Tag Archives: narita international airport

Japan Airlines takes delivery of its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

JAL-Japan Airlines (Tokyo) has taken delivery of its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. The pictured 787-9 JA861J (msn 35422) was handed over by Boeing to the carrier on May 14 but it did not arrive at the Narita International Airport base until June 11 according to our partner ZipanguFlyer. The jetliner seats 195 in a three-class layout with 44 Sky Suite (business), 35 Sky Premium (premium economy), and 116 Sky Wider II (economy) seats. The new type is expected to enter revenue service on the Tokyo (Narita) – Jakarta (Soukarno-Hatta) route on July 1.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

All photos by JAL.

JAL-Japan Airlines aircraft slide show:

ANA inaugurates the Houston – Tokyo Narita route

ANA – All Nippon Airways (Tokyo) today launched its new Houston (Bush Intercontinental) route to Tokyo (Narita). The airport issued this statement:

Following a ribbon cutting and sake ceremony, the inaugural flight of All Nippon Airway’s (ANA) newest route bound for Tokyo Narita Airport, departed Houston George Bush International Airport this morning (June 12) – underscoring the global importance of the city of Houston.

A member of the Star Alliance and joint venture partner with United Airlines, ANA expanded its nonstop service to Houston, providing passengers with additional daily flights between Houston and Tokyo. Star Alliance members can now choose a morning or afternoon departure in each direction, providing greater flexibility for travelers, especially those taking advantage of ANA’s expanded service to other Asian and American destinations beyond Houston or Tokyo.

The Boeing 777-300 ER used for today’s flight was welcomed to the gate with an official water turret salute. The 250-seat passenger plane includes eight first class and 52 business class seats to accommodate travelers.

Today’s ceremony began with a Taiko Japanese drum performance by local group, Kaminari Taiko. Diaz and Shinobe each addressed the attendees, and they were joined by additional remarks from Jim Compton, United Airlines Vice Chairman and Chief Revenue Officer, and the Honorable Nozomu Takaoka, Consul-General of Japan in Houston and Bob Pertierra, SVP and Chief Economic Development Officer, Greater Houston Partnership. Also in attendance from the office of the Governor of Texas was Oliver Yang, there to present Shinobe with a proclamation. In a gift exchange honoring Texas and Japanese culture, Diaz presented Shinobe with a Stetson cowboy hat and Shinobe reciprocated with an ANA Boeing 777 model plane.

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 777-381 ER JA778A (msn 32651) arrives at Tokyo’s Narita International Airport (NRT).

ANA aircraft slide show:

Delta to drop the Tokyo Narita-Hong Kong route on October 26

Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) is planning to drop the Tokyo (Narita)-Hong Kong route on October 26. The airline is realigning its Pacific network per Airline Route. The route is served with Boeing 767-300 ERs.

In addition, Delta is also dropping the Nagoya-Manila route on October 26.

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 767-332 ER N169DZ (msn 29689) climbs away from the runway at Narita International Airport (NRT) near Tokyo.

Delta Air Lines (current livery):

Spring Airlines Japan launches operations today

Spring Airlines Japan (Tokyo-Narita) today (August 1) as planned, launched passenger operations from Narita International Airport to Hiroshima, Saga and Takamatsu with its 189-seat Boeing 737-800s according to ZipanguFlyer.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Rick Schlamp/AirlinersGallery.com. The pictured Boeing 737-81D N272LM (msn 39429) became JA01GR on delivery.

Spring Airlines Japan:

Air China is gradually phasing out the Boeing 747-400

Air China (Beijing) is gradually phasing out its aging Boeing 747-400 fleet. The Jumbo is being replaced with newer Boeing 777-300ERs. The fleet is now down to four aircraft. The flag carrier is ending domestic Boeing 747-400 scheduled flights on June 30 according to Airline Route. The last domestic route is the Beijing – Shanghai (Hongqiao).

The carrier will continue to fly the type until October 25 on the following routes:

Beijing – Hong Kong
Beijing – Tokyo (Narita)
Shanghai (Pudong) – Tokyo (Narita)

The Jumbo, subject to change, is expected to then exit the fleet.

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 747-4J6 B-2460 (msn 24348) arrives at Tokyo’s Narita International Airport (NRT).

Air China:

Garuda Indonesia restores the Jakarta-Tokyo Haneda route

Garuda Indonesia (Jakarta) on June 15, 2014 officially restored the Jakarta – Tokyo (Haneda) route to meet market demand and broaden its flight network.

For Garuda Indonesia, the occasion signifies an important moment in history as its echoes the airline’s first flight from Indonesia to Japan on March 13, 1962 which departed from the old Kemayoran Airport in Jakarta for Haneda Airport in Tokyo via Hong Kong, using a Lockheed 188 Electra.

The Jakarta – Haneda daily flight schedule departs from Jakarta at 13.05 (Local Time) and arrives in Haneda at 22.35 (Local Time). On the return flight, GA 875 departs from Haneda at 00.30 (Local Time) and arrives in Jakarta at 06.00 WIB. To serve the restored Jakarta-Haneda service, Garuda Indonesia operates the Airbus A330-300 on the route that features a two class layout; business class with a seat capacity of 36 passengers and economy class for 215 passengers.

With the opening of the Jakarta – Haneda direct service, Garuda Indonesia currently serves 39 weekly flights to Japan, including the Jakarta – Osaka (Kansai), Denpasar – Osaka (Kansai), Jakarta – Tokyo (Narita), Denpasar – Tokyo (Narita), Denpasar – Tokyo (Haneda), and Jakarta – Tokyo (Haneda).

Through the codeshare agreement with ANA-All Nippon Airways, Garuda Indonesia passengers will be able to fly with ANA to various large cities in Japan, such as Fukuoka, Saporro and Okinawa.

In addition, the opening of the Jakarta – Haneda service will offer Garuda Indonesia passengers the choice to continue their journey to Los Angeles and Seattle/Tacoma with Garuda Indonesia and Delta Airlines codesharing flights.

The launching of the Jakarta – Haneda direct service is part of the airline’s “network” expansion program, especially in the international sector, following Garuda Indonesia’s official entry into the “SkyTeam” global alliance.

As a SkyTeam member, Garuda Indonesia can now expand its service network to 1,064 destination cities in 178 countries that are served by SkyTeam member airlines, which constitutes more than 90% of the world’s air traffic, with up to 15 thousand flights per day.

In line with Garuda Indonesia’s continuous expansion through the airline’s “Quantum Leap 2011-2015” long-term program, in 2014, Garuda Indonesia plans to purchase as many as 27 new airplanes, consisting of two Boeing 777-300s, four Airbus A330s, twelve Boeing 737-800s, three Bombardier CRJs, and six ATR 72-600s.

Copyright Photo: Nik French/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A330-341 PK-GPD (msn 144) taxies across the tarmac at Tokyo’s Narita International Aport (NRT) in the special Liverpool Football Club “You’ll Never Walk Alone” color scheme.

Garuda Indonesia:

ANA will order 70 Airbus and Boeing aircraft including the new 777-9X

ANA Holdings (ANA-All Nippon Airways) (Tokyo) plans to place an order for 20 new Boeing 777-9X aircraft (below) as well as 14 additional Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. The Japanese carrier also ordered six additional Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft (above). ANA also ordered 30 additional Airbus A320 (below bottom) and A321neo aircraft.

This order restores the momentum for the new Boeing 777X project as Japan Airlines had previously defected from Boeing to Airbus with an order for 31 Airbus A50s.

ANA Holdings issued this statement:

ANA Holdings is to place firm orders for 70 new aircraft worth ¥1700 billion at list prices with Boeing and Airbus. The order, approved at a meeting today (March 27) of the Board of Directors of ANA HD, is the biggest in the airline’s history and will support ANA’s drive to become one of the world’s leading airline groups.

The aircraft will be delivered during period of FY 2016-2027 and will increase the size of the ANA fleet to 250 aircraft.

ANA HD has decided to purchase twenty Boing 777-9X, a large twin-aisle aircraft with 15% larger seating capacity, as a successor to its existing fleet of Boeing 777-300 ERs. In addition, ANA HD will purchase six further Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft to support the expansion of its international services until delivery of Boeing 777-9X.

ANA HD will also place fourteen additional orders for the medium-sized Boeing 787-9 aircraft. This will take its total fleet of Dreamliners to 80, confirming ANA as the world’s biggest operator of this fuel-efficient airliner.

The order with Airbus consists of 30 smaller single-aisle jets from the A320 family – seven A320neo aircraft and twenty-three A321neo aircraft, which will replace ANA’s existing Boeing 737-500 and Airbus A320ceo aircraft.

The new Boeing aircraft will be used predominantly on international routes while the new Airbus aircraft will be introduced both on domestic routes and international routes.

ANA Group’s introduction of these new aircraft will help it respond to the needs of the increasing number of passengers expected to arrive in Japan in the run-up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and will support the Japanese government’s plans to boost the annual total of foreign visitors to Japan to 20 million.

Top Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 777-381 ER JA783A (msn 27940) approaches the runway at Tokyo’s Narita International Airport (NRT).

ANA:

Bottom Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus did not win a new Japanese customer for the new A350 but got a consolation order for more Airbus A320s which will become the predominate domestic aircraft for the ANA Group (over the Boeing 737NG). Airbus A320-211 JA8946 (msn 669) with additional “Inspiration of Japan” markings also arrives at Narita International Airport.

Delta launches international Wi-Fi service on its Boeing 747-400s

Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) will launch international Wi-Fi service on flights 283 and 295 equipped with Ku-band satellite Wi-Fi on Boeing 747-400 aircraft departing Los Angeles International Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to Narita International Airport in Tokyo. For more than five years, Delta has provided Wi-Fi to customers traveling on its mainline aircraft flying within the United States.

Delta has three of 16 Boeing 747-400 aircraft complete which also operate between Detroit and Seoul-Incheon; Detroit and Nagoya, Japan; Detroit and Tokyo-Narita; New York-JFK and Tel Aviv as well as New York-JFK and Tokyo-Narita.

Customers can access Wi-Fi service with introductory pricing options that begin with one hour passes for laptop users as low as $14.00 and $8.00 for mobile users or a flight pass option, which will keep customers connected throughout their flight, starting at $24.95 for laptop users and $14.95 for mobile users. All of Delta’s 747-400 aircraft will have Wi-Fi installed by mid-2014.

Delta will complete the installation of Wi-Fi service on its entire international fleet by the end of 2015 including its Boeing 777, 767, 747, Airbus A330 and trans-oceanic Boeing 757 aircraft operating on international, long-haul routes. Delta and Gogo are in the final testing phase for Wi-Fi on the Airbus A330 fleet. The addition of in-flight Internet for more than 150 aircraft will expand the number of worldwide aircraft equipped with Wi-Fi to approximately 1,000 jets including all two-class regional, domestic and international aircraft.

The new international service uses satellites for global connectivity to offer coverage internationally and will compliment Delta’s existing air-to-ground service already provided by Gogo for aircraft flying within the domestic U.S.

Delta operates the world’s largest Wi-Fi-equipped fleet of aircraft with more than 3,400 flights daily, including its entire fleet of 570 domestic mainline aircraft. More than 870 Delta aircraft, including all Delta Connection two-class regional jets, are equipped with in-flight Wi-Fi service offering more than 400,000 customers per day access to the Internet above 10,000 feet.

Delta Air Lines:

JAL Boeing 787 is grounded in Tokyo after smoke vents from the main battery

JAL-Japan Airlines (Tokyo) has grounded a Boeing 787-8 (JA834J) at Narita International Airport (NRT) near Tokyo today after white smoke was observed venting from the main battery yesterday afternoon (January 14). The battery showed signs of melting. The event happened during normal maintenance when the aircraft was on the ground.

JAL now operates 13 Boeing 787-8s.

Read the full report from Reuters: CLICK HERE

For more information, please see this report from ZipanguFlyer: CLICK HERE

JAL-Japan Airlines:

Vanilla Air takes delivery of its first Airbus A320

Vanilla Air (formerly AirAsia Japan) (Tokyo-Narita), Japan’s newest low-cost carrier has taken delivery of its first A320 (A320-216 JA01VA, msn 5844) in Toulouse, France, on lease from AWAS. The airline will start commercial services on December 20 from Tokyo’s Narita International Airport to Okinawa and Taipei, gradually expanding services to Sapporo and Seoul (Incheon) and international holiday resort destinations

Vanilla Air’s A320 is configured with 180 seats in a high comfort all economy layout. The aircraft is equipped with Sharklet fuel saving wing tip devices and powered by CFM56 engines.