JAL revises international network, flight frequency and fleet plans

TOKYO, Japan – JAL Group (JAL) today announced revisions to its international network, flight frequency and fleet plans in the second half of fiscal year 2014, the year ending March 31, 2015. The airline will launch two routes between Nagoya (Chubu) and Bangkok, as well as between Osaka (Kansai) and Los Angeles. Additionally, the airline’s fully revamped JAL SKY SUITE aircraft will be expanded onto more international routes. JAL is implementing adjusted flight frequencies and fleet plans in accordance with the needs of its customers. JAL is embracing new challenges to expand its network, and to enhance the quality of products and services in order to improve customers’ convenience.

*The following flight schedules and fleet plans are subject to relevant authorities’ approvals and changes.

1. Expansion of International Network

JAL will advance the implementation of an expanded international network outside of Japan’s Tokyo Metropolitan Area, which was originally scheduled for FY2015. The airline will launch Chubu = Bangkok route from December 2014, and Kansai = Los Angeles route from March 2015. These are JAL’s first international flights from Chubu Airport in ten years, and concurrently its first international flights from Kansai Airport in six years. JAL becomes the only Japanese airline to operate non-stop flights on these two international routes. The airline is positively contributing to the economic development of the Chubu and Kansai regions, as well as to the improvement of customers’ convenience.

Launched Routes

Flight No.
Route
Dep. Time
Arr. Time
Aircraft
Date Effective
Days of Operation

JL737
Nagoya (Chubu) – Bangkok
10:30
14:50
767-300ER 787-8(*1)
Dec. 20, 2014 ~
Daily

JL738
Bangkok – Nagoya (Chubu)
22:55
06:20+1

JL060
Osaka (Kansai) – Los Angeles
15:20

(17:40)*(2)
09:20

(12:00)
787-8
Mar. 20, 2015 ~
Daily

JL069
Los Angeles – Osaka (Kansai)
11:20

(14:30)
15:50+1

(19:00+1)

(*1) Boeing 787-8 will utilized on the Chubu = Bangkok route from January 1, 2015.

(*2) “( )”are the Dep. and Arr. time on and after March 29, 2015, which are subject to change.

Chubu=Bangkok route

Many Japanese enterprises have been developing their businesses in Thailand, a country that is rapidly growing in Southeast Asia, and its capital, Bangkok, boasts the highest demand of business and leisure travel in Southeast Asia. Japan Airlines is currently operating 3 daily Tokyo (Narita and Haneda) = Bangkok flights, and one daily Osaka (Kansai) = Bangkok flight. In order to further expand services on the Bangkok route to meet the growing demand, the airline has decided to launch a route from the Chubu region, Japan’s third biggest regional economy, which has been supporting the development of Japan’s manufacturing industry.

The route will be initially operated with a Boeing 767-300ER, and from January 2015, the aircraft is scheduled to be replaced with the Boeing 787-8 in order to provide customers with a more comfortable in-flight experience. JAL will operate five daily flights between Japan and Bangkok after adding the Chubu = Bangkok service, which re-positions JAL as the leader in flight frequencies to and from Bangkok. Additionally, JAL customers arriving from Japan can transit at Bangkok to an additional 13 destinations beyond, including Myanmar and Cambodia, by using JAL codeshare flights operated by Bangkok Airways (PG).

JAL strives to provide business and leisure customers with more convenience to Bangkok with the improved network.

Kansai=Los Angeles route

Los Angeles, located on the West Coast of the United States is also home to the second largest population in the U.S. and is one of the most attractive U.S. metropolises for business and tourism in the world. It also has the largest population of Japanese nationals residing overseas and is the leader in terms of air travel demand in North America.

In addition to JAL’s daily Tokyo (Narita) = Los Angeles flight (*3), JAL will launch Kansai = Los Angeles route, the only non-stop connection between Los Angeles and the area with Japan’s second largest economy and population, starting March 20, 2015.

(*3)Two daily flights are available between Narita and Los Angeles including the codeshare flights operated by AA.

The Kansai = Los Angeles route will operate utilizing the Boeing 787-8, which offers an improved in-flight experience because of the aircraft’s advanced technology, especially on long-haul routes. Additionally, in cooperation with American Airlines (AA), JAL’s partner airline for trans-Pacific joint business, customers can reach 37 additional destinations from Los Angeles, via AA’s network.

2. Improved In-flight Comfort Benefits Customers As a Result of Aircraft Change

To improve customer comfort, the “JAL SKY SUITE”, well-received seats, will be installed into the airline’s revamped Boeing 787-8s, called “JAL SKY SUITE 787” (SS8). The SS8 will be first introduced onto the airline’s Narita = Frankfurt route from December 2014, and the Narita = New York route (JL004/JL003) from January 2015. In addition, JAL SKY SUITE 777 (SS7) will be introduced onto the Haneda = San Francisco route, and the Narita = Sydney route from December 2014. JAL SKY SUITE 767 (SS6) will begin operating on the Narita = Ho Chi Minh City route from October 2014. JAL plans to further expand operations of its “JAL SKY SUITE” aircraft onto more international routes in the future.

Additionally, Boeing 787-8s will be introduced on the Narita = Bangkok and Kansai = Bangkok routes from December 2014, as well as the Chubu = Bangkok route from January 2015, enabling JAL to provide fully-flat seats or shell flat seats in Business Class cabins on all medium and long haul routes to and from Southeast Asia and Honolulu.

JAL is progressively improving the quality of its products and services to provide customers with an even more comfortable experience on every journey.

3. Carefully Responding to Meet Changes in Demand

Larger aircraft will be introduced on select Narita = Taipei (Taoyuan) and Haneda = Taipei (Songshan) flights to meet the robust travel demand to Japan.

Additionally, smaller aircraft will be introduced on select Chubu = Shanghai, Narita = Shanghai and Narita = Beijing flights. The airline will also utilize the Boeing 787-8 on its Narita = Delhi route from December 2014 and concurrently decrease flight frequency on its Narita = Seoul (Incheon) route. JAL is continuously reviewing and responding to meet changes in demand including the expected growth of transit needs between Asia and North America, through its efficient flight operations. For more details, please refer to tables below.

[Aircraft type changes]

Route
Effective Period
Flight No.
Aircraft
Remarks

Narita = Frankfurt
December 1, 2014 ~
JL407/JL408
777-300ER (SS7) to 787-8 (SS8)
(*5)

Narita = New York
January 1, 2015 ~
JL004/JL003
787-8 to 787-8 (SS8)
(*6)

Haneda = San Francisco
December 1, 2014 ~
JL002/JL001
787-8 to 777-300ER (SS7)

Narita = Sydney
JL771/JL772
777-200ER to 777-300ER (SS7)
(*7)

Narita = Ho Chi Minh City
October 26, 2014 ~
JL759/JL750
767-300ER to 767-300ER (SS6)

Haneda = Bangkok
December 1, 2014 ~
JL033/JL032
767-300ER to 777-200ER
(*8)

Narita = Bangkok
JL707/JL708
767-300ER to 787-8
(*9)

Kansai = Bangkok
JL727/JL728
(*10)

Narita = Delhi
JL749/JL740
777-200ER to 787-8

Narita = Manila
JL741/JL742
767-300ER to 787-8

Haneda = Taipei (Songshan)
JL097/JL098
767-300ER to 777-200ER

Narita = Taipei (Taoyuan)
October 26, 2014 ~
JL809/JL802
737-800 to 767-300ER

Narita = Shanghai (Pudong)
JL877/JL874
767-300ER to737-800

Chubu = Shanghai (Pudong)
JL883/JL884

Narita = Beijing
JL869/JL860

(*5) Operated by the SS8.

(*6) Aircraft type change for JL003 will be from January 2, 2015. The start of the SS8 operation is subject to change and will be informed on JAL website.

(*7) Aircraft type change for JL772 will be from December 2, 2014. SS7 is available for JL771/JL772 until March 28, 2015.

(*8) Premium Economy will be available for sale.

(*9) Aircraft type change for JL708 will be from December 2, 2014.

(*10) Aircraft type change for JL728 will be from December 2, 2014.

[Flight frequency decrease and aircraft type change]

Route
Details
Updated Flight Schedule
Remarks

Flight No.
Dep. Time
Arr. Time
Aircraft

Narita – Seoul ( Incheon)
Decrease from 14 to 7 weekly flights from October 26, 2014
JL959
18:35
21:30
767-300ER
(*11)

Seoul (Incheon) – Narita
JL954
13:40
16:05

(*11) JL954 will be operated by Boeing 737-800 on October 26, 2014.

[Flight frequency decrease]

Route
Flight No.
Details
Remarks

Narita = Moscow
JL441/JL442
Decrease from 4 to 3 weekly flights from October 26, 2014
(*12)

(*12) Days of operation: Wednesday, Friday and Sunday