Monday, August 31, 2015

JAL is returning to Dallas-Fort Worth in November.

On August 31st, Japan Airlines [JL/JAL] announced that they will revive nonstop Tokyo/Narita [NRT/RJAA] – Dallas-Fort Worth [DFW/KDFW] service on November 30th, ending a 14-year hiatus. It will initially be operated four times weekly, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, and will be increased to daily from Spring 2016. 161-seat (38 business, 35 premium economy, and 88 economy class) Sky Suite Boeing 787-8s will be assigned to the new link.

Boeing 787-8 JA837J, which was the first Dreamliner to boast the Sky Suite product, rests between flights at Narita. JAL currently operates 22 Dash 8s and a single Dash 9, with another three and 19 on order, respectively. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

President Yoshiharu Ueki had revealed earlier this year that resuming Dallas was in the works, especially after Toyota decided to move its North American headquarters to the metropolis by 2017 (JAL contemplating Dallas-Fort Worth.). Joint-venture (JV) and Oneworld partner American Airlines [AA/AAL] has an extensive network to Latin America including Mexico, and Dallas is also a strategic transfer point. Rival All Nippon Airways [NH/ANA] only launched Houston/George Bush [IAH/KIAH] on June 12th (ANA launches Narita – Houston.) to tap into that market too, through JV and Star Alliance partner United Airlines [UA/UAL].

Flight Schedule:
Narita – Dallas-Fort Worth NEW 4 weekly with 787-8. (2015/Nov/30 - 2016/Mar/26)
JL012 NRT 1055 – 0720 DFW 788 Mo/We/Fr/Su
JL011 DFW 1145 – 1625(+1) NRT 788 Mo/We/Fr/Su

JAL's award-winning Sky Suite product boasts one of the most generous seat densities, and the 787 is the newest aircraft to receive the treatment (JAL's Sky Suite 787 makes debut.), which includes lie-flat business class seats with direct aisle access from every seat, an all-new premium economy cabin, and a comfortable eight-abreast (2-4-2) layout for economy, along with in-flight wireless internet connection dubbed JAL Sky Wi-Fi.

Japan's now second largest carrier served Dallas until October 7th, 2001, when it dropped its daily 747-400 service from Narita in the aftermath of the September 11th atrocities. Partner American currently operates two daily flights both ways using 777-200ERs, and JAL's round-trip will also be part of the JV and carry their partner's code as well. The Texas city will become JAL's eighth gateway in the U.S. and the ninth trans-Pacific route after Osaka/Kansai [KIX/RJBB] – Los Angeles [LAX/KLAX], which was also reinstated on March 20th (JAL resumes Kansai – Los Angeles.).

Source: Japan Airlines, 2015 August 31st. (in Japanese)
Source: Aviation Wire, 2015 August 31st. (in Japanese)

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