JAL and JAS make further progress towards integration of products and services

Japan Airlines (JAL) and Japan Air System (JAS) plan to integrate a wide range of products and services from April 2003, on their way towards complete integration by April 2004. Changes planned from April 2003 and during FY2003 include standardization, unification and elimination of  duplication of goods and services, based on a customer-friendly policy. The majority of these measures apply to domestic routes but in some cases apply also to international flights.

1. PASSENGER BUSINESS

(1) SERVICE

- Re-organization of special passenger assistance services for international flights will be made on a uniform standard based on the present JAL model.

- On JAL and JAS domestic services a new "JAL SMILE SUPPORT" assistance programme will be introduced for passengers with reduced mobility, senior citizens, travelers with infants, unescorted minors and mothers-to-be.

PASSENGER SERVICE

- On domestic flights JAL and JAS will offer two classes of travel: a domestic business class under the Superseat brand and regular economy class. JAS currently offer 3-class service on some domestic routes and their JAS Rainbow Seat business class will end on March 31 2003.

- There will be new in-flight publications and in-flight entertainment features. A new in-flight magazine, SKYWARD, will replace the current JAL magazine, WINDS, and the JAS magazine, ARCUS, on international and domestic flights. Mail order shopping catalogues on both carriers will be under the JALSHOP name and domestic in-flight video programming will be renamed JAL SKY  SQUARE.

- Designated restrooms for ladies on both airlines will be called the FLORAL ROOM, currently in use on JAS flights. JAL's ladies restrooms, ELEGANCE ROOM, will be renamed.

- Holders of the JALCARD credit card will qualify for 10% sales discount on goods purchased on JAS flights.

AIRPORT SERVICE

- LOUNGES JAL and JAS passengers will have common use of domestic airport lounges, named SAKURA LOUNGES, at Sapporo, Itami, Kansai, Fukuoka and Okinawa airports. Lounges at other airports will be named "JAL LOUNGE" and their use will be standardized to certain categories of passengers, such as premium frequent flyer programme members of the JAL Mileage Bank and the JAL Global Club.

- From April through check-in of passengers and baggage for same-day connection flights between JAL and JAS will be introduced  

(2) TIME-TABLES:

From April the two carriers will integrate time-table publication to one international and one domestic timetable, instead of the present two separate versions published by each airline.

(3) DOMESTIC RESERVATIONS:

- Domestic passenger reservations on JAL and JAS for April onwards will be  possible from February this year at either airline's reservations centers.(note: in Japan domestic flights are open for sale two months ahead). Booking for either airline will also be possible through their Internet home pages and through the JAL ONLINE system, a service for corporate clients.

- The domestic reservations system will start 24-hour operations in July. Operator assistance will be provided from 05:30 to 22:00 daily. Out of those hours an automatic answering system will operate.

(4) FREQUENT FLYER PROGRAMME

- From April 1st, the integrated JAL Mileage Bank will become Japan's Number One frequent flier programme. Members can not only earn miles from domestic and international flights but also from shopping, care rental, hotels, restaurants and other sources. The scope of earning FFP miles will be expanded. The JAL Group plans a New JAL Group bonus mile campaign and will also run a campaign offering members with 10,000 miles a special coupon  valued at 15,000 yen and exchangeable for goods and services. The usual minimum mileage redemption is 20,000 miles.

(5) FARES:

Domestic fares will be unified from April 1st. Examples:

(A) BARGAIN FARES: JAL and JAS will offer discount "BARGAIN FARES" . The range include a special "Birthday fare" now available on both carriers. 

(B) ADVANCE PURCHASE fares: The discount 21-day advance purchase fare (MAE-URI 21) will be available on all domestic routes. Both carriers will continue to offer discount tickets for specific flights but there will be a time-limit for their purchase.

(C) MULTI-COUPON fares (Japanese:kaisu-ken) will be available on both carriers. These discount fares are sold in books of four and are non-endorsable and limited to a designated passenger. (Books of six coupons are available to users of the JAL ON-LINE corporate travel assistance system) 

(D) Other special fares currently available only on JAS, such as for carers assisting elderly people, middle-aged married couples and couples with 50th wedding anniversaries, will be available on JAL flights from April.

(6) PACKAGE TOUR PRODUCTS

- Domestic package tour sales and marketing is also being unified and a new JAL Group wholesaler, JAL Tours, will start selling domestic package tours under new brand names "JAL STAGE" and "FURARI" in the first half of FY2003.

- Domestic package tour reservations and ticketing will be unified from April 2003 and available to travel agents through the JAL Group AXESS computer reservations system from April 2003.

- All international wholesale tour products will be unified under the "I'll" or AVA brands marketed by JALPAK in the first half of FY2003. 

(7) SALES AND MARKETING ORGANISATION 

- The new JAL Group sales structure will be re-organized from April 1st with the group's passenger sales company, JAL SALES, becoming a direct subsidiary of Japan Airlines System Corporation, the holding company of the new JAL Group. JAL Sales will have two subsidiary companies, JALPAK, and JALTours.

- JALPAK is the international package tour wholesale arm of the new JAL Group. JALTours is the domestic wholesale tour unit and was established in December 2002, when it absorbed the JAS domestic tour unit, NICE WING. The existing JAL domestic tour company, JAL Story, will merge with JALTours. 

- JAL and JAS also plan to merge their retail travel operations during FY2003.

2. CARGO BUSINESS

- Domestic cargo services will be unified with JAL documentation adopted as standard format.

- The two carriers will pool cargo containers (14,000 UNITS)

- Cargo counters for the acceptance and delivery of cargo shipments will be unified, reducing the number of facilities.

- Domestic cargo and mail sales will be unified under the supervision of the JAL Cargo Sales Company.