JAL's 2nd Samurai Blue Jet enters service.

Japan Airlines (JL/JAL) and Adidas Japan, both sponsoring companies of the Japan National Football (Soccer) Team, together unveiled a second 'Samurai Blue Jet' in support of the team's participation in Brazil's FIFA World Cup 2014. 'Samurai Blue' is the nickname for the national team.

Boeing 777-346/ER JA740J 'Samurai Blue Jet 2' departs Haneda bound for Heathrow. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

The first, Boeing 777-246 JA8985, was unveiled on February 26th (JAL unveils Samurai Blue Jet.) and entered service on the Tokyo/Haneda (HND/RJTT) - Fukuoka (FUK/RJFF) route on the same day. It only flies domestic routes. The second was painted on Boeing 777-346/ER JA740J and entered service on April 4th on flight JL043, service from Haneda to London/Heathrow (LHR/EGLL).

A close-up of JA740J's 'Samurai Blue' decals. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

It will primarily fly routes to Heathrow and Paris/Charles de Gaulle (CDG/LFPG) until the end of July. Will the aircraft be chartered to carry the national team to Brazil in June?

Source: Japan Airlines, April 2nd. (in Japanese)

ANA's Summer 2014 international expansion.

Here's a review of All Nippon Airways' (NH/ANA) timetable changes for international routes from Summer 2014, which started on March 30th. Tokyo/Haneda (HND/RJTT) sees international operations being expanded dramatically, resulting from ANA's receiving of 11 prized slots for international routes at the heavily-regulated airport near downtown Tokyo.

Boeing 777-281 JA711A in Star Alliance livery taxies at Haneda. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

New Routes/Resumptions:
Haneda - Hanoi/Noi Bai (HAN/VVNB) NEW 1 daily with 76W/763.
NH857 HND 0855 – 1205 HAN 76W/763 Daily *788 from June 1st.
NH858 HAN 1400 – 2105 HND 76W/763 Daily *788 from June 1st.

Haneda - Jakarta/Soekarno-Hatta (CGK/WIII) NEW 1 daily with 788.
NH855 HND 1005 – 1540 CGK 788 Daily
NH856 CGK 2125 – 0710(+1) HND 788 Daily

Haneda - London/Heathrow (LHR/EGLL) NEW 1 daily with 77W.
NH277 HND 1130 – 1600 LHR 77W Daily
NH278 LHR 1935 – 1515(+1) HND 77W Daily

Haneda - Manila/Ninoy Aquino (MNL/RPLL) NEW 1 daily with 76W/763.
NH869 HND 0955 – 1330 MNL 76W/763 Daily *788 from May 1st.
NH870 MNL 1440 – 1955 HND 76W/763 Daily *788 from May 1st.

Haneda - Munich (MUC/EDDM) NEW 1 daily with 788.
NH275 HND 1235 – 1720 MUC 788 Daily
NH276 MUC 2125 – 1550(+1) HND 788 Daily

Haneda - Paris/Charles de Gaulle (CDG/LFPG) NEW 1 daily with 77W.
NH215 HND 1025 – 1545 CDG 77W Daily
NH216 CDG 2110 – 1600(+1) HND 77W Daily

Haneda - Vancouver (YVR/CYVR) NEW 1 daily with 76W/763.
NH116 HND 2155 – 1455 YVR 76W/763 Daily
NH115 YVR 1655 – 1905(+1) HND 76W/763 Daily

Tokyo/Narita (NRT/RJAA) - Dusseldorf (DUS/EDDL) NEW 1 daily with 788.
NH941 NRT 1100 – 1600 DUS 788 Daily
NH942 DUS 1835 – 1300(+1) NRT 788 Daily

Frequency Increases:
Haneda - Bangkok/Suvarnabhumi (BKK/VTBS) from 1 to 2 daily.
NH849 HND 0025 – 0500 BKK 772 Daily *788 from August 1st.
NH847 HND 1050 – 1525 BKK 76W/763 Daily *NEW. 788 from July 1st.
NH848 BKK 1025 – 1845 HND 772 Daily *NEW. 788 from August 1st.
NH850 BKK 2225 – 0640(+1) HND 76W/763 Daily *788 from July 1st.

Haneda - Frankfurt/Main (FRA/EDDF) from 1 to 2 daily.
NH203 HND 0100 – 0610 FRA 788 Daily
NH223 HND 1125 – 1635 FRA 77W Daily *NEW
NH204 FRA 1200 – 0625(+1) HND 788 Daily
NH224 FRA 2045 – 1455(+1) HND 77W Daily *NEW

Haneda - Singapore/Changi (SIN/WSSS) from 1 to 2 daily.
NH841 HND 1105 – 1720 SIN 788 Daily *NEW
NH843 HND 2350 – 0615(+1) SIN 788 Daily
NH842 SIN 1150 – 2000 HND 788 Daily *NEW
NH844 SIN 2215 – 0630(+1) HND 788 Daily

Schedule Changes:
Haneda - Seoul/Gimpo (GMP/RKSS) schedule adjustments and equipment changes.
NH1161 HND 0850 – 1115 GMP 772 Daily
NH1165 HND 1620 – 1845 GMP 772 Daily
NH1167 HND 2005 – 2225 GMP 77W Daily
NH1160 GMP 0740 – 0950 HND 77W Daily
NH1162 GMP 1235 – 1440 HND 772 Daily
NH1166 GMP 2005 – 2215 HND 772 Daily

Frequency Reductions:
Narita - Bangkok/Suvarnabhumi from 2 to 1 daily. 
Narita- Singapore/Changi from 2 to 1 daily.

Suspensions:
Narita - Frankfurt/Main.
Narita - London/Heathrow. 
Narita - Munich.

In summary, five of the awarded slots at Haneda are being used to shift services from Narita, and five are for new services, while one new slot to China remains unused due to regulatory issues on the Chinese side. Together with joint-venture and Star Alliance partner Deutsche Lufthansa (LH/DLH), the two airlines will control nearly 90% of the non-stop Japan - Germany market capacity-wise.

For Japan Airlines' (JL/JAL) international flight changes from March 30th, please see our past 'JAL announces Summer 2014 international plans.' post.

Source: All Nippon Airways, December 9th. (in Japanese)
Source: All Nippon Airways, December 18th. (in Japanese)

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JAL to resume Kansai to London and Los Angeles in 2015.

Japan Airlines (JL/JAL) is planning to re-launch services from Osaka/Kansai (KIX/RJBB) to London/Heathrow (LHR/EGLL) and Los Angeles (LAX/KLAX) in the second half of fiscal year 2015. Osaka's local corporations and authorities have been pushing JAL for the resumption. Los Angeles was terminated in October 2006 and Heathrow was also suspended in March 2009.

Boeing 777-246/ER JA709J parked at Tokyo's Haneda Airport. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

To 'experiment' the feasibility, on February 19th JAL announced that they will operate a round-trip charter flight from Osaka/Kansai (KIX/RJBB) to the U.K. in July. A 245-seat Boeing 777-200ER will depart Kansai on July 2nd and arrive in Edinburgh (EDI/EGPH), Scotland, while the return leg will leave Heathrow on July 9th and arrive back at Kansai on July 10th. It will be part of Kansai Airport's 20th anniversary events. Kansai was built on 100% reclaimed land in Osaka Bay and opened on September 4th, 1994.

JAL revealed last month (JAL announces Summer 2014 international plans.) that improving financial results and a recovering economy plus the availability of Boeing 787s are having the company consider restarting long-haul routes from Kansai as well as Nagoya/Chubu Centrair (NGO/RJGG).

Source: Mainichi Shimbun, February 19th. (in Japanese)
Source: Aviation Wire, February 20th. (in Japanese)

JAL announces Summer 2014 international plans.

Japan Airlines (JL/JAL) announced its international operation changes for Summer 2014 (effective March 30th), including the expansion of Tokyo/Haneda's (HND/RJTT) international network for daytime hours (0600 - 2300). The carrier was awarded five daytime slots.

Boeing 777-246/ER JA701J departing Haneda for San Francisco as JL2. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

New Routes/Resumptions: 
Haneda - Ho Chi Minh City/Tan Son Nhat (SGN/VVTS) new 1 daily with 76W/763.
JL079 HND 0125 - 0515 SGN 76W/763 Daily
JL070 SGN 1355 - 2200 HND 76W/763 Daily
 
Haneda - London/Heathrow (LHR/EGLL) new 1 daily with 77W.
JL043 HND 1120 - 1550 LHR 77W Daily
JL044 LHR 1915 - 1500(+1) HND 77W Daily 
*Service operates as JL401/402 on March 30 - 31.

Frequency Increases:
Haneda - Bangkok/Suvarnabhumi (BKK/VTBS) from 1 to 2 daily with 772/76W/763.
JL033 HND 0040 - 0500 BKK 772/76W/763 Daily
JL031 HND 1130 - 1540 BKK 772/76W/763 Daily *NEW
JL032 BKK 0945 - 1755 HND 772/76W/763 Daily *NEW
JL034 BKK 2200 - 0610 HND 772/76W/763 Daily

Haneda - Singapore/Changi (SIN/WSSS) from 1 to 2 daily with 772/76W/763.
JL035 HND 0005 - 0605 SIN 772/76E/763 Daily
JL037 HND 1120 - 1720 SIN 772/76W/763 Daily *NEW
JL038 SIN 0150 - 0950 HND 772/76W/763 Daily *NEW
JL036 SIN 2150 - 0550 HND 772/76W/763 Daily

Tokyo/Narita (NRT/RJAA) - Moscow/Domodedovo (DME/UUDD) from 3 to 4 weekly with 788.

Narita - New York/John F. Kennedy (JFK/KJFK) from 1 to 2 daily with 77W/788.
JL006 NRT 1110 - 1205 JFK 77W Daily
JL004 NRT 1830 - 1825 JFK 788 Daily *NEW
JL003 JFK 0930 - 1240(+1) NRT 788 Daily *NEW
JL005 JFK 1315 - 1625(+1) NRT 77W Daily

Schedule Changes:
Haneda - Paris/Charles de Gaulle (CDG/LFPG) night-time moves to daytime.
JL045 HND 1035 - 1610 CDG 77W Daily
JL046 CDG 2100 - 1555(+1) HND 77W Daily

Frequency Reductions:
Narita - Suvarnabhumi from 2 to 1 daily with 76W/763.
Narita - Changi from 2 to 1 daily with 76W/763.

Suspensions:
Narita - Heathrow.

JAL's Heathrow service from Narita is shifted to Haneda, due to slot restrictions at Heathrow. Charles de Gaulle will receive a flight from both Tokyo airports; Haneda with the Boeing 777-300ER and Narita with the Boeing 787-8. Suvarnabhumi and Changi will see one of their Narita round-trips shifted to Haneda. Tan Son Nhat will be a new destination from Haneda.

JAL will accelerate refurbishing its B777-300ERs and B767-300ERs with the Sky Suite product (JAL adding more Sky Suite destinations.), with plans to have 22 completed by July. By the end of 2014, it plans to offer either full-flat seats or shell-flat seats for business class on all medium and long-haul Asian routes plus Hawaii. Meanwhile, JAL will carry out international charter flights to the U.K. from Osaka/Kansai (KIX/RJBB) this summer in part to celebrate the airport's 20th anniversary, and has stated that re-starting long-haul routes from Kansai and Nagoya/Chubu Centrair (NGO/RJGG) are seriously being considered from 2015. These flights will most likely be operated by B787s.

Source: Japan Airlines (in Japanese)

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