JAL announces passenger traffic results for 2011 Golden Week

JAL Group (JAL) announced today, passenger traffic results for the Japanese “Golden Week” vacation that spanned 11 days this year from April 28 to May 8.

JAL Group (JAL) announced today, passenger traffic results for the Japanese “Golden Week” vacation that spanned 11 days this year from April 28 to May 8. Capacities this year on international and domestic routes were decreased by 26.1% and 24.1% correspondingly, compared to the same period in 2010 as the airline continues striving for profitability. 213,386 passengers flew on the Group’s international flights while 961,373 passengers were carried on its domestic network during this holiday season. Both figures are higher than the initial estimate issued before the start of Golden Week, and are declines of 31.3% and 24.6% respectively versus the same period last year.

In particular, the final number of reservations to South Korea, China and other short-haul Asian destinations surpassed the forecast. International flights were approximately 95% full at the peak of this vacation period which fell on April 29 for outbound travel and May 8 for inbound, with most flights to and from Haneda Airport almost full on those days. 26 additional flights were operated as scheduled to resort destinations Honolulu, Palau and Bali. The overall load factor on international flights reached 73.4%.

Following the Great East Japan Earthquake, reservations for domestic flights this year were observed to be made later, nearer to the date of travel. The decline in passenger count corresponded with the percentage reduction in capacity, resulting in an overall load factor of 68.3% – almost level with the same period in 2010. JAL operated 316 additional domestic flights mainly to airports in north east Japan such as Sendai, Hanamaki and Yamagata.

JAL Group International Results April 28, 2011 to May 8, 2011

JAL Routes
Available Seat
% Change from 2010
Passenger Count
Passenger Count
% Change from 2010
Seat load factor (% )

Hawaii
– 37.6
26,457
– 41.7
78.1

Transpacific
– 17.3
18,126
– 28.8
68.9

Europe
– 26.5
16,617
– 32.5
65.3

S.E. Asia
– 23.0
55,260
– 24.8
73.2

Oceania
– 52.7
3,135
– 57.4
60.5

Guam
– 49.7
4,069
– 52.1
78.1

Korea
– 23.8
30,369
– 28.3
78.7

China
– 28.2
38,490
– 25.7
75.5

Taiwan
– 14.0
20,863
– 25.3
70.7

TOTAL
– 26.1
213,386
– 31.3
73.4

JAL Group Domestic Results April 28, 2011 to May 8, 2011

Available Seat
% Change from 2010
Passenger Total
Passenger Total
% Change from 2010
Seat load factor %

JAL / JEX / JAIR
– 27.7
805,894
– 28.1
68.6%

JTA
+ 6.1
91,117
+ 6.5
72.1%

RAC
+ 13.2
9,593
+ 8.0
65.6%

JAC
– 4.4
54,769
– 6.6
60.4%

TOTAL
– 24.1
961,373
– 24.6
68.3%

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Linda Hohnholz

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