollar and the euro. It is also widely used as a reserve currency after the U.S. dollar, the euro and the pound sterling...
100 million
Million
One million or one thousand thousand, is the natural number following 999,999 and preceding 1,000,001. The word is derived from the early Italian millione , from mille, "thousand", plus the augmentative suffix -one.In scientific notation, it is written as or just 106...
; and its headquarters
Headquarters
Headquarters denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the top of a corporation taking full responsibility managing all business activities...
located in Ginza
Ginza
is a district of Chūō, Tokyo, located south of Yaesu and Kyōbashi, west of Tsukiji, east of Yūrakuchō and Uchisaiwaichō, and north of Shinbashi.It is known as an upscale area of Tokyo with numerous department stores, boutiques, restaurants and coffeehouses. Ginza is recognized as one of the most...
, Chūō
Chuo, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards that form the heart of Tokyo, Japan. The ward refers to itself as Chūō City in English.Its Japanese name literally means "Central Ward," and it is historically the main commercial center of Tokyo, although Shinjuku has risen to challenge it since the end of World War II...
, Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. Between August 27 and August 29, the airline operated invitational flights on a Douglas DC-3
Douglas DC-3
The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
Kinsei, leased from Philippine Airlines
Philippine Airlines
Philippine Airlines, Inc. operating as Philippine Airlines, is a flag carrier of the Philippines. Headquartered in the Philippine National Bank Financial Center in Pasay City, the airline was founded in 1941 and is the first and oldest commercial airline in Asia operating under its original name...
. On October 25, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
's first post-war domestic airline service was inaugurated, using a Martin 2-0-2
Martin 2-0-2
The Martin 2-0-2 was one of the first modern airliners. The twin-engined piston aircraft was designed and built by the Glenn L. Martin Company.-Design and development:...
aircraft, named Mokusei, and crew leased from Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
. On August 1, 1953, the Diet of Japan
Diet of Japan
The is Japan's bicameral legislature. It is composed of a lower house, called the House of Representatives, and an upper house, called the House of Councillors. Both houses of the Diet are directly elected under a parallel voting system. In addition to passing laws, the Diet is formally...
passed the , forming a new state-owned Japan Air Lines on October 1, which assumed all assets and liabilities of its private predecessor. On February 2, 1954, the airline began its first international service, carrying 18 passenger
Passenger
A passenger is a term broadly used to describe any person who travels in a vehicle, but bears little or no responsibility for the tasks required for that vehicle to arrive at its destination....
s from Tokyo to San Francisco. The flight was operated by a Douglas DC-6B named City of Tokyo, made stops at Wake Island
Wake Island
Wake Island is a coral atoll having a coastline of in the North Pacific Ocean, located about two-thirds of the way from Honolulu west to Guam east. It is an unorganized, unincorporated territory of the United States, administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior...
and Honolulu before arriving in San Francisco. To this day, the flights between Tokyo and San Francisco are still designated as Japan Airlines Flight 1 and 2, to commemorate its first international service. The airline, in addition to the Douglas DC-3, Douglas DC-6B and Martin 2-0-2s, operated Douglas DC-4
Douglas DC-4
The Douglas DC-4 is a four-engined propeller-driven airliner developed by the Douglas Aircraft Company. It served during World War II, in the Berlin Airlift and into the 1960s in a military role...
and Douglas DC-7
Douglas DC-7
The Douglas DC-7 is an American transport aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company from 1953 to 1958. It was the last major piston engine powered transport made by Douglas, coming just a few years before the advent of jet aircraft such as the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8.-Design and...
C during the 1950s.
Douglas DC-8
The Douglas DC-8 is a four-engined narrow-body passenger commercial jet airliner, manufactured from 1958 to 1972 by the Douglas Aircraft Company...
, and entered service to Seattle and Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. Soon after, it decided to re-equip the fleet, exclusively using jet aircraft. During the 1960s, many new international destinations were established, including London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and Pusan. By 1965, Japan Air Lines was headquartered in the Tokyo Building in Marunouchi
Marunouchi
Marunouchi is a commercial district of Tokyo located in Chiyoda between Tokyo Station and the Imperial Palace. The name, meaning "inside the circle", derives from its location within the palace's outer moat...
, Chiyoda
Chiyoda, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards in central Tokyo, Japan. In English, it is called Chiyoda ward. As of October 2007, the ward has an estimated population of 45,543 and a population density of 3,912 people per km², making it by far the least populated of the special wards...
, Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. In 1972, under the , the so-called "aviation constitution" enacted by the Japanese government, JAL was granted flag carrier
Flag carrier
A flag carrier is a transportation company, such as an airline or shipping company, that, being locally registered in a given country, enjoys preferential rights or privileges, accorded by the government, for international operations. It may be a state-run, state-owned or private but...
status to operate international routes. The airline was also designated to operate domestic trunk routes in competition with All Nippon Airways
All Nippon Airways
, also known as or ANA, is one of the largest airlines in Japan. It is headquartered at the Shiodome City Center in the Shiodome area in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It operates services to 49 destinations in Japan and 35 international routes and employed over 14,000 employees as of May 2009...
and Toa Domestic Airlines. The signing of Civil Air Transport Agreement between the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
and Japan on April 20, 1974, caused the suspension of air route between the Republic of China (Taiwan)
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
and Japan on April 21. A new subsidiary, Japan Asia Airways
Japan Asia Airways
is a defunct subsidiary of Japan Airlines which existed between 1975 and 2008. JAA was headquartered in the Japan Airlines Building in Shinagawa, Tokyo....
, was established on August 8, 1975, and air services between the two countries were restored on September 15. During the 1970s, the airline bought the Boeing 727
Boeing 727
The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced...
, Boeing 747
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
, Convair 880
Convair 880
The Convair 880 was a narrow-body jet airliner produced by the Convair division of General Dynamics. It was designed to compete with the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8 by being smaller and faster, a niche that failed to create demand...
and McDonnell Douglas DC-10
McDonnell Douglas DC-10
The McDonnell Douglas DC-10 is a three-engine widebody jet airliner manufactured by McDonnell Douglas. The DC-10 has range for medium- to long-haul flights, capable of carrying a maximum 380 passengers. Its most distinguishing feature is the two turbofan engines mounted on underwing pylons and a...
to accommodate its growing routes within Japan and to other countries.
Akihito
is the current , the 125th emperor of his line according to Japan's traditional order of succession. He acceded to the throne in 1989.-Name:In Japan, the emperor is never referred to by his given name, but rather is referred to as "His Imperial Majesty the Emperor" which may be shortened to . In...
and Crown Princess Michiko of Japan, Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
and for Japanese prime ministers, until the introduction of the dedicated government aircraft using two Boeing 747-400
Boeing 747-400
The Boeing 747-400 is a major development and the best-selling model of the Boeing 747 family of jet airliners. While retaining the four-engine wide-body layout of its predecessors, the 747-400 embodies numerous technological and structural changes to produce a more efficient airframe...
, operated as Japanese Air Force One
Japanese Air Force One
Japanese Air Force One and Japanese Air Force Two are the radio callsigns of the two Boeing 747 aircraft used by the government of Japan for overseas travel by the Emperor, Prime Minister and other high-ranking officials...
and Japanese Air Force Two
Japanese Air Force One
Japanese Air Force One and Japanese Air Force Two are the radio callsigns of the two Boeing 747 aircraft used by the government of Japan for overseas travel by the Emperor, Prime Minister and other high-ranking officials...
. During that decade the airline introduced new Boeing 747-100SR, Boeing 747-SUD and Boeing 767
Boeing 767
The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail...
jets to the fleet, and retired the Boeing 727s and Douglas DC-8s.
By 1965, over half of the JAL's revenue was being generated by transpacific routes to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and the airline was further lobbying the United States for fifth freedom rights to fly transatlantic routes from the East Coast. In 1978 and 1984, JAL started flights to São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
and Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, respectively, via Anchorage and San Juan; the stopover was changed to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in the 1980s-1990s, and then to New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...
in 1999. Through 2009, the airline operates fifth freedom flights between New York and São Paulo; and between Vancouver and Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
.
Deregulated era
Japan began considering airline deregulationAirline deregulation
Airline deregulation is the process of removing entry and price restrictions on airlines affecting, in particular, the carriers permitted to serve specific routes. In the United States, the term usually applies to the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978...
in the late 1970s, with the government announcing the abandoning of the 45/47 system in 1985. In 1987, Japan Airlines was completely privatized, and the other two airlines in Japan, All Nippon Airways
All Nippon Airways
, also known as or ANA, is one of the largest airlines in Japan. It is headquartered at the Shiodome City Center in the Shiodome area in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It operates services to 49 destinations in Japan and 35 international routes and employed over 14,000 employees as of May 2009...
(ANA) and Japan Air System
Japan Air System
was the smallest of the big three Japanese airlines, headquartered in the JAS M1 Building at Tokyo International Airport in Ōta, Tokyo. In contrast to JAL and ANA, its international route network was very small, but its domestic network incorporated many smaller airports that were not served by...
(JAS), were permitted to freely compete with JAL on domestic and international routes. Increased competition resulted in changes to the airline's corporate structure, and it was reorganized into three divisions: international passenger service, domestic passenger service, and cargo (including mail) service, and increased marketing efforts were realized.
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
before the start of the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
. In October 1990, Japan Air Charter was established, and in September 1996 an agreement with The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
was announced, making Japan Airlines the official airline of Tokyo Disneyland
Tokyo Disneyland
is a 115 acre theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, near Tokyo. Its main gate is directly adjacent to both Maihama Station and Tokyo Disneyland Station. It was the first Disney park to be built outside of the United States and opened on April 15, 1983...
. JAL Express
JAL Express
, is a low-cost airline with its headquarters in the on the grounds of Osaka International Airport and in Ikeda, Osaka Prefecture, Japan, and its main hub at Osaka International Airport. The airline also maintains Tokyo offices in the Japan Airlines Building in Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan...
was established in April 1997, with Boeing 737
Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
aircraft. In the 1990s the airline encountered further economic difficulties stemming from recessions in the United States and United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, plus a domestic downturn. Following years of continuous profit since 1986, the airline began to post operating losses in 1992. Cost-cutting initiatives, including the formation of the low-cost JAL Express domestic subsidiary and the transfer of tourist operations to JALways
JALways
, formerly , was an international airline registered in Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan, with its headquarters on the third floor of the at Narita International Airport in Narita, Chiba Prefecture and its main hub at Narita International Airport. The airline had a secondary hub at Osaka's Kansai...
(the successor to Japan Air Charter), helped return the airline to profitability in 1999.
In 1997, the airline flew Japanese prime minister Ryutaro Hashimoto
Ryutaro Hashimoto
was a Japanese politician who served as the 82nd and 83rd Prime Minister of Japan from January 11, 1996 to July 30, 1998. He was the leader of one of the largest factions within the ruling LDP through most of the 1990s and remained a powerful back-room player in Japanese politics until scandal...
to Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
to help negotiate in the Japanese embassy hostage crisis
Japanese embassy hostage crisis
The Japanese embassy hostage crisis began on 17 December 1996 in Lima, Peru, when 14 members of the Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement took hostage hundreds of high-level diplomats, government and military officials and business executives who were attending a party at the official residence of...
. Japan Airlines further placed orders for Boeing 777
Boeing 777
The Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from , depending on model...
s during the 1990s, allowing for fleet renewal. It was one of eight airlines which participated in the Boeing 777 design process, shaping the resulting design to their specifications.
JAS merger
Japan Air System
was the smallest of the big three Japanese airlines, headquartered in the JAS M1 Building at Tokyo International Airport in Ōta, Tokyo. In contrast to JAL and ANA, its international route network was very small, but its domestic network incorporated many smaller airports that were not served by...
and Japan Airlines agreed to merge; and on October 2, 2002, they established a new holding company called , forming a new core of the JAL Group. Aircraft liveries were changed to match the design of the new JAL Group. At that time the merged group of airlines was the sixth largest in the world by passengers carried.
On April 1, 2004, JAL changed its name to Japan Airlines International and JAS changed its name to Japan Airlines Domestic. JAS flight codes were changed to JAL flight codes, JAS check-in desks were refitted in JAL livery and JAS aircraft were gradually repainted. On June 26, 2004, the parent company Japan Airlines System was renamed to Japan Airlines Corporation.
Following the merger, two companies operated under the JAL brand: and . Japan Airlines Domestic
Japan Airlines Domestic
was an airline based in Tokyo, Japan. It was part of Japan Airlines Corporation and operated an extensive domestic network in Japan. Its main hub was Tokyo International Airport....
had primary responsibility for JAL's large network of intra-Japan flights, while JAL International operated both international and trunk domestic flights. On October 1, 2006, Japan Airlines International and Japan Airlines Domestic merged into a single brand, Japan Airlines International.
The airline applied to join Oneworld
Oneworld
Oneworld , branded as oneworld, is one of the world's three largest global airline alliances with its central management team, oneworld Management Company, based in New York City, New York, USA. Oneworld was founded in 1999 by American Airlines, British Airways, Canadian Airlines, Cathay Pacific...
on October 25, 2005. Japan Airlines claimed that its Oneworld membership would be in the best interests of the airline's plans to further develop the airline group and its strong commitment to provide the very best to its customers. Japan Airlines, together with Malév and Royal Jordanian
Royal Jordanian
Royal Jordanian Airlines is the flag carrier of Jordan with its head office in Amman, Jordan, operating scheduled international services over four continents from its main base at Queen Alia International Airport at Amman Jordan. Royal Jordanian is a member of the Arab Air Carriers Organization...
, joined the alliance on April 1, 2007.
On April 1, 2008, JAL merged the operations of its subsidiary Japan Asia Airways
Japan Asia Airways
is a defunct subsidiary of Japan Airlines which existed between 1975 and 2008. JAA was headquartered in the Japan Airlines Building in Shinagawa, Tokyo....
(JAA) into JAL mainline operations. JAA had operated all JAL group flights between Japan and Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
between 1975 and 2008 as a separate entity due to the special political status of Taiwan
Political status of Taiwan
The controversy regarding the political status of Taiwan hinges on whether Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu should remain effectively independent as territory of the Republic of China , become unified with the territories now governed by the People's Republic of China , or formally declare...
.
Restructuring
In 2009, Japan Airlines suffered steep financial losses, despite remaining Asia's largest airline by revenue. As a result, the airline embarked on staff cuts and route cutbacks in an effort to reduce costs. The carrier also received a ¥100 billion credit line from the Japanese government that year.Partner airline proposals
In September 2009, Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism formed a task force aimed at aiding a corporate turnaround at JAL, which examined cost-cutting and strategic partnership proposals. Members of the task force expressed an interest in merging JAL with ANAAll Nippon Airways
, also known as or ANA, is one of the largest airlines in Japan. It is headquartered at the Shiodome City Center in the Shiodome area in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It operates services to 49 destinations in Japan and 35 international routes and employed over 14,000 employees as of May 2009...
, which would create a single larger international airline and replace Japan Airlines International; however, media reports suggested that this proposal would be opposed by ANA given its comparatively better financial performance as an independent carrier. The task force also examined possible partnerships with foreign carriers.
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
to acquire a majority equity stake in JAL. Delta was part of the SkyTeam
SkyTeam
SkyTeam, branded as SKYTEAM, is an airline alliance with its centralised management team, SkyTeam Central, based at the World Trade Center Schiphol Airport on the grounds of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in Haarlemmermeer, Netherlands...
alliance, a rival to the Oneworld alliance in which JAL participated. JAL was also in talks with Skyteam member Air France-KLM
Air France-KLM
Air France-KLM is a European airline holding company incorporated under French law with its headquarters at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport in Tremblay-en-France, Paris...
and with JAL's existing Oneworld partner American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
regarding potential equity investments in JAL. JAL was already set on cutting 5,000 jobs as part of its restructuring plan.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism supported the Delta deal because Delta had an extensive global network and had the largest Japanese operation of any foreign airline, an operation which it had inherited through its merger with Northwest Airlines. MLIT also supported a transaction with Air France-KLM because it was a "healthier company" than American. Korean Air
Korean Air
Korean Air Lines Co., Ltd. , operating as Korean Air, is both the flag carrier and the largest airline of South Korea, with global headquarters located in Seoul, South Korea. Korean Air's international passenger division and related subsidiary cargo division together serve 130 cities in 45...
, also a SkyTeam member and one of JAL's codeshare partners, was also in talks with JAL on the issue.
American also planned to team up with other Oneworld alliance members to recapitalise JAL. Executives from American, British Airways
British Airways
British Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
and Qantas
Qantas
Qantas Airways Limited is the flag carrier of Australia. The name was originally "QANTAS", an initialism for "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services". Nicknamed "The Flying Kangaroo", the airline is based in Sydney, with its main hub at Sydney Airport...
met with executives at JAL to introduce plans of a joint offer. British Airways said that it was attempting to persuade JAL to remain part of Oneworld rather than aligning itself with Delta and SkyTeam. American CEO Gerard Arpey said that American and Oneworld remained committed to a partnership with Japan Airlines, as long as it remained a major international carrier, and reiterated his encouragement for JAL to stay with Oneworld during ceremonies to welcome Mexicana into the alliance.
In an interview with the Asahi Shimbun
Asahi Shimbun
The is the second most circulated out of the five national newspapers in Japan. Its circulation, which was 7.96 million for its morning edition and 3.1 million for its evening edition as of June 2010, was second behind that of Yomiuri Shimbun...
on January 1, 2010, regarding opposition to bankruptcy proceedings, JAL president Haruka Nishimatsu stated his preference in forming a partnership with Delta Air Lines over American Airlines. On January 4, the Yomiuri Shimbun
Yomiuri Shimbun
The is a Japanese newspaper published in Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, and other major Japanese cities. It is one of the five national newspapers in Japan; the other four are the Asahi Shimbun, the Mainichi Shimbun, Nihon Keizai Shimbun, and the Sankei Shimbun...
reported that JAL and the Japanese government-backed Enterprise Turnaround Initiative Corporation would likely choose to form a business and capital tie-up with Delta, and that JAL would enter SkyTeam as part of the deal. The move, according to the report, would reduce JAL's international flight operations in favor of code-share agreements with Delta. The report also said that American Airlines had begun procedures to end negotiations with JAL. A JAL spokesman denied the report, stating that negotiations with Delta and American were continuing. American also responded, saying that they were still negotiating and that it would be best for Japan and the Japanese people if JAL remained with American and Oneworld. On January 6, American stated that it would be willing to make an investment even if JAL goes into bankruptcy.
On January 7, the Wall Street Journal reported that American Airlines raised its JAL investment offer by $300 million, to $1.4 billion. In separate comments to the press, Delta president Ed Bastian said that Delta was "willing and able to raise additional capital through third-party resources." On the same day, the Business Travel Coalition, a travel group representing 300 international companies, announced their opposition to an alliance between Delta and JAL. Chairman Kevin Mitchell said that such an alliance would likely create a monopoly, totaling 62% of the market share on flights between the United States and Japan. In a letter addressed to Transport Minister Seiji Maehara
Seiji Maehara
is a Japanese politician who has been a member of the House of Representatives of Japan since 1993. He was the leader of the Democratic Party of Japan from 2005 to 2006, and later served as Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and Minister of Foreign Affairs under the cabinets...
, the group said that remaining with American would be "obviously best for competition and consumer choice."
Bankruptcy
After weeks of speculation, JAL applied for court protection under the Corporate Rehabilitation Law (the Japanese equivalent of Administration (UK) or a Chapter 11 Bankruptcy (US) filing) on January 19, 2010. JAL expects to receive a ¥300 billion cash injection and have debts worth ¥730 billion waived, in exchange for which it will cut its capital to zero, cut unprofitable routes and reduce its workforce by 15,700 employees—a third of its 47,000 total. JAL's main creditors (Mizuho Corporate BankMizuho Corporate Bank
, or MHCB, is the corporate and investment banking subsidiary of Mizuho Financial Group, the second-biggest Japanese financial services conglomerate...
, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
is a Japanese bank based in Yurakucho, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It is a member of the Sumitomo Group and Mitsui Group. As of the year 2009, SMBC was the second largest bank in Japan in terms of assets.-History:...
) originally objected to the bankruptcy declaration, but changed their mind after the Enterprise Turnaround Initiative Corporation of Japan
Enterprise Turnaround Initiative Corporation of Japan
The Enterprise Turnaround Initiative Corporation of Japan , or ETIC-J, is a Japanese incorporated company, 50 percent owned by the Japanese government and the rest by about 130 private enterprises, which was established in 2009 under the "Enterprise Turnaround Initiative Corporation Law", to...
recommended court protection, according to a senior bank official. Shares of JAL were delisted from the Tokyo Stock Exchange
Tokyo Stock Exchange
The , called or TSE for short, is located in Tokyo, Japan and is the third largest stock exchange in the world by aggregate market capitalization of its listed companies...
on February 20, 2010.
Kazuo Inamori
Kazuo Inamori
Kazuo Inamori is a philanthropist, Japanese entrepreneur and the founder of Kyocera Corporation and KDDI Corporation.- Biography :...
, founder of Kyocera
Kyocera
is a multinational manufacturer based in Kyoto, Japan. It was founded as in 1959 by Kazuo Inamori and renamed in 1982. The company has diversified its founding technology in ceramic materials through internal development as well as strategic mergers and acquisitions...
and KDDI
KDDI
is a Japanese telecommunications operator formed in October 2000 through the merger of DDI Corp., KDD Corp., and IDO Corp. It has its headquarters in the Garden Air Tower in Iidabashi, Chiyoda, Tokyo....
, took over as CEO, while Japan Air Commuter
Japan Air Commuter
is a Japanese airline based in Kirishima, Kagoshima Prefecture. It operates feeder services in support of Japan Airlines. Its main base is Kagoshima Airport, with hubs at Osaka International Airport, Amami Airport and Fukuoka Airport. - History :...
president Masaru Onishi was promoted to president of JAL.
The Mainichi Shimbun
Mainichi Shimbun
The is one of the major newspapers in Japan, published by .-History:The history of the Mainichi Shimbun begins with founding of two papers during the Meiji period. The Tokyo Nichi Nichi Shimbun was founded first, in 1872. The Mainichi claims that it is the oldest existing Japanese daily newspaper...
reported on January 28 that JAL would announce on February 1 its decision to end its partnership with American Airlines and Oneworld in favor of Delta and SkyTeam. But in a news conference on February 1, JAL president Masaru Onishi said that the new JAL leadership was "seriously reviewing the issue from scratch, without being influenced by previous discussions," and its decision on an alliance partner would be made soon.
On February 7, several news outlets reported that JAL would decide to keep its alliance with American Airlines and end talks with Delta. New JAL CEO Inamori and ETIC officials, according to the reports, decided that switching alliances (from Oneworld to Skyteam) would be too risky and could hinder JAL's ability to turn around the airline quickly. Two days later, JAL officially announced that they would strengthen their partnership with American, including a joint application for antitrust immunity on transpacific routes. The airline would also fortify its relationship with other partners in the Oneworld alliance.
In May, JAL began to see an increase in its passenger numbers by 1.1% year-on-year. In August, it was reported that JAL would cut 19,133 jobs from its workforce of 47,000 by the end of March 2015 – whilst also increasing capacity – in an attempt to make the business viable.
Post-bankruptcy developments
JAL emerged from bankruptcy protection in March 2011. In July, ETIC announced its selection of Nomura HoldingsNomura Holdings
Nomura Holdings, Inc. is a Japanese financial holding company, and a principal member of the Nomura Group.In October 2008 the company acquired Lehman Brothers Holdings's investment banking and equities unit in Asia and Europe and kept on most of its employees. Nomura paid $225 million for the...
, Daiwa Securities, Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley
Morgan Stanley
Morgan Stanley is a global financial services firm headquartered in New York City serving a diversified group of corporations, governments, financial institutions, and individuals. Morgan Stanley also operates in 36 countries around the world, with over 600 offices and a workforce of over 60,000....
, Mizuho Securities and SMBC
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
is a Japanese bank based in Yurakucho, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It is a member of the Sumitomo Group and Mitsui Group. As of the year 2009, SMBC was the second largest bank in Japan in terms of assets.-History:...
Nikko Securities to underwrite the sale of its equity stake in JAL, without specifying amounts or dates.
On January 11, 2011, JAL and American announced that they would commence joint venture business operations from April 1, 2011.
In July 2011, Japanese newspapers reported that JAL had agreed to form a low-cost carrier
Low-cost carrier
A low-cost carrier or low-cost airline is an airline that generally has lower fares and fewer comforts...
joint venture with Jetstar Airways
Jetstar Airways
Jetstar Airways is an Australian low-cost airline headquartered in Melbourne, Australia. It is a subsidiary of Qantas, created in response to the threat posed by low-cost airline Virgin Blue...
, the low-cost subsidiary of Qantas
Qantas
Qantas Airways Limited is the flag carrier of Australia. The name was originally "QANTAS", an initialism for "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services". Nicknamed "The Flying Kangaroo", the airline is based in Sydney, with its main hub at Sydney Airport...
.
Corporate affairs and identity
Organization
In addition to its operations under the JAL name, the airline owns six domestic airlines which feed or supplement mainlineMainline (flight)
A mainline flight is a flight operated by an airline's main operating unit, rather than by regional alliances, regional code-shares or regional subsidiaries...
JAL flights:
- Hokkaido Air SystemHokkaido Air System, or HAC, is an airline with its headquarters on the property of Okadama Airport in Okadamachō, Higashi-ku, Sapporo. It operates scheduled domestic services in Hokkaidō. Its main base of operations is Okadama Airport.- History :...
(HAC) – turbopropTurbopropA turboprop engine is a type of turbine engine which drives an aircraft propeller using a reduction gear.The gas turbine is designed specifically for this application, with almost all of its output being used to drive the propeller...
services in HokkaidoHokkaido, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel... - J-AirJ-Air, is a regional commuter airline with its headquarters in the Terminal Building in Nagoya Airfield and in Toyoyama, Nishikasugai District, Aichi, Japan and its main hub at Nagoya Airfield. J-Air previously had its headquarters in Ōmura, Nagasaki Prefecture. Its operations include scheduled...
(JLJ) – regional jet services from TokyoTokyo, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Nagoya and OsakaOsakais a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe... - JAL ExpressJAL Express, is a low-cost airline with its headquarters in the on the grounds of Osaka International Airport and in Ikeda, Osaka Prefecture, Japan, and its main hub at Osaka International Airport. The airline also maintains Tokyo offices in the Japan Airlines Building in Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan...
(JEX) – low-cost jet services between secondary cities - Japan Air CommuterJapan Air Commuteris a Japanese airline based in Kirishima, Kagoshima Prefecture. It operates feeder services in support of Japan Airlines. Its main base is Kagoshima Airport, with hubs at Osaka International Airport, Amami Airport and Fukuoka Airport. - History :...
(JAC) – turboprop services in western Japan, mainly including Amami IslandsAmami IslandsThe are a group of islands that is part of the Satsunan Islands, which are then part of the Nansei Islands. The islands are part of Kagoshima Prefecture, in the Kyūshū region of Japan...
. - Japan Transocean AirJapan Transocean Air, or JTA, is an airline based in Naha, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It operates domestic services. Its main base is Naha Airport.- History :...
(JTA) – jet services in the Ryukyu IslandsRyukyu IslandsThe , also known as the , is a chain of islands in the western Pacific, on the eastern limit of the East China Sea and to the southwest of the island of Kyushu in Japan. From about 1829 until the mid 20th century, they were alternately called Luchu, Loochoo, or Lewchew, akin to the Mandarin... - Ryukyu Air CommuterRyukyu Air Commuteris an airline headquartered in Naha, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It operates domestic passenger services from the island of Okinawa to the Ryūkyū Islands and Amami Islands.-Code data:*ICAO Code: RAC*Callsign: RYUKYU-History:...
(RAC) – turboprop services in the Ryukyu Islands
Japan Airlines now in the sponsor of Persija Jakarta
Persija Jakarta
Persija Jakarta is an Indonesian football club from Jakarta. It is one of Indonesia's most successful clubs and the most popular sports club in the city. The club's patron is Sutiyoso, the governor of Jakarta until 2007. Persija Jakarta was founded on November 28, 1928, with the embryo called...
.
JALways
JALways
, formerly , was an international airline registered in Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan, with its headquarters on the third floor of the at Narita International Airport in Narita, Chiba Prefecture and its main hub at Narita International Airport. The airline had a secondary hub at Osaka's Kansai...
was the airline's international subsidiary
Subsidiary
A subsidiary company, subsidiary, or daughter company is a company that is completely or partly owned and wholly controlled by another company that owns more than half of the subsidiary's stock. The subsidiary can be a company, corporation, or limited liability company. In some cases it is a...
, which handled low-yield flights to resort destinations in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, Oceania
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
and Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
.
JALUX Inc., established in 1962, is the airline's procurement business which handles various work for the company, including the JAL SELECTION merchandise and in-flight meals and refreshments; supplies for Blue Sky and JAL-DFS shops; aircraft fuel components, cabin services and in-flight duty-free. JALUX merged with JAS Trading on January 1, 2004, to unify support operations for the JAL group.
JAL Cargo is the brand of the airline group's freight service and is a member of the WOW cargo alliance
WOW Alliance
WOW Cargo Alliance is a global cargo alliance between SAS Cargo Group and Singapore Airlines Cargo.WOW is the world's second largest Cargo alliance consisting of only 2 Members and is currently competing with the only other Cargo alliance, SkyTeam Cargo....
with the following products, J Speed, General Cargo and Dangerous Goods. In the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009, the Cargo division carried 500,779 tonne
Tonne
The tonne, known as the metric ton in the US , often put pleonastically as "metric tonne" to avoid confusion with ton, is a metric system unit of mass equal to 1000 kilograms. The tonne is not an International System of Units unit, but is accepted for use with the SI...
s of freight domestically and 627,213 tonnes of freight internationally.
On April 1, 2011, the airline changed its trade name from to .
Livery
In the creation of the logo, Huff was inspired by the personal crests of Samurai families. In a book he’d been given,We Japanese, he found pages of crests, including the crane. On his choice of the crane, he writes: “I had faith that it was the perfect symbol for Japan Air Lines. I found that the Crane myth was all positive—it mates for life (loyalty), and flies high for miles without tiring (strength.)”
After its creation the livery was in use until 1989 when it was replaced by a livery called the "Arc of the Sun." The livery features the motif of a rising sun on a creamy parchment colored background. JAL is a strong supporter of UNICEF and expresses its support by having a "We Support UNICEF" logo on each aircraft.
JAL is known for adopting special liveries. A Boeing 747
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
(JA8908) carries an Adidas
Adidas
Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
soccer livery in 2002. Another Boeing 747 (JA8907) is the Matsui Jet, featuring the famous Japanese baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player Hideki Matsui
Hideki Matsui
is a Japanese Major League Baseball designated hitter and outfielder. He bats left-handed and throws right-handed.After playing the first ten seasons of his career for the Yomiuri Giants of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball, he played the next seven seasons, from 2003–2009, for the New York...
in 2003. The airline's Boeing 767-300
Boeing 767
The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail...
(JA8253) is the Expo 2005
Expo 2005
Expo 2005 was the World's Fair held for 185 days between Friday, March 25 and Sunday, September 25, 2005, in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, east of the city of Nagoya. It was a Specialized International Exhibition under the scheme of the 1972 protocol of the Convention relating to International Exhibitions...
aircraft. Various aircraft in the JAL fleet carry a Yokoso Japan
Japan National Tourist Organization
The or JNTO provides information about Japan to promote travel to and in the country. Its headquarters are in Yūrakuchō, Chiyoda, Tokyo. It operates Tourist Information Centers as well as a website. The JNTO disseminates information about transportation, lodging, food and beverage, and sight-seeing...
logo supporting the Visit Japan campaign. During late 2005, Japan Airlines began using a Boeing 777
Boeing 777
The Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from , depending on model...
(JA8941), featuring Japanese actor Shingo Katori
Shingo Katori
is the youngest member of SMAP, a popular Japanese idol group from the agency Johnny & Associates, and he is from Yokohama, Japan. Shingo Katori has acted in several dramas such as Three Peace, and has appeared as a voice actor in such anime series as Akazukin Chacha, in which he voiced the part of...
on one side, and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
series Saiyuki, along with its main character "Goku" on the other side.
Tokyo Disneyland
is a 115 acre theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, near Tokyo. Its main gate is directly adjacent to both Maihama Station and Tokyo Disneyland Station. It was the first Disney park to be built outside of the United States and opened on April 15, 1983...
and Tokyo DisneySea
Tokyo DisneySea
is a 176-acre theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, just outside Tokyo. It opened on September 4, 2001. It is owned by The Oriental Land Company, which licenses the theme from The Walt Disney Company. Tokyo DisneySea attracted an estimated 12 million visitors in...
, as it is the official airline of the Tokyo Disney Resort
Tokyo Disney Resort
is a theme park and vacation resort located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, just east of Tokyo. It is owned and operated by the Oriental Land Company with a license from The Walt Disney Company. The resort opened on April 15, 1983, as a single theme park , but developed into a resort with two theme...
. They sponsor the attraction Star Jets (not related to past Star Jets fleet with the old tsurumaru livery), which feature a variation of the current livery on the ride vehicles. At one time there were more than six widebody aircraft painted with the special liveries.
JALways, whose fleet is entirely made of Boeing 747
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
aircraft, has painted all of its aircraft with tropical-influenced liveries along with Reso'cha titles. These aircraft are used on charter flights to holiday destinations in the Pacific, such as Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. Reso'cha is a marketing abbreviation for Resort Charter. Reso'cha planes were formerly known as JAL Super Resort Express.
Oneworld
Oneworld , branded as oneworld, is one of the world's three largest global airline alliances with its central management team, oneworld Management Company, based in New York City, New York, USA. Oneworld was founded in 1999 by American Airlines, British Airways, Canadian Airlines, Cathay Pacific...
livery to promote the airlines's entry to the global airline alliance
Airline alliance
An airline alliance is an agreement between two or more airlines to cooperate on a substantial level. The three largest passenger alliances are the Star Alliance, SkyTeam and Oneworld. Alliances also form between cargo airlines, such as that of WOW Alliance, SkyTeam Cargo and ANA/UPS Alliance...
. Previously this aircraft carried the Shingo Katori and the Saiyuki television livery. In 2008, JAL repainted a single Boeing 777-200
Boeing 777
The Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from , depending on model...
to have a green rather than red arc on its tail, along with a green origami airplane on the fuselage, and named it the Eco Jet, to highlight the company's efforts to reduce the environmental impact of commercial aviation. In 2009, JAL repainted JA8941 again, as well as a JTA 737-400
Boeing 737 Classic
The Boeing 737 Classic is the name given to the -300/-400/-500 series of the Boeing 737 following the introduction of the -600/-700/-800/-900 series. They are short- to medium- range, narrow-body jet airliners produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The Classic series was introduced as the 'new...
(JA8933) to promote Kobukuro
Kobukuro
is a Japanese band, which formed in 1998 and made its major label debut in 2001. The name is a portmanteau of the two family names, Kentarō Kobuchi and Shunsuke Kuroda.- Members :...
and their new album Calling as well as a live concert tour in Okinawa and around Japan. This livery was released officially on July 30, 2009. It has since then been replaced with a special Doraemon
Doraemon
is a Japanese manga series created by Fujiko F. Fujio which later became an anime series and an Asian franchise...
livery.
On September 4, 2010, in conjunction with the Boku no Miteiru Fūkei
Boku no Miteiru Fūkei
is the ninth studio album by Japanese boy band Arashi. The album was released on August 4, 2010 in Japan under their record label J Storm in two editions: a first press version and a regular version. The album debuted at number-one on the Oricon weekly album chart, selling around 731,000 copies. As...
album, JAL and Arashi (which one of the songs, "Movin' On", is used for a commercial) introduced a new livery featuring the five members of Arashi in the aircraft; the first flight was on the day after on September 5.
On January 19, 2011, Japan Airlines announced a new livery based on the old livery tsurumaru used before 2008, and will be used starting April 1, 2011.
Branding
Landor AssociatesLandor Associates
Landor Associates is a San Francisco-based brand and creative design consultancy. Founded by Walter Landor and his wife Josephine in 1941, Landor pioneered many of the research, design and consulting methodologies that are now standard in the branding industry.-Operations:Landor offers brand...
created JAL's brand identity in 1989. After Japan Airlines and Japan Air System
Japan Air System
was the smallest of the big three Japanese airlines, headquartered in the JAS M1 Building at Tokyo International Airport in Ōta, Tokyo. In contrast to JAL and ANA, its international route network was very small, but its domestic network incorporated many smaller airports that were not served by...
merged, the Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
office of Landor and JAL worked together to create a new brand identity. Landor decided to use the "arc of the sun" image. The 2000s rebranding began in April 2002 and completed in April 2004. The brand identity firm designed 300,000 specific items for JAL. JAL announced that it would again change its branding on April 1, 2011.
Destinations
Japan Airlines serves 33 international destinations in AsiaAsia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, the Americas
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and Oceania
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
, excluding codeshares. The airline's international hubs are Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
's Narita International Airport
Narita International Airport
is an international airport serving the Greater Tokyo Area of Japan. It is located east of Tokyo Station and east-southeast of Narita Station in the city of Narita, and the adjacent town of Shibayama....
, Tokyo International Airport
Tokyo International Airport
, commonly known as , is one of the two primary airports that serve the Greater Tokyo Area in Japan. It is located in Ōta, Tokyo, south of Tokyo Station....
in Haneda, Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
's Kansai International Airport
Kansai International Airport
is an international airport located on an artificial island in the middle of Osaka Bay, southwest of Ōsaka Station, located within three municipalities, including Izumisano , Sennan , and Tajiri , in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. The airport is off the Honshu shore. The airport serves as an...
and Osaka International Airport
Osaka International Airport
or Osaka-Itami International Airport is the primary domestic airport for the Kansai region of Japan, including the major cities of Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe. It is classified as a first class airport....
in Itami. The airline group also serves 59 domestic destinations within Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
In the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009, the airline introduced or increased services on ten international routes, including between Tokyo (Narita)
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
and New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and between Osaka (Kansai)
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
and Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
; and it ceased operations on four international routes, including between Tokyo (Narita) and Xi'an
Xi'an
Xi'an is the capital of the Shaanxi province, and a sub-provincial city in the People's Republic of China. One of the oldest cities in China, with more than 3,100 years of history, the city was known as Chang'an before the Ming Dynasty...
, and between Osaka (Kansai) and Qingdao
Qingdao
' also known in the West by its postal map spelling Tsingtao, is a major city with a population of over 8.715 million in eastern Shandong province, Eastern China. Its built up area, made of 7 urban districts plus Jimo city, is home to about 4,346,000 inhabitants in 2010.It borders Yantai to the...
. Domestically, JAL suspended 14 routes, including between Sapporo and Okinawa. Additionally, the airline expanded codesharing alliance with fellow Oneworld
Oneworld
Oneworld , branded as oneworld, is one of the world's three largest global airline alliances with its central management team, oneworld Management Company, based in New York City, New York, USA. Oneworld was founded in 1999 by American Airlines, British Airways, Canadian Airlines, Cathay Pacific...
partners, British Airways
British Airways
British Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
and Finnair
Finnair
Finnair Plc is the flag carrier and largest airline of Finland, with its headquarters on the grounds of Helsinki Airport in Vantaa, Finland, and its main hub at Helsinki Airport. Finnair and its subsidiaries dominate both the domestic and international air travel markets in Finland. The largest...
, and other airlines, including Air France
Air France
Air France , stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, , and is one of the world's largest airlines. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance...
, China Eastern and Jetstar
Jetstar Airways
Jetstar Airways is an Australian low-cost airline headquartered in Melbourne, Australia. It is a subsidiary of Qantas, created in response to the threat posed by low-cost airline Virgin Blue...
.
Codeshare agreements
Japan Airlines has codeshare agreements, beside OneWorld members, with the following airlines:
|
SkyTeam SkyTeam, branded as SKYTEAM, is an airline alliance with its centralised management team, SkyTeam Central, based at the World Trade Center Schiphol Airport on the grounds of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in Haarlemmermeer, Netherlands... ) Jetstar Airways Jetstar Airways is an Australian low-cost airline headquartered in Melbourne, Australia. It is a subsidiary of Qantas, created in response to the threat posed by low-cost airline Virgin Blue... Korean Air Korean Air Lines Co., Ltd. , operating as Korean Air, is both the flag carrier and the largest airline of South Korea, with global headquarters located in Seoul, South Korea. Korean Air's international passenger division and related subsidiary cargo division together serve 130 cities in 45... (SkyTeam SkyTeam SkyTeam, branded as SKYTEAM, is an airline alliance with its centralised management team, SkyTeam Central, based at the World Trade Center Schiphol Airport on the grounds of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in Haarlemmermeer, Netherlands... ) Thai Airways International Thai Airways International Public Company Limited is the national flag carrier and largest airline of Thailand. Formed in 1988, the airline's headquarters are located in Chatuchak District, Bangkok, and operates out of Suvarnabhumi Airport. Thai is a founding member of the Star Alliance. Thai is a... (Star Alliance Star Alliance Star Alliance is the world's first and largest airline alliance, headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, Germany . The alliance was founded in 1997 by five of the world's leading airlines: Air Canada, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Thai Airways International and United Airlines... ) Transaero OJSC Transaero Airlines or simply Transaero is an airline with its head office on the grounds of Domodedovo International Airport, Domodedovsky District, Moscow Oblast, Russia. It operates scheduled and charter flights to more than 99 domestic and international destinations... Vietnam Airlines Vietnam Airlines Company Limited, trading as Vietnam Airlines , is the national flag carrier of Vietnam. Founded in 1956 under the name Vietnam Civil Aviation, the airline was established as a state enterprise in April 1989. Vietnam Airlines is headquartered in Long Bien, Hanoi, with hubs at Noi... (SkyTeam SkyTeam SkyTeam, branded as SKYTEAM, is an airline alliance with its centralised management team, SkyTeam Central, based at the World Trade Center Schiphol Airport on the grounds of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in Haarlemmermeer, Netherlands... ) |
Passenger
Narrow-body aircraft
A narrow-body aircraft is an airliner with a fuselage aircraft cabin width typically of 3 to 4 metres , and airline seat arranged 2 to 6 abreast along a single aisle...
and wide-body aircraft
Wide-body aircraft
A wide-body aircraft is a large airliner with two passenger aisles, also known as a widebody aircraft or twin-aisle aircraft. The typical fuselage diameter is . In the typical wide-body economy cabin, passengers are seated seven to ten abreast, allowing a total capacity of 200 to 850 passengers...
. The airline operates with three classes of service (First
First class (aviation)
First class is a luxury travel class on some airliners that exceeds business class, premium economy, and economy class. On a passenger jetliner, first class refers to a limited number of seats or cabins located in the front of the aircraft which are notable for their comfort, service, and privacy...
, class J
Business class
Business class is a travel class available on many commercial airlines and rail lines, known by brand names which vary by airline or rail company. In the airline industry, it was originally intended as an intermediate level of service between economy class and first class, but many airlines now...
and Economy
Economy class
__FORCETOC__Economy class, also called coach class , steerage, or standard class, is the lowest class of seating in air travel, rail travel, and sometimes ferry or maritime travel....
); two classes of service (class J and Economy); and one class of service (Economy) domestically within Japan. Internationally, it operates with four classes of service (First, Executive
Business class
Business class is a travel class available on many commercial airlines and rail lines, known by brand names which vary by airline or rail company. In the airline industry, it was originally intended as an intermediate level of service between economy class and first class, but many airlines now...
, Premium Economy
Premium economy
Premium economy is a travel class offered on some airlines, positioned in price, comfort, and amenities between economy class and business class. As of 2011, the term is not standardized among airlines, and varies significantly when comparing its use on domestic versus international flights or...
and Economy); two varieties of three classes of service (First, Executive and Economy) or (Executive, Premium Economy and Economy); and two classes of service (Executive and Economy).
| Aircraft | Total | Orders | Options | Passengers | Note | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F | J | W | Y | Total | |||||
| Boeing 737-800 Boeing 737 The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers... |
12 | — | — | — | 20 | — | 145 | 165 | Domestic, another 28 are operated by JAL Express JAL Express , is a low-cost airline with its headquarters in the on the grounds of Osaka International Airport and in Ikeda, Osaka Prefecture, Japan, and its main hub at Osaka International Airport. The airline also maintains Tokyo offices in the Japan Airlines Building in Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan... |
| Boeing 767-300 Boeing 767 The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail... |
17 | — | — | — | 42 | — | 219 | 261 | Domestic |
| 30 | 202 | 232 | International JA8980 painted in Oneworld livery Aircraft livery Aircraft livery is a paint scheme applied to an aircraft, generally to fuselage, wings, empennage , or jet engines. Most airlines have a standard paint scheme for their aircraft fleet, usually prominently displaying the airline logo or name. From time to time special liveries are introduced, for... |
||||||
| Boeing 767-300ER Boeing 767 The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail... |
31 | 1 | — | — | 30 | — | 207 | 237 | International |
| Boeing 777-200 Boeing 777 The Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from , depending on model... |
15 | — | — | — | 50 62 12 |
— | 330 326 377 |
380 388 389 |
Domestic To be phased out JA771J painted in Oneworld livery Aircraft livery Aircraft livery is a paint scheme applied to an aircraft, generally to fuselage, wings, empennage , or jet engines. Most airlines have a standard paint scheme for their aircraft fleet, usually prominently displaying the airline logo or name. From time to time special liveries are introduced, for... |
| Boeing 777-200ER Boeing 777 The Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from , depending on model... |
11 | — | — | — | 56 63 |
40 0 |
149 237 |
245 300 |
International JA701~703J (JAL Skylux Seat) JA704~711J (JAL Shell Flat Seat, Premium Economy) |
| Boeing 777-300 Boeing 777 The Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from , depending on model... |
7 | — | — | — | 62 | — | 410 | 472 | Domestic |
| Boeing 777-300ER Boeing 777 The Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from , depending on model... |
13 | — | — | 8 | 77 | 46 | 115 | 246 | International JA731~737J (JAL Sky Sleeper Seat, Premium Economy) JA738~740J (JAL Suite, Shell Flat Seat, Premium Economy) |
| Boeing 787-8 | — | 35 | 20 | — | 42 | — | 144 | 186 | First aircraft to be delivered in December 2011 |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-90-30 | 16 | — | — | — | 18 | — | 132 | 150 | Domestic to be sold to Delta Air Lines |
| Total | 122 | 36 | 20 | ||||||
Fleet notes
Japan Air System
was the smallest of the big three Japanese airlines, headquartered in the JAS M1 Building at Tokyo International Airport in Ōta, Tokyo. In contrast to JAL and ANA, its international route network was very small, but its domestic network incorporated many smaller airports that were not served by...
aircraft). (i.e. 747-489) The airline is one of the few in the world to operate 10-abreast seating in the Economy cabin of the Boeing 777 fleet, the other airlines include ANA
All Nippon Airways
, also known as or ANA, is one of the largest airlines in Japan. It is headquartered at the Shiodome City Center in the Shiodome area in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It operates services to 49 destinations in Japan and 35 international routes and employed over 14,000 employees as of May 2009...
, Air France
Air France
Air France , stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, , and is one of the world's largest airlines. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance...
, China Southern
China Southern Airlines
China Southern Airlines is an airline headquartered in Baiyun District, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People's Republic of China. It is the world's sixth-largest airline measured by passengers carried, and Asia's largest airline in terms of both fleet size and passengers carried...
and Emirates
Emirates Airline
Emirates is the airline based in the Emirate of Dubai part of the United Arab Emirates . Based at Dubai International Airport it is the largest airline in the Middle East, operating over 2,400 flights per week, from its hub at Terminal 3, to 111 cities in 62 countries across six continents...
. JAL and ANA operate the 10-abreast seating in their Japan domestic fleet only.
On December 22, 2004, JAL announced the selection of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner as its next generation medium-size aircraft fleet. The airline is seeking 30 firm deliveries and 20 options; and joined other launch customers to be involved in the aircraft's future development. The airline later increased the firm order to 35 aircraft on April 3, 2007.
On June 30, 2005, the airline confirmed an order for six new Boeing 767-300ER
Boeing 767
The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail...
aircraft, powered by General Electric CF6-80C2 high-bypass turbofan engines. The three freighter and three passenger models, valued at approximately US$800 million
Million
One million or one thousand thousand, is the natural number following 999,999 and preceding 1,000,001. The word is derived from the early Italian millione , from mille, "thousand", plus the augmentative suffix -one.In scientific notation, it is written as or just 106...
at list prices, were delivered between 2007 and 2008.
On February 22, 2008, it was reported that the airline has been considering the new Airbus A350
Airbus A350
The Airbus A350 is a family of long-range, wide-body jet airliners under development by European aircraft manufacturer Airbus.A consortium originally comprising European aerospace companies from the UK, France, Spain and West Germany, Airbus is now fully owned by EADS and since 2001 has been known...
made by EADS
EADS
The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company N.V. is a global pan-European aerospace and defence corporation and a leading defence and military contractor worldwide...
unit Airbus
Airbus
Airbus SAS is an aircraft manufacturing subsidiary of EADS, a European aerospace company. Based in Blagnac, France, surburb of Toulouse, and with significant activity across Europe, the company produces around half of the world's jet airliners....
, the Boeing 787's direct competitor in the medium-size aircraft market. Japan Airlines spokesman Stephen Pearlman said: "We have taken a look at the A350. As far as adding this aircraft to our fleet in future goes, I think it is one of the strong candidates."
Cargo
JAL Cargo ended dedicated freighter aircraft operations in October 2010 after more than 30 years of service. It operated both propeller and jet aircraft through the years, most recently Boeing 747-400s (including aircraft converted from passenger to freighter configuration) and Boeing 767-300Fs. Limited cargo activity is now maintained through JAL's passenger aircraft lower deck holds.Fleet history
The airline's last McDonnell Douglas MD-11McDonnell Douglas MD-11
The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 is a three-engine medium- to long-range widebody jet airliner, manufactured by McDonnell Douglas and, later, by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Based on the DC-10, it features a stretched fuselage, increased wingspan with winglets, refined airfoils on the wing and smaller...
J-Bird (JA8582) operated its final flight as Japan Airlines Flight 730 from Hong Kong International Airport
Hong Kong International Airport
Hong Kong International Airport is the main airport in Hong Kong. It is colloquially known as Chek Lap Kok Airport , being built on the island of Chek Lap Kok by land reclamation, and also to distinguish it from its predecessor, the closed Kai Tak Airport.The airport opened for commercial...
to Narita International Airport
Narita International Airport
is an international airport serving the Greater Tokyo Area of Japan. It is located east of Tokyo Station and east-southeast of Narita Station in the city of Narita, and the adjacent town of Shibayama....
on October 12, 2004. The aircraft was originally introduced into service on April 1, 1994. In addition, the airline operated its last two McDonnell Douglas DC-10
McDonnell Douglas DC-10
The McDonnell Douglas DC-10 is a three-engine widebody jet airliner manufactured by McDonnell Douglas. The DC-10 has range for medium- to long-haul flights, capable of carrying a maximum 380 passengers. Its most distinguishing feature is the two turbofan engines mounted on underwing pylons and a...
flights on October 31, 2005. One aircraft, JA8543, operated as Japan Airlines Flight 736 from Hong Kong International Airport to Narita International Airport, touched down at 16:05. Another aircraft, JA8541, operated as Japan Airlines Flight 952 from Incheon International Airport
Incheon International Airport
Incheon International Airport is the largest airport in South Korea, the primary airport serving the Seoul national capital area, and one of the largest and busiest airports in the world...
to Narita International Airport, touched down at 16:37. This marked the DC-10's last flight with the airline, ending over 30 years of operations for this model.
The airline phased out three Boeing 747-200F
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
s in the 2008 financial year; and operated its last Boeing 747-300
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
Classic Jumbo Jet as JALways Flight 73 from Honolulu International Airport
Honolulu International Airport
Honolulu International Airport is the principal aviation gateway of the City & County of Honolulu and the State of Hawaii and is identified as one of the busiest airports in the United States, with traffic now exceeding 21 million passengers a year and rising.It is located in the Honolulu...
to Narita International Airport on July 30, 2009, after 26 years of service to the airline group. The aircraft was met on arrival by the "Father of the 747", Mr Joseph F. "Joe" Sutter. One former JAL 747SR is now being used as a NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
Shuttle Carrier Aircraft
Shuttle Carrier Aircraft
The Shuttle Carrier Aircraft are two extensively modified Boeing 747 airliners that NASA uses to transport Space Shuttle orbiters...
. The airline plans to retire all of its Boeing 747
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
and Airbus A300-600
Airbus A300
The Airbus A300 is a short- to medium-range widebody jet airliner. Launched in 1972 as the world's first twin-engined widebody, it was the first product of Airbus Industrie, a consortium of European aerospace companies, wholly owned today by EADS...
aircraft by March 2011. The airline retired its last Boeing 747
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
on March 1, 2011. The last flight was a flight from Honolulu International Airport
Honolulu International Airport
Honolulu International Airport is the principal aviation gateway of the City & County of Honolulu and the State of Hawaii and is identified as one of the busiest airports in the United States, with traffic now exceeding 21 million passengers a year and rising.It is located in the Honolulu...
to Narita International Airport
Narita International Airport
is an international airport serving the Greater Tokyo Area of Japan. It is located east of Tokyo Station and east-southeast of Narita Station in the city of Narita, and the adjacent town of Shibayama....
, ending 41 years of service with the Boeing 747.
- Airbus A300-600RAirbus A300The Airbus A300 is a short- to medium-range widebody jet airliner. Launched in 1972 as the world's first twin-engined widebody, it was the first product of Airbus Industrie, a consortium of European aerospace companies, wholly owned today by EADS...
- Beech 18Beechcraft Model 18The Beechcraft Model 18, or "Twin Beech", as it is better known, is a 6-11 seat, twin-engine, low-wing, conventional-gear aircraft that was manufactured by the Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas...
- Boeing 727-100Boeing 727The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced...
- Boeing 737-400Boeing 737 ClassicThe Boeing 737 Classic is the name given to the -300/-400/-500 series of the Boeing 737 following the introduction of the -600/-700/-800/-900 series. They are short- to medium- range, narrow-body jet airliners produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The Classic series was introduced as the 'new...
- Boeing 747-100, SR^, 200B, 300, 400Boeing 747The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
* - Boeing 767-200Boeing 767The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail...
- Boeing 767-300FBoeing 767The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail...
(by JAL Cargo) - Convair 880Convair 880The Convair 880 was a narrow-body jet airliner produced by the Convair division of General Dynamics. It was designed to compete with the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8 by being smaller and faster, a niche that failed to create demand...
- Douglas DC-3Douglas DC-3The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
- Douglas DC-4Douglas DC-4The Douglas DC-4 is a four-engined propeller-driven airliner developed by the Douglas Aircraft Company. It served during World War II, in the Berlin Airlift and into the 1960s in a military role...
- Douglas DC-6B *
- Douglas DC-7Douglas DC-7The Douglas DC-7 is an American transport aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company from 1953 to 1958. It was the last major piston engine powered transport made by Douglas, coming just a few years before the advent of jet aircraft such as the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8.-Design and...
C * - Douglas DC-8-30, 50, 60Douglas DC-8The Douglas DC-8 is a four-engined narrow-body passenger commercial jet airliner, manufactured from 1958 to 1972 by the Douglas Aircraft Company...
* - Falcon 20Dassault Falcon 20The Dassault Falcon 20 is a French business jet and was the first of a family of business jets built by Dassault Aviation.-Design and development:...
- Martin 2-0-2Martin 2-0-2The Martin 2-0-2 was one of the first modern airliners. The twin-engined piston aircraft was designed and built by the Glenn L. Martin Company.-Design and development:...
- McDonnell Douglas DC-10-40McDonnell Douglas DC-10The McDonnell Douglas DC-10 is a three-engine widebody jet airliner manufactured by McDonnell Douglas. The DC-10 has range for medium- to long-haul flights, capable of carrying a maximum 380 passengers. Its most distinguishing feature is the two turbofan engines mounted on underwing pylons and a...
- McDonnell Douglas MD-11McDonnell Douglas MD-11The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 is a three-engine medium- to long-range widebody jet airliner, manufactured by McDonnell Douglas and, later, by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Based on the DC-10, it features a stretched fuselage, increased wingspan with winglets, refined airfoils on the wing and smaller...
- McDonnell Douglas MD-87
- NAMC YS-11NAMC YS-11The NAMC YS-11 is a turboprop airliner built by a Japanese consortium, the Nihon Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation. The program was initiated by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry in 1954, the aircraft was rolled out in 1962, and production ceased in 1974.-Development and design:In...
^ Two 747-SR were converted to SUD (Stretched Upper Deck)
* Also Freighter versions operated by JAL Cargo
J-Bird
The long haul medium demand international routes of JAL were used by the fleet of J-Birds, McDonnell Douglas MD-11McDonnell Douglas MD-11
The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 is a three-engine medium- to long-range widebody jet airliner, manufactured by McDonnell Douglas and, later, by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Based on the DC-10, it features a stretched fuselage, increased wingspan with winglets, refined airfoils on the wing and smaller...
. They were named after birds.
- JA8580 – Tufted puffinTufted PuffinThe Tufted Puffin also known as Crested Puffin, is a relatively abundant medium-sized pelagic seabird in the auk family found throughout the North Pacific Ocean....
- JA8581 – Fairy PittaFairy PittaThe Fairy Pitta, Pitta nympha, is a small passerine bird. It breeds in north-east Asia in Japan, South Korea, mainland China and Taiwan, migrant in Thailand and winters mainly on the island of Borneo in east Malaysia, Brunei, and Kalimantan in Indonesia....
- JA8582 – Manchurian Crane
- JA8583 – Golden EagleGolden EagleThe Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
- JA8584 – Okinawa RailOkinawa RailThe Okinawa Rail is a species of bird in the rail family, Rallidae. It is endemic to Okinawa Island in Japan where it is known as the...
- JA8585 – Mountain Hawk EagleMountain Hawk EagleThe Mountain Hawk-Eagle or Hodgson's Hawk-eagle is a bird of prey. Like all eagles, it is in the family Accipitridae...
- JA8586 – White StorkWhite StorkThe White Stork is a large bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. Its plumage is mainly white, with black on its wings. Adults have long red legs and long pointed red beaks, and measure on average from beak tip to end of tail, with a wingspan...
- JA8587 – Pryer's Woodpecker
- JA8588 – White Tailed Sea Eagle
- JA8589 – Rock ptarmigan
Star Jet
JAL's Boeing 777 fleet with the tsurumaru livery was called the Star Jet, with each aircraft named after a star.Boeing 777-200 Star Jet
- JA8981 – SiriusSiriusSirius is the brightest star in the night sky. With a visual apparent magnitude of −1.46, it is almost twice as bright as Canopus, the next brightest star. The name "Sirius" is derived from the Ancient Greek: Seirios . The star has the Bayer designation Alpha Canis Majoris...
- JA8982 – VegaVegaVega is the brightest star in the constellation Lyra, the fifth brightest star in the night sky and the second brightest star in the northern celestial hemisphere, after Arcturus...
- JA8983 – Altair
- JA8984 – BetelgeuseBetelgeuseBetelgeuse, also known by its Bayer designation Alpha Orionis , is the eighth brightest star in the night sky and second brightest star in the constellation of Orion, outshining its neighbour Rigel only rarely...
- JA8985 – ProcyonProcyonProcyon is the brightest star in the constellation Canis Minor. To the naked eye, it appears to be a single star, the seventh brightest in the night sky with a visual apparent magnitude of 0.34...
Boeing 777-300 Star Jet
- JA8941 – RegulusRegulusRegulus is the brightest star in the constellation Leo and one of the brightest stars in the night sky, lying approximately 77.5 light years from Earth. Regulus is a multiple star system composed of four stars which are organized into two pairs...
- JA8942 – SpicaSpicaSpica is the brightest star in the constellation Virgo, and the 15th brightest star in the nighttime sky. It is 260 light years distant from Earth...
- JA8943 – Arcturus
- JA8944 – AntaresAntaresAntares is a red supergiant star in the Milky Way galaxy and the sixteenth brightest star in the nighttime sky . Along with Aldebaran, Spica, and Regulus it is one of the four brightest stars near the ecliptic...
- JA8945 – DenebDenebDeneb is the brightest star in the constellation Cygnus and one of the vertices of the Summer Triangle. It is the 19th brightest star in the night sky, with an apparent magnitude of 1.25. A blue-white supergiant, Deneb is also one of the most luminous nearby stars...
Flower Jet
In the 1990s JAL introduced the 150 seater Boeing 737-400 to handle domestic route expansion efficiently and economically. The 400 series was equipped with the latest electronic systems and high performance engines. The Boeing 737-400 fleet was called "Flower Jet" as each aircraft was named after a different flower.- JA8994 – LavenderLavenderThe lavenders are a genus of 39 species of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae. An Old World genus, distributed from Macaronesia across Africa, the Mediterranean, South-West Asia, Arabia, Western Iran and South-East India...
- JA8995 – CattleyaCattleyaCattleya is a genus of 113 species of orchids from Costa Rica to tropical South America. The genus was named in 1824 by John Lindley after Sir William Cattley who received and successfully cultivated specimens of Cattleya labiata that were used as packing material in a shipment of other orchids...
- JA8996 – DahliaDahliaDahlia is a genus of bushy, tuberous, perennial plants native to Mexico, Central America, and Colombia. There are at least 36 species of dahlia, some like D. imperialis up to 10 metres tall. Dahlia hybrids are commonly grown as garden plants...
- JA8998 – HibiscusHibiscusHibiscus is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae. It is quite large, containing several hundred species that are native to warm-temperate, subtropical and tropical regions throughout the world...
New cabin
JAL introduced new international First and Executive Class seats: the JAL Suite for First Class, featured a seat 20 percent roomier than the Skysleeper Solo in a 1-2-1 configuration; and the JAL Shell Flat Neo Seat for Executive Class Seasons, a slightly revised version of the original Shell Flat Seat, with a wider seat; expanded center console; and the world's first in-flight photo art exhibit, Sky Gallery. These seats, along with the Premium Economy seats, debuted on Japan Airlines Flights 5 and 6, operated on the TokyoTokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
–New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
route on August 1, 2008. It expanded to the Tokyo–San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
route on September 13, 2008, and the Tokyo–Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in 2009.
Eight JAL Suites and 77 JAL Shell Flat Neo Seat are installed in each Boeing 777-300ER
Boeing 777
The Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from , depending on model...
aircraft, with 46 Premium Economy and 115 Economy seats taking up the rest of the aircraft cabin. The purpose is to improve income yield per passenger, while reducing fuel cost per passenger mile, utilizing the most efficient aircraft available.
International services
First class (aviation)
First class is a luxury travel class on some airliners that exceeds business class, premium economy, and economy class. On a passenger jetliner, first class refers to a limited number of seats or cabins located in the front of the aircraft which are notable for their comfort, service, and privacy...
Skysleeper Solo or Skysleeper; Executive Class Seasons
Business class
Business class is a travel class available on many commercial airlines and rail lines, known by brand names which vary by airline or rail company. In the airline industry, it was originally intended as an intermediate level of service between economy class and first class, but many airlines now...
Shell Flat Seat or Skyluxe Seat; Premium Economy
Premium economy
Premium economy is a travel class offered on some airlines, positioned in price, comfort, and amenities between economy class and business class. As of 2011, the term is not standardized among airlines, and varies significantly when comparing its use on domestic versus international flights or...
Sky Shell Seat; and Economy Class
Economy class
__FORCETOC__Economy class, also called coach class , steerage, or standard class, is the lowest class of seating in air travel, rail travel, and sometimes ferry or maritime travel....
. The First Class Skysleeper Solo reclines fully and features genuine leather upholstery from Poltrona Frau of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. The Executive Class Seasons Shell Flat Seat is a lie-flat design with the ability to lower armrests to the same height as the seat when reclined. Premium Economy is a recent addition, it was first introduced on the Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
–London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
route on December 1, 2007. It features a shell-shaped seat that allows passengers to recline by sliding their seat forward, without having the seat in front intrude when reclining.
Japan domestic services
On Japan domestic services, the airline offers First Class, class J Executive Class and Economy Class. The First Class seat is made from premium genuine leather with a seat width of about 53 cm (20.9 in) and a seat pitch of about 130 cm (51.2 in). Class J features ergonomicallyErgonomics
Ergonomics is the study of designing equipment and devices that fit the human body, its movements, and its cognitive abilities.The International Ergonomics Association defines ergonomics as follows:...
designed reclining seats that promote relaxation by allowing passengers to move naturally and maintain a balanced posture.
MAGIC
MAGIC, JAL's in-flight entertainmentIn-flight Entertainment
In-flight entertainment refers to the entertainment available to aircraft passengers during a flight. In 1936, the airship Hindenburg offered passengers a piano, lounge, dining room, smoking room, and bar during the 2½ day flight between Europe and America...
system, supported by the JAL Entertainment Network (JEN), features the latest hit movies and videos, games and audio programs. There are four generations of the MAGIC system: MAGIC-I, MAGIC-II, MAGIC-III, MAGIC-IV and the new MAGIC-V (To be installed on selected Boeing 767-300ER routes) Introduced on December 1, 2007, the MAGIC-III system provides Audio/Video On Demand
Video on demand
Video on Demand or Audio and Video On Demand are systems which allow users to select and watch/listen to video or audio content on demand...
(AVOD) entertainment to all passengers. The number of movie, music, video and game channels on MAGIC-III was doubled from 57 to 130 by 2008; and it is installed on all seats on Boeing 767-300ER
Boeing 767
The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail...
, 777-200ER
Boeing 777
The Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from , depending on model...
and 777-300ER
Boeing 777
The Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from , depending on model...
aircraft. Aircraft with MAGIC-I and MAGIC-II have movies that automatically start when the AVOD system is turned on—once the aircraft reaches cruise level—and economy class passengers can tune in to watch the movie in progress; and all movies restart upon completion. Executive and First Class passengers have full AVOD control. MAGIC systems also have JAL's duty-free shopping catalogue, including flight crew recommendations and a video of specials available on the flight. MAGIC-V will feature the same entertainment as MAGIC-III, but with a touch screen controller, along with a handset. There will be USB ports for iPod connectivity, and an easier to control handset. (Being introduced on selected Boeing 767-300ER routes in late October).
Aircraft cameras
Additional media
Skyward, the airline group's inflight magazine, reflecting the company motto of "Dream Skyward". Prior to the merger with JASJapan Air System
was the smallest of the big three Japanese airlines, headquartered in the JAS M1 Building at Tokyo International Airport in Ōta, Tokyo. In contrast to JAL and ANA, its international route network was very small, but its domestic network incorporated many smaller airports that were not served by...
, JAL's inflight magazine was called Winds. All of the JAL Group magazines are provided by JALUX.
In June 2006, JAL announced a promotion featuring the Nintendo DS Lite
Nintendo DS Lite
The is a dual-screen handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It is a slimmer, brighter, and more lightweight redesign of the Nintendo DS, designed to be aesthetically sleeker, while taking styling cues from the Game Boy Advance SP, and to appeal to broader commercial audiences...
. Between June 1 and August 31, all Executive and First Class passengers would be offered use of Nintendo DS Lites
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
specially manufactured for air travel, with the wireless capabilities of these units were removed in order to conform with airline safety
Air safety
Air safety is a term encompassing the theory, investigation and categorization of flight failures, and the prevention of such failures through regulation, education and training. It can also be applied in the context of campaigns that inform the public as to the safety of air travel.-United...
standards.
In-flight catering
Japan Airlines offers meals on intercontinental routes, depending on the cabin class, destination and flight length. Western and JapaneseJapanese cuisine
Japanese cuisine has developed over the centuries as a result of many political and social changes throughout Japan. The cuisine eventually changed with the advent of the Medieval age which ushered in a shedding of elitism with the age of shogun rule...
menu selections are typically offered, including seasonal menu selections varied by destination. Special meal offerings can be requested in each class during booking, including children's, religious, vegetarian, and other meals.
Sakura Lounge
Sakura Lounge, named after the Japanese word for cherry blossomSakura
A cherry blossom is the flower of any of several trees of genus Prunus, particularly the Japanese Cherry, Prunus serrulata, which is sometimes called sakura after the Japanese . Many of the varieties that have been cultivated for ornamental use do not produce fruit...
, is Japan Airlines' signature lounge. In addition, the airline also operates the following international, including First Class Lounge, Sakura Lounge annex and JAL Lounge; and domestic lounges, including Diamond Premier Lounge and JAL Lounge. Access to the lounges depend on the class of travel or the membership status in the JAL Mileage Bank or JAL Global Club.
JAL Mileage Bank
JAL Mileage Bank (JMB) is the travel rewards program of JAL Group, including Japan Airlines, JALwaysJALways
, formerly , was an international airline registered in Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan, with its headquarters on the third floor of the at Narita International Airport in Narita, Chiba Prefecture and its main hub at Narita International Airport. The airline had a secondary hub at Osaka's Kansai...
, JAL Express
JAL Express
, is a low-cost airline with its headquarters in the on the grounds of Osaka International Airport and in Ikeda, Osaka Prefecture, Japan, and its main hub at Osaka International Airport. The airline also maintains Tokyo offices in the Japan Airlines Building in Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan...
, Japan Transocean Air
Japan Transocean Air
, or JTA, is an airline based in Naha, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It operates domestic services. Its main base is Naha Airport.- History :...
, Japan Air Commuter
Japan Air Commuter
is a Japanese airline based in Kirishima, Kagoshima Prefecture. It operates feeder services in support of Japan Airlines. Its main base is Kagoshima Airport, with hubs at Osaka International Airport, Amami Airport and Fukuoka Airport. - History :...
, Hokkaido Air System
Hokkaido Air System
, or HAC, is an airline with its headquarters on the property of Okadama Airport in Okadamachō, Higashi-ku, Sapporo. It operates scheduled domestic services in Hokkaidō. Its main base of operations is Okadama Airport.- History :...
and Ryukyu Air Commuter
Ryukyu Air Commuter
is an airline headquartered in Naha, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It operates domestic passenger services from the island of Okinawa to the Ryūkyū Islands and Amami Islands.-Code data:*ICAO Code: RAC*Callsign: RYUKYU-History:...
.
Oneworld
Oneworld , branded as oneworld, is one of the world's three largest global airline alliances with its central management team, oneworld Management Company, based in New York City, New York, USA. Oneworld was founded in 1999 by American Airlines, British Airways, Canadian Airlines, Cathay Pacific...
partners, as well as Air France
Air France
Air France , stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, , and is one of the world's largest airlines. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance...
, China Eastern Airlines
China Eastern Airlines
China Eastern Airlines Corporation Limited is an airline headquartered on the grounds of Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport in Changning District, Shanghai, China. It is a major Chinese airline operating international, domestic and regional routes. Its main hubs are at Shanghai Pudong...
and Emirates
Emirates Airline
Emirates is the airline based in the Emirate of Dubai part of the United Arab Emirates . Based at Dubai International Airport it is the largest airline in the Middle East, operating over 2,400 flights per week, from its hub at Terminal 3, to 111 cities in 62 countries across six continents...
. For the airline's most frequent flyers, JMB offers Fly On Program, a frequent flyer service status program; and JAL Global Club (JGC), an exclusive club designed for experienced travelers.
The JMB program has no membership fee and mileage will be valid to the last day of the 36th month following the month of the flight or transaction date. In addition, if a JMB member does not accumulate mileage within 36 months after becoming a member, or a JMB member's account remains inactive at zero mileage for a consecutive 36 month period, JAL may withdraw or cancel the membership of such member.
JMB Fly On Program
The Fly On Program is the frequent flyer service status program and is divided into four membership levels, Crystal, Sapphire, JGC Premier and Diamond, based on the member's travel in the last calendar year. Additionally, a minimum of four JAL Group flights on eligible fare classes are required. Members earn Fly On points on eligible fare classes on JAL Group and Oneworld member airlines. These are used to calculate the member's eligibility for membership renewal, upgrade or downgrade during the membership year. Higher-tiered members are provided with increased travel benefits such as bonus mileage, additional baggage allowance, priority boarding and airport lounge access. There are two phases to the Fly On Program service benefits; one begins after two months following qualification for membership and the other begins from April of the following year. Membership is valid until March 31 of the second year following membership qualification.Crystal
Crystal level is achieved or retained when the member earns 30,000 Fly On Points or boarding more than 30 flights and minimum of 10,000 Fly On Points. Services and benefits after two months of membership qualification include priority waitlisting, 50 percent bonus mileage, airport loungeAirport lounge
An airport lounge is a lounge owned by a particular airline . Many offer private meeting rooms, phone, fax, wireless and Internet access and other business services, along with provisions to enhance comfort such as free drinks and snacks...
access for Japan domestic flights with lounge coupons via mileage deduction, priority check-in at Executive Class
Business class
Business class is a travel class available on many commercial airlines and rail lines, known by brand names which vary by airline or rail company. In the airline industry, it was originally intended as an intermediate level of service between economy class and first class, but many airlines now...
counters for international flights, JGC counters and priority baggage for class J on JAL Group domestic flights, 10 kg (22 lb) or one piece of extra baggage allowance, priority boarding on international flights, priority airport standby and class J upgrade with class J coupon via mileage deduction. Services and benefits from April of the following year include 10 upgrade points for complimentary flight upgrades. JMB Crystal membership level is equivalent to Oneworld Ruby tier status, which entitles members to Oneworld Ruby benefits when travelling on a Oneworld member airline.
Sapphire
Sapphire level is achieved or retained when the member earns 50,000 Fly On Points or boarding more than 50 flights and minimum of 15,000 Fly On Points. Additional services and benefits for Sapphire members after two months of membership qualification include 100 percent bonus mileage, JAL or Sakura Lounge access with one guest when flying on JAL Group airline flights. Priority check-in at First ClassFirst class (aviation)
First class is a luxury travel class on some airliners that exceeds business class, premium economy, and economy class. On a passenger jetliner, first class refers to a limited number of seats or cabins located in the front of the aircraft which are notable for their comfort, service, and privacy...
counters for international flights and JGC counters for Japan domestic flights, priority baggage, 20 kg (44.1 lb) or two pieces of extra baggage allowance and access to JAL Fast Security Lane. Additional services and benefits for Sapphire members from April of the following year include 20 upgrade points for complimentary flight upgrades. JMB Sapphire members will be invited to join the JGC, which is dedicated to cater for experienced travelers. JMB Sapphire membership level is equivalent to Oneworld Sapphire tier status, which entitles members to Oneworld Sapphire benefits when travelling on a Oneworld member airline.
JGC Premier
JGC Premier is achieved or retained when the member earns 80,000 Fly On Points or boarding more than 80 flights and minimum of 25,000 Fly On Points. Additional services and benefits for JGC Premier members after two months of membership qualification include mileage expiry suspension during membership period, First Class and Diamond / Premier Lounge access with one guest when flying on JAL Group airline flights, and priority check-in at First Class counters and priority boarding for both international and domestic flights. Additional services and benefits for JGC Premier members from April of the following year include three complimentary transferable JAL and Sakura Lounge coupons, 30 upgrade points for complimentary flight upgrades, one complimentary JAL Hotels one night stay coupon, five complementary passes to the Century 21 Club and one flower gift coupon. JGC Premier membership level is equivalent to Oneworld Emerald tier status, which entitles members to Oneworld Emerald benefits when travelling on a Oneworld member airline.Diamond
The highest membership level in the Fly On Program of the JAL Mileage Bank. Diamond level is achieved or retained when the member earns 100,000 Fly On Points or boarding more than 120 flights and minimum of 35,000 Fly On Points. Additional services and benefits for Diamond members after two months of membership qualification include 125 percent bonus mileage and any seat award tickets with double mileage deduction. Additional services and benefits for Diamond members from April of the following year include 40 upgrade points for complimentary flight upgrades, two complimentary JAL Hotels one night stay coupons and Century 21 Club membership. JMB Diamond membership level is equivalent to Oneworld Emerald tier status, which entitles members to Oneworld Emerald benefits when travelling on a Oneworld member airline.JAL Global Club
The JAL Global Club is an exclusive club dedicated to cater for JAL Group's most experienced and valuable travelers. Membership is available to JMB members who have earned 50,000 Fly On Points or boarding more than 50 flights and minimum of 15,000 Fly On Points. In addition, membership can be enrolled under JALCARD Club-A, Club-A Gold or JAL's Diners ClubDiners Club
Diners Club International, founded as Diners Club, is a charge card company formed in 1950 by Frank X. McNamara, Ralph Schneider and Matty Simmons...
membership after payment of an annual fee. Life-time membership will be given as long as a one-time qualifying member continues to pay the JALCARD annual fee. The Oneworld tier status as a JGC member will depend on the JMB Fly On program membership levels, with the following exception: JGC members will automatically attain Oneworld Sapphire status upon enrollment, regardless of the number of FLY ON Points accumulated in the previous calendar year.
JGC benefits include 3,000 bonus miles for the first JAL Group eligible flight flown every year, JAL or Sakura Lounge access with one guest, priority baggage, 20 kg (44.1 lb) or two pieces of extra baggage allowance, priority check-in, personlized leather baggage tags, annual gifts of a calendar and a diary and exclusive use of member lounges at designated hotels. In addition, JALCARD Club-A, Club-A Gold and JAL Diners Club holders receive 35 percent JALCARD flight bonus mileage.
In popular culture
Japan Airlines has been the focus of several television programTelevision program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
s in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
over the years, most being dramas revolving around cabin attendants. Attention Please
Attention Please
is a manga by Chieko Hosokawa about the training of flight attendants for Japan Airlines originally serialized in Shōjo Friend from Kodansha beginning in 1970. Tokyo Broadcasting System adapted a TV drama from the manga in 1970. Thirty-six years later, Fuji TV produced a new drama series in 2006...
was a drama in 1970 that followed the story of a young girl who joins JAL to be a cabin attendant while overcoming many difficulties. This show was remade in 2006 again as Attention Please starring Aya Ueto
Aya Ueto
is a Japanese actress, singer, model, tarento, and occasional radio personality. Born in Nerima, Tokyo, Ueto was discovered when she participated in the 7th Japan Bishōjo Contest, where she won the special jury prize...
who joins a class of cabin attendant nominees and later graduates. Most of the action of the story of the 2006 series takes place at JAL's Haneda flight operations headquarters. The series has had two specials since the original, marking the main character's transition into JAL's international operations.
During the 1980s, JAL was also the focus of another drama entitled Stewardess Monogatari which featured another young girl during training to be a JAL cabin attendant. During the 1990s, JAL featured several commercials with celebrities, including Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
who danced and sang to a backdrop of JAL Boeing 747
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
s on rotation.
See also
- AviationAviationAviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
- Air transport in Japan
- List of airports in Japan
- List of Japanese companies
- Transport in JapanTransport in JapanTransportation in Japan is modern and infrastructure spending has been large.Japan's road spending has also been large. The 1.2 million kilometers of paved road are the main means of transportation. Japan has left-hand traffic...
External links
- Corporate website
- Japanair.com (Archive)
- JAL Creative (Archive, Japanese)