Japan Airlines and Japan Air System integration: New sales companies for airline and travel sales

JAL Sales Network, the passenger sales and marketing company of the JAL Group, has changed its name to JAL Sales, effective October 4.

The name change reflects the fact that the company, originally established for Japan Airlines Group (JAL) sales, will now also handle the sales and marketing of airline tickets and travel products of Japan Air System (JAS) in Japan. JAL and JAS are now undergoing complete integration, due to be completed by April 2004.

With the inclusion of JAS sales and marketing activities the JAL Sales company will expand its sales network coverage in Japan and at the same time contribute to significant cost savings in the sales and marketing activities of the integrated company.

The company has 2,200 employees in 49 offices in five sales regions within Japan: Hokkaido, East Japan, Central Japan, West Japan and Kyushu.

JAL Sales is currently 100% owned by Japan Airlines but from April 2003 ownership will pass to Japan Airlines System Corporation, a recently established holding company established by the two airlines to oversee the integration.

NEW DOMESTIC TOUR WHOLESALE COMPANY

Japan Airlines and Japan Air System are also integrating their domestic package tour wholesaling business into a new company, JAL TOURS, which will formally start business in April 2003.

The new company is being formed by the integration of the JAL Group domestic tour wholesaler, JAL STORY, and the JAS tour-wholesaling arm, JAS Nice Wing.

JAL Story had 1.15 million domestic package tour customers in 2001. JAS Nice Wing had 1.01 million domestic customers and also sold 30,000 international package tours.

Currently the JAL Group international tour wholesaling business is handled by the JALPAK Company, a JAL subsidiary. From April 2003 JALPAK will handle the international package wholesaling of the new JAL Group, incorporating JAS products.

Both JAL TOURS and JALPAK will be subsidiaries of JAL Sales, under the holding company, Japan Airlines System Corporation.