Press Release

- Nonstop services to Boston, San Diego and Helsinki to be inaugurated with 787-8 Dreamliner-

- Targeting network expansion to give customers more options and greater convenience-

 

TOKYO February 15, 2012: Japan Airlines (JAL) announced today as part of its Mid-Term Management Plan for fiscal years 2012 to 2016, that it will launch new nonstop services from Tokyo (Narita) to San Diego in December 2012 and to Helsinki in March 2013, utilizing the strategic Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft on both routes, in addition to the inaugural service between Tokyo (Narita) and Boston which will commence April 22 this year*.

 

First to Link San Diego with Asia

JL066/065 will be the first nonstop flights linking San Diego with Japan and Asia, and will be operated with the 787 Dreamliner fitted with Executive Class and Economy Class cabins. JAL will begin serving the eighth most populous U.S city, also the city with the largest Asian community currently without a direct flight to Asia, with four flights a week from December 2012 and daily from March 2013 to/from Narita.

 

With approximately 1.4 million residents, San Diego is a thriving city with an economy made up largely of international trade, tourism and defense sectors. Furthermore, it is home to many research centers and higher educational institutions, and enjoys a healthy traffic of travelers going through each year, with substantial demand to/from Asia. San Diego is situated 200km south of Los Angeles and adjacent to the Mexican Border near the city of Tijuana where several Japanese companies operate factories. JAL’s new direct service will eliminate the need for transit at U.S gateways, offer customers the superior comfort of the 787 Dreamliner, and also cut down more than two hours in travel time.

 

 

The latest addition to JAL’s U.S network is part of the transpacific joint business agreement between JAL and its oneworld alliance partner, American Airlines (AA), which is scheduled to codeshare on this route. Together with fellow alliance partner British Airways, who offers direct flights between London and San Diego, JAL’ new route is expected to further strengthen oneworld’s position in the market, enabling it to offer customers in California’s second largest city even greater convenience and benefits.

 

 

Tokyo (Narita) = San Diego Flight Schedule

Flight Number	Route	Dep. Time	Arr. Time	Days of Operation	Aircraft
JL066	Narita - San Diego	17:30	10:30	Dec 2012 - Feb 2013: Mo, Tu, Th, Sa Mar 2013 onwards : Daily	787-8
JL065	San Diego - Narita	12:00	16:55 + 1		787-8

Inaugural flight date, start of sales and reservations, as well as codeshare details with American Airlines will be announced later.

The above flight and fleet schedule is subject to government approval and change. All timings shown are local.

 

 

 

 

Helsinki- the Gateway between Japan and Europe

JAL will also open its first new service between Japan and Europe in 20 years, when it begins to operate four weekly flights from March 2013, using the 787-8 Dreamliner connecting Narita and Helsinki.

 

Its geographical location and the extensive network of nonstop flights from its airport make Helsinki one of the most effective gateways for customers traveling between Japan and Europe. It is also the major hub airport for JAL’s oneworld alliance partner Finnair, with whom JAL plans to strengthen its relationship. Helsinki Airport’s compact and well-designed terminal allows for minimum connection time as short as 35 to 40 minutes, and offers customers smooth connections to and from 54 cities within Europe. With ample signage in English and Japanese throughout the facility (and with Japanese-speaking staff at the airport), Helsinki is one of the most ideal transit points for a stress-free, speedy connection between Japan and Europe for Japanese and non-Japanese customers alike.

 

 

The capital city of the Republic of Finland has a population of approximately 590 thousand with a robust economy supported by the electronics, machinery and other manufacturing sectors. An attractive destination in itself for leisure, Helsinki is also an important business center with some 80% of major Finnish companies headquartered there and where majority of the nation’s top-earners reside.

 

 

Tokyo (Narita) = Helsinki Flight Schedule

Flight Number	Route	Dep. Time	Arr. Time	Days of Operation	Aircraft
JL413	Narita - Helsinki	11:45	15:05	Tu, We, Fri, Su *Daily flights are planned from within the first half of fiscal year 2013	787-8
JL414	Helsinki - Narita	17:25	10:05 + 1		787-8

Inaugural flight date and start of sales and reservations will be announced later.

The above flight and fleet schedule is subject to government approval and change. All timings shown are local.

 

“On top of being able to offer customers new convenience, we expect these routes to yield solid revenues with the use of the Dreamliner.” said Yoshiharu Ueki, President of the JAL Group. “By strategically strengthening our network, JAL can better support our customers’ travel needs and contribute to a deeply valuable economic and cultural bond between the countries.”

 

JAL will become the first airline to link Boston and San Diego with Asia, encouraging travel and making a difference for businesses and the communities. With its new Helsinki operations, JAL will also boost flow of traffic between Europe and Asia with more connection possibilities. In such ways, JAL will continue seeking to improve customer service, not only with innovative products and services, but also through a comprehensive, practical network.

 

 

END

 

*JAL announced on May 27, 2011, the launch of a new nonstop service between Tokyo (Narita) and Boston that it will operate four times a week from April 22 to May 31, 2012, and daily thereafter. Reservations and ticketing are already available. Following is the flight schedule for reference:

 

Tokyo (Narita) = Boston Flight Schedulefrom April 22, 2012

Flight Number	Route	Dep. Time	Arr. Time	Days of Operation	Aircraft	Remarks
JL008 AA5922	Narita - Boston	11:30	11:20	Daily	787-8	Operating 4 times a week on Mo, We, Fr, Su until May 31, 2012
JL007 AA5921	Boston - Narita	13:20	16:00 + 1	Daily	787-8

 

The above flight and fleet schedule is subject to government approval and change.

 

 

20120215 - JAL Expands International Network with New Nonstop to SAN and HEL_FINAL.pdf