Press Release

Currently employed on routes between Japan and Honolulu as well as Australia

TOKYO, December 16, 2011: The JAL Group (JAL) plans to utilize User Preferred Routes (UPR) on its daily flight between Tokyo (Narita) and Vancouver starting from December 19, 2011. JAL first introduced the use of UPR in Japan, on its Japan = Hawaii routes in August 2008 and later on routes to Australia in June 2009.

Airlines flying between Japan and North America generally use the Pacific Organized Track System (PACOTS) to plot flight paths based on weather reports provided by air traffic controllers (ATC) 24 hours prior to departure. However, due to changes to the weather over time, the conditions at the actual time of departure may be different from 24 hours earlier and the predetermined aviation routes set by PACOTS may eventually not be the most efficient. Furthermore, operational efficiency varies for different aircraft types - a consideration not taken into account by PACOTS. UPR allows an airline to fly along what it judges to be the most efficient route for each type of aircraft used, and helps to improve operational efficiency by providing each aircraft with an optimal flight path.

UPR is considered an eco-friendly flight operations technique that reduces unnecessary fuel consumption which thereby brings down carbon dioxide emissions, and it also shortens flight times. By utilizing this method of flight operations on the once-daily, round-trip flights to between Tokyo and Vancouver, JAL estimates that it can reduce a total of 220,000 lbs. (120,000 liters or 600 oil drums) of fuel which translates to an approximate decrease in carbon dioxide gas emissions by 315 tons a year.

Recognized by the Ministry of Environment of Japan as an Eco-First company, JAL will continue to proactively introduce new technologies that improve operational efficiency, minimize burden on the environment and reduce flight times for the benefit of our customers.

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20111216 - JAL Expands Use of UPR to Vancouver_FINAL.pdf