JAPAN AIRLINES AND CHINA EASTERN AIRLINES TO CODE SHARE

18 July 2002

Japan Airlines and China Eastern Airlines Corporation Ltd., have agreed to introduce a comprehensive code share arrangement from September 1st.

The code share agreement will provide both carriers with greatly enhanced schedule variation that will be of substantial benefit to their customers.

In response to increasing demand between Japan and the East China Region up to now JAL has provided flights from Narita to Shanghai (Pudong), Kansai to Shanghai (Pudong) and from Narita to Qingdao. China Eastern operates Narita to Shanghai's ' Hongqiao airport, Kansai to Hongqiao and Kansai to Qingdao. 

This year from April 18 when the second runway opened at Narita, JAL increased Tokyo-Shanghai flights and Tokyo-Qingdao flights and inaugurated service between Nagoya and Shanghai, while China Eastern opened its Tokyo-Beijing route.

Travelers to Shanghai from Narita now have the choice of three departures a day, morning (JAL), late lunch time (China Eastern) and evening (JAL).

Shanghai is a major gateway for domestic air travel in China and the code share agreement will improve access to this network.

The code share on the Kansai-Qingdao route provides a convenient expansion of JAL's China network. 

The two airlines have long enjoyed an excellent working relationship and have reciprocal ground handling and general sales agency agreements.

In addition to the passenger code share agreement, since April this year JAL and China Eastern have been operating four freighter flights per week(JAL two, China Eastern two). and have a joint sales agreement in air cargo. Reflecting an increase in cargo traffic volume, all-cargo flight frequency is double that of last year, when each carrier operated one cargo flight each.