Press Release
JAL Group Passenger Traffic Forecast for 2009 Golden Week Vacation Period
Tokyo April 21, 2009: Japan Airlines Group (JAL) announced the passenger traffic forecast on international and domestic routes for the traditional Japanese “Golden Week” vacation, stretching this year from April 28 to May 6, 2009. The number of international passenger reservations for flights departing Japan is presently up by 9.1% while domestic passenger reservations are down by 1.1% relative to the same vacation period in 2008.
International
International passenger reservations during the 9 day period, made up of a combination of public holidays and weekends, currently stand at 324,234 in total. The forecast seat load factor is 77%, up 11.4 percentage points versus the load factor on flights during the Golden Week vacation period in spring 2008.
Consequently from the decrease of fuel surcharge on international flights out of Japan from April 2009, passenger reservations to destinations in China, Hawaii and South East Asia during this period have seen a significant increase by 33.1%, 14.2% and 17.4% respectively. The load factors on Hawaii and South Korea routes are positive, albeit the slight increase in seat capacity. The forecasted load factor of JAL’s transpacific flights also saw improvement after the downward adjustment of seat capacity by 15.3%.
JAL Group plans to operate 51 additional flights on international routes, including charter flights, to accommodate demand for travel to such destinations as Honolulu, Guam, South Korea, Palau, Bali and Saipan.
Domestic
JAL Group domestic passenger reservations total 1,030,240 during this Golden Week, 1.1% down on the same period last year. Due to the reduction in seat capacity by 2.8%, the seat load factor forecast of 64.3% remains close to that of the previous year.
JAL Group plans to operate an additional 54 flights on domestic Japan routes to support the demand for travel to such areas as Okinawa (Naha), as well as Sapporo.
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Forecast JAL Group International Reservations (Japan departures) April 28, 2009 to May 6, 2009 |
||||
|
JAL/JAZ Routes |
Available Seat % Change on 2008 |
Passenger Total |
Passenger Total |
Seat load factor % |
|
+4.9 |
40,408 |
+14.2 |
90.1 |
|
|
Transpacific |
-15.3 |
26,405 |
+1.2 |
86.5 |
|
Europe |
-8.0 |
26,257 |
-5.5 |
70.1 |
|
S.E. Asia |
-8.0 |
79,099 |
+17.4 |
77.6 |
|
Oceania |
-44.7 |
6,504 |
-29.6 |
68.0 |
|
Guam/ Saipan |
-4.9 |
14,848 |
-7.0 |
86.2 |
|
Korea |
+0.2 |
54,224 |
+8.3 |
85.0 |
|
China |
-14.0 |
52,366 |
+33.1 |
64.8 |
|
Taiwan |
-15.4 |
24,123 |
-7.4 |
69.0 |
|
TOTAL |
-9.0 |
324,234 |
+9.1 |
77.0 |
(JAZ=JALways) ASK = Available Seat Kilometers
|
Forecast JAL Group Domestic Reservations April 28, 2009 to May 6, 2009 |
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|
|
Available Seat % Change on 2008 |
Passenger Total |
Passenger Total |
Seat load factor % |
|
JAL / JEX |
-3.2 |
914,446 |
-1.8 |
65.1 |
|
JTA |
-1.1 |
69,093 |
+4.2 |
68.9 |
|
RAC |
+3.9 |
8,494 |
+11.5 |
69.7 |
|
JAC |
+1.7 |
35,492 |
+4.0 |
45.0 |
|
HAC |
-5.3 |
2,715 |
-2.8 |
46.6 |
|
TOTAL |
-2.8 |
1,030,240 |
-1.1 |
64.3 |
(JEX=JAL Express; JTA=Japan Transocean Air; RAC=Ryukyu Air Commuter; JAC=Japan Air Commuter; HAC=Hokkaido Air System)
About Japan Airlines
The JAL Group is Asia’s biggest airline group in terms of sales revenues and 2nd largest in Asia in terms of passengers carried annually. JAL Group airlines serve 220 airports in 35 countries and territories, including 59 airports in Japan. The international network covers over 250 passenger routes and 28 cargo routes, and the domestic network covers 143 routes.
With around 23,000 employees in the air transport segment, JAL Group operates a fleet of some 270 aircraft including Boeing 747s and 777s and is now in the process of a major fleet renewal, introducing more fuel-efficient small and medium aircraft such as the B737 New Generation series and in the future the new high-tech Boeing 787 “Dreamliner”.
JAL First Class offers fully reclining Skysleeper or Skysleeper Solo seats. “JAL Executive Class - Seasons,” introduces the concept of “quality time” spent on board and features the award-winning JAL Shell Flat Seat that reclines to almost the horizontal and provides a high degree of personal privacy. From December 2007 JAL started offering JAL Premium Economy on key business routes, and from August 2008 started introducing on US routes a luxurious new suite to JAL First Class and the JAL Shell Flat NEO, a leading-edge seat for JAL Executive Class.
Top quality in-flight service has always been the hallmark of JAL’s reputation. Cuisine offered in all classes is a combination of Western and Japanese food. JAL carries a fine selection of award-winning wines and sake in First Class and JAL Executive Class - Seasons, JAL’s business class. Quality in-flight entertainment systems are a feature of JAL’s international fleet aircraft.
A member of the oneworld global alliance since April 2007, JAL offers customers many benefits, such as the JAL Mileage Bank frequent flier program.
END
Golden Week Forecast 2009.pdf