With the
high prices of jet fuel, the JAL Group has decided to carry out a bold review of
its original FY2008 route, flight frequency and fleet plan further concentrating its resources on improving profitability and increasing competitiveness.
The airline group aims to improve profitability by increasing flight frequency on four high growth, high profit routes in Asia where demand is
strong, whilst suspending services on three under-performing international routes. JAL will also expand aircraft downsizing by introducing
smaller, more fuel-efficient aircraft on an additional five international routes.
In Japan, JAL will conduct the biggest review of its domestic passenger operations since 2002 by cutting unprofitable routes, adjusting supply
to demand through flight frequency reductions on other routes and by adding more flights on popular routes. The airline will increase flight
frequency on five routes, decrease flight frequency on four other routes, and will suspend a total of 12 routes.
JAL aims to increase overall competitiveness by improving the products and services offered on selected international routes. The JAL Shell Flat
Seat, the airline's business class seat in JAL Executive Class
will be introduced onto routes
serving between Tokyo and Sydney, and Tokyo and Jakarta. JAL Premium Economy featuring the JAL Sky Shell Seat with 20% more legroom
than available in economy class will be introduced onto four more routes. The airline will also start operating on all
China routes aircraft fitted with personal TV monitor in all classes of travel. Currently, this is offered on approximately 95% of China routes.
The airline will also revise the schedules of five international passenger routes improving departures times and connectivity to increase their
customer appeal and ultimately the income they generate.
Regarding international cargo operations, flight frequency will be reduced in the second half of FY2008 when compared to the fist half of the
fiscal year with the objective of increasing profitability. One aircraft freighter routing will be suspended and two new ones will be
introduced.
INTERNATIONAL PASSENGERS
Flight Frequency Increase
- Route |
Details |
Date Effective |
Tokyo (Narita) Seoul |
Increase flight frequency from 21 to 26 flights per
week |
Oct 26, 2008 |
Osaka (Kansai) Shanghai
(Pudong) |
Increase flight frequency from 14 to 21 flights per
week |
Oct 26, 2008 |
Osaka
(Kansai ) Hanoi |
Daily service to be established. Increase flight frequency from 4 to 7 flights per
week |
Oct 26, 2008 |
Osaka
(Kansai) - Seoul |
Increase flight frequency from 14 to 21 flights per
week |
Oct 26, 2008 |
Route Suspension |
Details |
Date Effective |
Fukuoka Shanghai
(Pudong) |
Service suspension (7 flights per
week) |
Oct 26, 2008 |
Nagoya (Chubu) Busan |
Service suspension (7 flights per
week) |
Oct 26, 2008 |
Osaka (Kansai) London |
Service suspension (7 flights per
week) |
Mar 29, 2009 |
Aircraft Changes
- Route |
Details |
Date Effective |
Tokyo
(Haneda) Shanghai (Hongqiao) |
Aircraft change from 747-400 to
777-200ER |
Oct 26, 2008 |
Tokyo (Narita) Shanghai
(Pudong) |
Aircraft change from 767-300ER to
737-800 (only JL619/ 610) |
Oct 26, 2008 |
Tokyo (Narita) Hangzhou |
Aircraft change from 767-300ER to
737-800 |
Oct 26, 2008 |
Tokyo (Narita) Taipei |
Aircraft change from 747-400 to
767-300ER - (only JL647/ 642) |
Mar 1, 2009 |
Osaka (Kansai ) Shanghai
(Pudong) |
Aircraft change from 767-300ER to
737-800 - (only JL629/ 620) |
Jan 1, 2009 |
Schedule Changes
- Route |
Details |
Date Effective |
Tokyo (Narita) Kuala Lumpur |
Earlier Narita departure to improve connections onto Malaysia domestic flight
(JL723) |
Oct 26, 2008 |
Tokyo (Narita) Amsterdam |
Earlier Narita departure to improve connection onto intra-European services
(JL411) |
Oct 26, 2008 |
Guangzhou
Tokyo(Narita) |
Improve flight timing by offering later departure time from Guangzhou
(JL660) |
Oct 26, 2008 |
Tokyo (Narita) - Busan |
Improve flight timing by offering later departure time from Narita (JL969), and earlier departure time from Busan
(JL960) |
Oct 26, 2008 |
Osaka (Kansai) - Busan |
Improve flight timing by offering earlier departure from Kansai
(JL967) |
Oct 26, 2008 |
Service Improvement
- Route |
Details |
Date Effective |
Tokyo (Narita) Sydney |
Introduction of JAL Shell Flat Seat to business
class |
From Oct 27, 2008 |
Tokyo (Narita) Jakarta |
Introduction of JAL Shell Flat Seat to business
class |
From Jan 1, 2009 |
Tokyo
(Narita) Moscow |
Introduction of JAL Premium Economy service on
route |
From Nov 29, 2008 |
Tokyo (Narita) Amsterdam |
Introduction of JAL Premium Economy service on
route |
From Oct 2,
2008 (available Thu, Sat, Sun from Oct 2 Dec 5, 2008 >>daily service from Dec 6,
2008) |
Osaka (Kansai) London |
Introduction of JAL Premium Economy service on
route |
From Nov 1,
2008 (available Mon, Wed, Fri from Nov 1 28, 200 >>daily service from Nov 29,
2008) |
Nagoya (Chubu) Paris |
Introduction of JAL Premium Economy service on
route |
From Dec 6, 2008 |
All China routes |
Introduce aircraft with personal TV monitor in all classes of
travel |
From Jan 1, 2009 |
|
DOMESTIC PASSENGERS |
|
Flight Frequency Increases
- Route |
Details |
Date Effective |
Tokyo
(Haneda) Matsuyama |
Increase flight frequency from 4 to 5 flights per day |
Nov, 2008 |
Tokyo
(Haneda) Miyazaki |
Increase flight frequency from 4 to 5 flights per day. Excluding year end, New Year, Spring
holidays |
Nov, 2008 |
Fukuoka Tokyo (Narita) |
Increase flight frequency from 1 to 2 flights per
day. Provide smooth connections onto Los Angeles and New York
flights |
Nov, 2008 |
Nagoya (Chubu) - Sapporo |
Increase flight frequency from 4 to 5 flights per
day |
Feb, 2009 |
Osaka (Itami) - Niigata |
Increase flight frequency from 5 to 6 flights per day |
Mar, 2009 |
Flight Reductions
- Route |
Details |
Date Effective |
Osaka (Kansai) Sapporo |
Decrease flight frequency from 6 to 4 flights per
day |
Nov, 2008 |
Osaka (Kansai) Fukuoka |
Decrease flight frequency from 4 to 3 flights per
day |
Nov, 2008 |
Osaka (Kansai) Okinawa (Naha) |
Decrease flight frequency from 5 to 4 flights per
day. Same number of flights as second half FY2007 |
Nov, 2008 |
Nagoya (Komaki) - Kumamoto |
Decrease flight frequency from 2 to 1 flights per
day |
Nov, 2008 |
Route Suspensions |
Details |
Date Effective |
Osaka (Kansai) Hakodate |
Service suspension (1 flight per
day) |
Nov, 2008 |
Osaka (Kansai) Sendai |
Service suspension (1 flight per
day) |
Nov, 2008 |
Osaka (Kansai) Iwate Hanamaki |
Service suspension (1 flight per
day) |
Feb, 2009 |
Osaka (Kansai) Akita |
Service suspension (1 flight per
day) |
Feb, 2009 |
Osaka (Kansai) Fukushima |
Service suspension (1 flight per
day) |
Feb, 2009 |
Osaka (Itami) Fukushima |
Service suspension (1 flight per
day) |
Feb, 2009 |
Kobe Kagoshima |
Service suspension (2 flights per
day) |
Feb, 2009 |
Nagoya
(Chubu) Fukuoka |
Service suspension (3 flights per
day) |
Mar 29, 2008 |
Iwate Hanamaki Okinawa (Naha) |
Spring holidays daily service to be
suspended |
Mar, 2009 |
Sendai Okinawa (Naha) |
Seasonal daily service to be
suspended |
Dec 19 ,2008 |
Fukushima Okinawa (Naha) |
Service suspension (1 flight per
day) - Operated by JTA |
Feb, 2009 |
Kochi Okinawa (Naha) |
Service suspension (3 flights per
day) - Operated by JTA |
Feb, 2009 |
INTERNATIONAL CARGO
Route |
Details |
Aircraft |
Date Effective |
Tokyo (Narita) Anchorage New York |
Decrease from 6 to 3 flights per
week |
747-400F |
Oct 26, 2008 |
Tokyo
(Narita) Los Angeles |
Decrease from 7 to 6 flights per
week |
747-400F |
Oct 26, 2008 |
Tokyo (Narita) Kuala Lumpur Manila Osaka
(Kansai) Tokyo (Narita) |
Routing suspension (1 flight per
week) |
767-300F |
Oct 26, 2008 |
Tokyo (Narita) Hong Kong |
Increase from 1 to 2 flights per
week |
Additional flight using 767-300F |
Oct 26, 2008 |
Tokyo (Narita) Singapore Bangkok- Nagoya
(Chubu) Tokyo (Narita) |
Decrease from 3 to 2 flights per
week |
747-400F |
Oct 26, 2008 |
Tokyo (Narita) Singapore Bangkok- Osaka (Kansai) Tokyo (Narita) |
New routing (1 flight per
week) |
767-300F |
Oct 26, 2008 |
Tokyo (Narita) Taipei |
Decrease from 5 to 4 flights per
week |
747-400F |
Oct 26, 2008 |
Tokyo (Narita) Taipei Nagoya (Chubu) Tokyo
(Narita) |
New routing (1 flight per
week) |
747-400F |
Oct 26, 2008 |
Recently
many airlines including, among others, Cathay
Pacific, Northwest
Airlines, United
Airlines, Air
New Zealand, Qantas,
Continental
Airlines, American
Airlines, Virgin
Blue and Air
Canada have announced significant reductions or redeployments to
their international operations.
See
other recent news regarding:
Travel News Asia, Promotions,
New
Hotels, JAL,
Reductions
|