JAL Group (JAL) has announced revisions to its international network, flight frequency and fleet plans in the second half of fiscal year 2014, the year ending March 31, 2015. The airline will launch two routes between Nagoya (Chubu) and Bangkok, as well as between Osaka (Kansai) and Los Angeles. Additionally, the airline’s fully revamped JAL SKY SUITE aircraft will be expanded onto more international routes. JAL is implementing adjusted flight frequencies and fleet plans in accordance with the needs of its customers. JAL is embracing new challenges to expand its network, and to enhance the quality of products and services in order to improve customers’ convenience.

The following flight schedules and fleet plans are subject to relevant authorities’ approvals and changes.

1. Expansion of International Network

JAL will advance the implementation of an expanded international network outside of Japan’s Tokyo Metropolitan Area, which was originally scheduled for FY2015. The airline will launch Chubu = Bangkok route from December 2014, and Kansai = Los Angeles route from March 2015. These are JAL’s first international flights from Chubu Airport in ten years, and concurrently its first international flights from Kansai Airport in six years. JAL becomes the only Japanese airline to operate nonstop flights on these two international routes. The airline is positively contributing to the economic development of the Chubu and Kansai regions, as well as to the improvement of customers’ convenience.

Launched Routes

(*1) Boeing 787-8 will utilized on the Chubu – Bangkok route from January 1, 2015.
(*2) “( )”are the Dep. and Arr. time on and after March 29, 2015, which are subject to change.

Chubu-Bangkok route

The Bangkok route will be initially operated with a Boeing 767-300 ERs, and from January 2015, the aircraft is scheduled to be replaced with the Boeing 787-8s in order to provide customers with a more comfortable in-flight experience. JAL will operate five daily flights between Japan and Bangkok after adding the Chubu – Bangkok service, which re-positions JAL as the leader in flight frequencies to and from Bangkok. Additionally, JAL customers arriving from Japan can transit at Bangkok to an additional 13 destinations beyond, including Myanmar and Cambodia, by using JAL codeshare flights operated by Bangkok Airways (PG).

Kansai=Los Angeles route

In addition to JAL’s daily Tokyo (Narita) – Los Angeles flight (*3), JAL will launch the Kansai – Los Angeles route, the only nonstop connection between Los Angeles and the area with Japan’s second largest economy and population, starting March 20, 2015.
(*3)Two daily flights are available between Narita and Los Angeles including the codeshare flights operated by AA.

The Kansai – Los Angeles route will operate utilizing the Boeing 787-8, which offers an improved in-flight experience because of the aircraft’s advanced technology, especially on long-haul routes. Additionally, in cooperation with American Airlines (AA), JAL’s partner airline for trans-Pacific joint business, customers can reach 37 additional destinations from Los Angeles, via AA’s network.

Additionally, Boeing 787-8s will be introduced on the Narita – Bangkok and Kansai – Bangkok routes from December 2014, as well as the Chubu – Bangkok route from January 2015, enabling JAL to provide fully-flat seats or shell flat seats in Business Class cabins on all medium and long haul routes to and from Southeast Asia and Honolulu.