Saturday, September 6, 2014

JAL reveals Winter 2014/2015 international plans.

On September 5th, Japan Airlines (JL/JAL) announced their Winter 2014/2015 schedule effective October 26th. As rumored before, Osaka/Kansai (KIX/RJBB) – Los Angeles (LAX/KLAX) will be resumed (JAL to resume Kansai – Los Angeles in Winter 2014/2015.) on March 20th, but also Nagoya/Chubu Centrair (NGO/RJGG) – Bangkok/Suvarnabhumi (BKK/VTBS), which restarts from December 20th.
Boeing 787-8 JA825J takes off from Tokyo's Haneda Airport. (Photo: Aviation Wire)

In line with the award-winning product updates with the Sky Suite 777 and 767 (JAL adding more Sky Suite destinations.), Japan's second largest carrier will also introduce Sky Suite configuration on the Dreamliner, dubbed 'Sky Suite 787', starting with their 16th 787-8, JA837J. Premium economy will be introduced on the 787-8, reducing the seat-count from 186 (42 business and 144 economy) to 161 seats (38 business, 35 premium economy, and 88 economy). Economy will retain eight abreast (2-4-2), going against the worldwide trend of nine abreast and clearly differentiating themselves from ANA.

It will enter service on Tokyo/Narita (NRT/RJAA) – Frankfurt/Main (FRA/EFFD) on December 1st, while Narita – New York/John F. Kennedy (JFK/KJFK) would be the second route to see the product from January 1st. Stretched 787-9s, the first handover of which is planned for early 2015, will also be configured in the Sky Suite layout from delivery, but whether to reconfigure earlier 787-8s is still under consideration.

New Routes/Resumptions (INTERNATIONAL):
Nagoya/Chubu Centrair – Bangkok/Suvarnabhumi NEW 1 daily with 787-8. *From 2014/Dec/20.
JL737 NGO 1030 – 1450 BKK 788 Daily *Operated with 767-300ER Dec/20-31.
JL738 BKK 2255 – 0620(+1) NGO 788 Daily *Operated with 767-300ER Dec/20-31.

Osaka/Kansai – Los Angeles NEW 1 daily with 787-8. *From 2015/Mar/20.
JL060 KIX 1520 – 0920 LAX 788 Daily *Mar/20-28.
JL060 KIX1740 – 1200 LAX 788 Daily *From Mar/29.
JL069 LAX 1120 – 1550(+1) KIX 788 Daily *Mar/20-28.
JL069 LAX1430 – 1900(+1) KIX 788 Daily *From Mar/29.

Equipment Changes (INTERNATIONAL):
Nagoya/Chubu Centrair – Shanghai/Pudong 737-800 replaces 767-300ER.
Osaka/Kansai – Bangkok/Suvarnabhumi 787-8 replaces 767-300ER. *From Dec/1.
Tokyo/Haneda – Bangkok/Suvarnabhumi JL033/032 777-200ER replaces 767-300ER. *From Dec/1.
Tokyo/Haneda – Beijing 787-8 replaces 767-300ER.
Tokyo/Haneda – San Francisco 777-300ER replaces 787-8. *From Dec/1.
Tokyo/Haneda – Taipei/Songshan JL097/098 777-200ER replaces 767-300ER. *From Dec/1.
Tokyo/Narita – Bangkok/Suvarnabhumi JL707/708 787-8 replaces 767-300ER. *From Dec/1.
Tokyo/Narita – Beijing JL869/860 737-800 replaces 767-300ER.
Tokyo/Narita – Delhi/Indira Gandhi 787-8 replaces 777-200ER. *From Dec/1.
Tokyo/Narita – Manila/Ninoy Aquino JL741/742 787-8 replaces 767-300ER. *From Dec/1.
Tokyo/Narita – Shanghai/Pudong JL877/874 737-800 replaces 767-300ER.
Tokyo/Narita – Sydney 777-300ER replaces 777-200ER. *From Dec/1.
Tokyo/Narita – Taipei/Taoyuan JL809/802 767-300ER replaces 737-800.

Frequency Reductions (INTERNATIONAL):
Tokyo/Narita – Moscow/Domodedovo from 4 to 3 weekly.
Tokyo/Narita – Seoul/Incheon from 2 to 1 daily, 767-300ER replaces 737-800.

Kansai – Los Angeles was suspended in October 2006, while Chubu Centrair – Bangkok/Suvarnabhumi was axed in October 2010. JAL has been saying that improving financial results and a recovering economy plus the availability of fuel-efficient aircraft (787s) are having the company consider restarting international routes from cities other than Tokyo, notably Osaka and Nagoya. JAL earlier announced timetable changes for Winter 2014/2015 in July (JAL re-times international flights in Winter 2014/2015.), while domestic plans were announced last month (JAL to terminate Narita – Okinawa.).

Reference: Japan Airlines, September 5th. (in Japanese)
Reference: Japan Airlines, September 5th. (in Japanese)

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