Japan Airlines facts for kids
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| Founded | 1 August 1951 (as Japan Air Lines) |
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| Commenced operations | 25 October 1951 |
| Hubs | |
| Secondary hubs |
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| Focus cities |
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| Frequent-flyer program |
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| Alliance | Oneworld |
| Subsidiaries |
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| Fleet size | 143 (mainline) |
| Destinations | 91 |
| Headquarters | Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan |
| Key people | |
| Revenue |  ¥1,375,589,000,000 (FY2022) |
| Operating income | ¥64,563,000,000 (FY2022) |
| Net income | ¥33,876,000,000 (FY2022) |
Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. (日本航空株式会社, Nihon Kōkū Kabushiki-gaisha, JAL) is a major airline in Japan. It's often called the country's flag carrier, meaning it represents Japan in the airline world. JAL's main office is in Shinagawa, Tokyo.
The airline has big hubs in Tokyo at Narita and Haneda. It also uses Osaka's Kansai and Itami airports. The JAL group includes other airlines like J-Air, Japan Air Commuter, Japan Transocean Air, and Ryukyu Air Commuter. These smaller airlines help with flights inside Japan. JAL Cargo handles all the goods and mail.
The JAL group flies to about 220 places in 35 countries. This includes both regular and special flights for people and cargo. They also work with other airlines through "codeshare" agreements. The group has a large fleet of 279 airplanes. Japan Airlines, J-Air, JAL Express, and Japan Transocean Air are all part of the Oneworld airline alliance. This means they work together with other airlines around the world.
JAL started in 1951 as a government-owned company. It became Japan's national airline in 1953. After many years of growing, it became a private company in 1987. In 2002, JAL joined with Japan Air System (JAS), which was Japan's third-largest airline. This merger made JAL the sixth-largest airline in the world based on how many passengers it carried.
Contents
History of Japan Airlines
Early Years and Growth
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The first Japan Airlines company started on August 1, 1951. The Japanese government saw that the country needed a good air travel system after World War II. The airline began with about ¥100 million (Japanese Yen) and its main office in Ginza, Tokyo.
From August 27 to 29, JAL offered special flights using a Douglas DC-3 airplane called Kinsei. This plane was rented from Philippine Airlines. On October 25, Japan had its first domestic airline service after the war. This flight used a Martin 2-0-2 plane named Mokusei, with a crew from Northwest Orient Airlines.
On August 1, 1953, the government created a new, state-owned Japan Airlines. This new company took over everything from the first private airline. By 1953, JAL flew to cities like Sapporo, Misawa, Nagoya, Osaka, Iwakuni, and Fukuoka from Tokyo.
JAL started international flights on February 2, 1954. It flew 18 passengers from Tokyo to San Francisco. The flight stopped at Wake Island and Honolulu. To remember this first international trip, the flights between Tokyo and San Francisco are still called Flights 1 and 2.
In the 1950s, JAL used planes like the Douglas DC-3, Douglas DC-6B, Martin 2-0-2s, Douglas DC-4s, and Douglas DC-7Cs. By 1955, JAL flew to Hong Kong through Okinawa. By 1958, the Hong Kong route went all the way to Bangkok and Singapore. In 1959, JAL could fly non-stop between Seattle and Tokyo using DC-7Cs.
The Jet Age Begins
In 1960, JAL got its first jet airplane, a Douglas DC-8 named Fuji. This jet started flying on the Tokyo-Honolulu-San Francisco route. JAL ended up using 51 DC-8s, with the last one retiring in 1987. The Fuji plane flew until 1974. Its front part is now on display at the JAL Sky Museum.
JAL also began flying to Seattle and Hong Kong in 1960. By the end of 1961, JAL had flights over the North Pole from Tokyo to Seattle, Copenhagen, London, and Paris. These flights stopped in Anchorage, Alaska. They also flew to Los Angeles and San Francisco through Honolulu, Hawaii.
During the 1960s, JAL added many new cities to its routes, including Moscow, New York, and Busan. Jet flights to Europe through Anchorage began in 1961. Flights to Europe through India started in 1962. By 1965, JAL's main office was in the Tokyo Building. More than half of JAL's money came from flights across the Pacific Ocean to the United States.
Between 1967 and 1969, JAL worked with Aeroflot (a Russian airline) for flights between Tokyo and Moscow. They used a Soviet Tupolev Tu-114 plane. The crew included members from both airlines.
In 1972, the Japanese government made JAL the main airline for international flights. JAL was also allowed to fly on major domestic routes, competing with other airlines like ANA. In 1974, a new agreement between China and Japan led to flights between Taiwan and Japan being stopped. A new JAL company, Japan Asia Airways, was created in 1975 to restart these flights. In the 1970s, JAL bought Boeing 747 and McDonnell Douglas DC-10 planes for its growing routes.
In the 1980s, JAL flew special flights for important people like the Japanese Crown Prince and Princess, Pope John Paul II, and Japanese prime ministers. Before Japan had its own special government planes, two Boeing 747-400s from JAL were used as Japanese Air Force One and Japanese Air Force Two. During this time, JAL added new Boeing 747-100SR, Boeing 747-SUD, and Boeing 767 jets. They also stopped using Boeing 727s and Douglas DC-8s.
In 1978, JAL started flights to São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. These flights stopped in Anchorage and San Juan. The stopover later changed to Los Angeles and then to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Modern Era and Changes
Japan started thinking about allowing more competition in airlines in the late 1970s. In 1985, the government announced it would remove old rules. In 1987, Japan Airlines became a fully private company. Other Japanese airlines were then allowed to compete with JAL on both domestic and international flights. This led to JAL changing its structure. It was divided into three parts: international passenger service, domestic passenger service, and cargo service.
In the 1990s, Japan Airlines helped evacuate Japanese citizens from Iraq before the Gulf War. In October 1990, a new company called Japan Air Charter was created. In September 1996, JAL became the official airline of Tokyo Disneyland. JAL Express started in April 1997, using Boeing 737 planes.
The 1990s were tough for the airline financially due to economic problems in the US, UK, and Japan. JAL started losing money in 1992 after years of profits. To save money, they created the lower-cost JAL Express and moved tourist flights to JALways. These changes helped the airline become profitable again by 1999.
In 1997, JAL flew Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto to Peru to help with a hostage situation at the Japanese embassy. Japan Airlines also ordered Boeing 777 planes in the 1990s to update its fleet. JAL was one of eight airlines that helped design the Boeing 777.
In 2001, Japan Air System and Japan Airlines decided to merge. On October 2, 2002, they formed a new main company called Japan Airlines System (日本航空システム, Nihon Kōkū Shisutemu). This created the new JAL Group. The paint designs on the planes were changed to match the new JAL Group look. After the merger, the group became the sixth largest airline in the world by passengers carried.
On April 1, 2004, JAL changed its name to Japan Airlines International. JAS changed its name to Japan Airlines Domestic. All JAS flight codes and check-in desks were changed to JAL. On June 26, 2004, the main company, Japan Airlines System, was renamed Japan Airlines Corporation.
After the merger, two companies operated under the JAL brand: Japan Airlines International and Japan Airlines Domestic. Japan Airlines Domestic handled most flights within Japan. JAL International flew both international and major domestic routes. On October 1, 2006, these two companies merged into one: Japan Airlines International.
JAL applied to join the Oneworld airline alliance on October 25, 2005. JAL believed joining Oneworld would help the airline grow and offer better service. Japan Airlines, along with Malév and Royal Jordanian, officially joined the alliance on April 1, 2007.
On April 1, 2008, JAL combined its subsidiary Japan Asia Airways (JAA) with its main operations. JAA had handled all JAL flights between Japan and Taiwan from 1975 to 2008. This was because of Taiwan's special political status.
In 2009, Japan Airlines faced big financial problems. Even though it was Asia's largest airline by revenue, it was losing a lot of money. To cut costs, the airline reduced staff and stopped flying some routes. The Japanese government also gave JAL ¥100 billion to help. In September 2009, the government created a special group to help JAL recover.
One idea was for JAL to merge with ANA, another big Japanese airline. But ANA was doing better financially and didn't want to merge. The group also looked at possible partnerships with foreign airlines.
On January 19, 2010, JAL asked for legal protection under Japan's Corporate Rehabilitation Law. This is similar to bankruptcy protection in other countries. JAL received ¥300 billion in cash and had ¥730 billion in debt canceled. In return, it had to cut its capital to zero, stop flying unprofitable routes, and reduce its workforce by 15,700 employees. JAL's shares were removed from the Tokyo Stock Exchange on February 20, 2010. This was the largest bankruptcy in Japan for a non-financial company at the time.
Kazuo Inamori, who founded Kyocera and KDDI, became the new CEO of JAL. He was asked by the transport minister to help fix the airline. Japan Air Commuter president Masaru Onishi became the president of JAL.
By May, JAL started to see more passengers. In August, it was announced that JAL would cut 19,133 jobs by March 2015. This was part of the plan to make the business successful again.
Even though JAL stayed in the Oneworld alliance after bankruptcy, it had considered joining the SkyTeam alliance. JAL also talked with SkyTeam members Air France-KLM and Korean Air.
The Japanese government liked the idea of a deal with Delta Air Lines. Delta had a large network and many flights to Japan. They also supported a deal with Air France-KLM because it was a "healthier company" than American Airlines.
American Airlines planned to work with Oneworld members British Airways and Qantas to offer money to JAL. British Airways wanted JAL to stay in Oneworld. American CEO Gerard Arpey also encouraged JAL to stay with Oneworld.
In January 2010, JAL president Haruka Nishimatsu said he preferred a partnership with Delta over American. Some reports said JAL would likely choose Delta and join SkyTeam. But JAL and American denied these reports. The Wall Street Journal then reported that American Airlines increased its offer to JAL by $300 million, to $1.4 billion. Delta also said it could raise more money.
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After JAL filed for bankruptcy, there were more rumors about JAL leaving Oneworld for SkyTeam. But JAL president Masaru Onishi said on February 1 that the new leaders were looking at the situation carefully. On February 7, news outlets reported that JAL would stay with American Airlines and end talks with Delta. Two days later, JAL officially announced it would strengthen its partnership with American and other Oneworld members.
JAL successfully came out of bankruptcy protection in March 2011. In July, they chose several financial companies to help sell their shares. On January 6, 2012, JAL announced it wanted to relist its shares on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. This would be a very large stock offering. The airline completed its stock offering on September 19, 2012. The government sold all its shares in JAL for ¥650 billion, which was more than its original investment.
After leaving bankruptcy, JAL started new partnerships within Oneworld. A joint business with JAL and American for flights across the Pacific began in April 2011. JAL also formed Jetstar Japan, a low-cost carrier with Qantas's Jetstar Airways, in July. In 2012, JAL and British Airways applied to work together on flights between Japan and Europe. Finnair joined this partnership in July 2013, as JAL started new direct flights to Helsinki.
Recent Developments
Between 2020 and 2021, Japan Airlines added many safety measures to stop the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. JAL FlySafe hygiene measures include airport staff wearing masks, disinfecting seats and tables, and cleaning frequently touched surfaces.
On June 18, 2021, Japan Airlines announced its first flight using two different types of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) made in Japan. The flight from Tokyo (Haneda) to Sapporo (Shin-Chitose) used SAF made from wood chips and microalgae. This was the first time in the world a flight used biofuel from gasified wood chips and mixed two types of biofuels.
In May 2023, JAL said it would bring back dedicated cargo flights. They plan to use Boeing 767-300BCF planes, which are passenger planes changed into cargo planes. This service is expected to start in early 2024. The company stopped using its previous Boeing 747 cargo planes in 2011.
Leaders of Japan Airlines
- Chairman: Yuji Akasaka (since April 2024)
- President and CEO: Mitsuko Tottori (since April 2024)
In January 2024, the company announced that Mitsuko Tottori would become the new president. On April 1, 2024, Tottori became the first female president in the company's history. She started her career as a flight attendant in 1985. She has over 30 years of experience as a flight attendant and has worked in cabin safety and passenger service.
Past Chairmen
Here are some of the people who have been chairmen of Japan Airlines:
- Aiichirō Fujiyama (1951–1953)
- Kunizo Hara (1953–1960)
- Kōgorō Uemura (1960–1969)
- Teruo Godo (1969–1971)
- Shizuma Matsuo (1971–1972)
- Ataru Kobayashi (1973–1977)
- Kōgorō Uemura (1977–1978)
- Shozo Hotta (1979–1981)
- Shizuo Asada (1981–1983)
- Nihachiro Hanamura (1983–1986)
- Junji Itoh (1986–1988)
- Fumio Watanabe (1988–1991)
- Susumu Yamaji (1991–1998)
- Isao Kaneko (2003–2005)
- Toshiyuki Shinmachi (2006–2008)
- Kazuo Inamori (2010–2012)
- Masaru Onishi (2012–2018)
- Yoshiharu Ueki (2018–2024)
Past Presidents and CEOs
Here are some of the people who have been presidents and CEOs of Japan Airlines:
- Seijiro Yanagida (1951–1961)
- Shizuma Matsuo (1961–1971)
- Shizuo Asada (1971–1981)
- Yasumoto Takagi (1981–1985)
- Susumu Yamaji (1985–1990)
- Matsuo Toshimitsu (1990–1995)
- Akira Kondo (1995–1998)
- Isao Kaneko (1998–2005)
- Toshiyuki Shinmachi (2005–2006)
- Haruka Nishimatsu (2006–2010)
- Masaru Onishi (2010–2012)
- Yoshiharu Ueki (2012–2018)
- Yuji Akasaka (2018–2024)
How JAL Works
Business Overview
Here's a quick look at Japan Airlines' business over the years (ending March 31):
| Year | Total Money Made (¥ billion) | Profit (¥ billion) |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 1,487 | 150 |
| 2019 | 1,385 | 48.0 |
| 2020 | 481 | –286 (Loss) |
| 2021 | 682 | –177 (Loss) |
| 2022 | 1,375 | 34.4 |
JAL's Family of Airlines
Besides its main flights, JAL owns five smaller airlines that help with flights within Japan:
- J-Air (JLJ) – uses regional jets and is based in Osaka International Airport.
- Japan Air Commuter (JAC) – uses propeller planes and flies from Kagoshima.
- Hokkaido Air System (HAC) – uses propeller planes and flies from Hokkaido.
- Japan Transocean Air (JTA) – uses jet planes for flights to and from Okinawa.
- Ryukyu Air Commuter (RAC) – uses propeller planes and is based in Okinawa.
Some companies that used to be part of JAL:
- JALways used to handle international flights to vacation spots like Hawaii.
- JAL Express (JEX) was a lower-cost airline for flights between smaller cities. It merged with Japan Airlines in 2014.
- Japan Asia Airways (JAA) was created in 1975 so JAL could fly to Taiwan. This was important because of political reasons with China. JAA was closed in 2008 after JAL became a private company.
JALUX Inc., started in 1962, buys many things for the airline. This includes items for JAL's shops, airplane fuel, cabin supplies, and duty-free goods. JALUX also helps with in-flight meals.
JAL Cargo is the part of the airline that handles freight (goods and mail). It is part of the WOW cargo alliance. In the year ending March 31, 2009, JAL Cargo carried over 500,000 tonnes of goods within Japan and over 627,000 tonnes internationally.
On April 1, 2011, the airline changed its official name back to Japan Airlines Co., Ltd (日本航空株式会社, Nihon Kōkū Kabushiki-gaisha). In early 2019, JAL launched a new low-cost airline called Zipair Tokyo. It focuses on medium to long-distance flights and started flying in summer 2020.
JAL's Main Office
JAL's main office is in the Nomura Fudosan Tennozu Building. This building is on Tennōzu Isle in Shinagawa, Tokyo. It has 26 floors above ground and two underground levels.
Many parts of JAL, like JALPAK (for travel packages) and JAL Hotels, are in this building. The Japan office for American Airlines is also there. People sometimes call it the JAL Building.
When JAL first started in 1951, its main office was in Ginza, Tokyo. By 1965, it was in the Tokyo Building in Marunouchi, Tokyo. Some people jokingly called it "a branch office of the transport ministry" because JAL worked closely with the Japanese government.
The current JAL Building was finished on June 28, 1996. JAL moved its main office there on July 27, 1996. The Flight Operation Center also started there on September 20, 1996. In 2004, the building was sold to Nomura Real Estate.
JAL's Look and Logos
Logos and Plane Colors
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The design on JAL planes is called the tsurumaru (鶴丸), or "crane circle." It shows a Japanese red-crowned crane flying with its wings spread wide. Jerry Huff created the Tsurumaru JAL logo in 1958. He was the creative director for JAL's advertising agency. JAL had used several logos before this one. When the airline bought new Douglas DC-8 jets, they wanted a new official logo.
Huff was inspired by the family symbols of Samurai warriors. He found a book with many symbols, including the crane. He believed the crane was perfect for Japan Airlines because it mates for life (showing loyalty) and flies high for a long time without getting tired (showing strength).
The tsurumaru design was used until 2002. Then, it was replaced by a design called the "Arc of the Sun." This design had a rising sun on a creamy background.
JAL supports UNICEF and shows this by having a "We Support UNICEF" logo on its planes.
After its financial problems, Japan Airlines went back to the classic tsurumaru logo on April 1, 2011. A Boeing 767-300 was the last plane with the "Arc of the Sun" design until it was retired in January 2016.
Special Plane Designs
JAL is known for using special designs on its planes. A Boeing 747 had a World Cup soccer design in 2002. Another Boeing 747 was the Matsui Jet, featuring the famous Japanese baseball player Hideki Matsui in 2003. One of JAL's Boeing 767-300 planes had an Expo 2005 design.
Many JAL planes also have a Yokoso Japan logo. This supports the "Visit Japan" campaign. In late 2005, a JAL Boeing 777 featured Japanese actor Shingo Katori on one side. The other side showed the TV series Saiyuki and its main character "Goku".
JAL is also known for its designs featuring Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea. This is because JAL is the official airline of the Tokyo Disney Resort. At one time, more than six large planes had these special Disney designs.
Some JAL Boeing 747s also had tropical designs with Reso'cha titles. These planes were often used by JALways for charter flights to vacation spots in the Pacific, like Hawaii. Reso'cha was short for "Resort Charter."
In April 2007, JAL showed off a Boeing 777-300 with a special Oneworld design. This was to promote the airline joining the global airline alliance.
In 2008, JAL repainted a Boeing 777-200 and named it the Eco Jet. In 2009, they did the same for a Boeing 777-300ER. These planes had a green arc on their tail and a green origami airplane on the side. This showed the company's efforts to be more environmentally friendly. After changing back to the Tsurumaru logo, JAL updated the Eco Jet designs.
In 2009, JAL repainted a plane to promote the music group Kobukuro and their new album. This design was officially released on July 30, 2009.
On September 4, 2010, JAL introduced a new design on one of its Boeing 777-200 planes. It featured the five members of the music group Arashi. The first flight was on September 5. In May 2019, JAL also painted a Boeing 787-9 with the 'ARASHI HAWAII JET' design. In November, an Airbus A350-900 got the '20th ARASHI THANKS JET' design to celebrate the band's 20th anniversary.
On August 3, 2017, JAL announced a new design on an Embraer 190 plane from its subsidiary J-Air. This was to celebrate the new Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem ride at Universal Studios Japan.
Starting in April 2019, JAL also introduced the 'Tokyo 2020, Fly For it!' special designs. These celebrate the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and feature the two mascots. Two JAL planes have been painted with this design so far.
In December 2022, JAL and The Walt Disney Company Japan introduced a special design on a Boeing 767-300ER. This celebrates Disney's "100 Years of Wonder" in 2023.
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Where JAL Flies
Japan Airlines flies to 60 places within Japan and 39 international places. These destinations are in Asia, the Americas, Europe, and Oceania. This does not include places they fly to through codeshare agreements. JAL's international hubs are Tokyo's Narita International Airport and Haneda Airport. They also use Osaka's Kansai International Airport and Itami Airport. JAL and its smaller airlines fly over 4,500 international flights and 26,000 domestic flights every month.
In the year ending March 31, 2009, JAL added or increased flights on ten international routes. This included flights between Tokyo (Narita) and New York City. They also stopped flights on four international routes. Within Japan, JAL stopped 14 routes. JAL also expanded its codesharing with other Oneworld airlines like American Airlines and British Airways. They also work with airlines like Air France and China Eastern.
In the past, Narita International Airport was the main hub for international and cargo flights. Now, Haneda Airport is becoming a major international hub. This is because it is closer to Tokyo metropolis and is growing a lot.
Working with Other Airlines
Japan Airlines has agreements to share flights (codeshare) with many other airlines:
- Aeroméxico
- Air France
- Air Tahiti Nui
- Aircalin
- Alaska Airlines
- Amakusa Airlines
- American Airlines
- Bangkok Airways
- British Airways
- Cathay Pacific
- China Airlines
- China Eastern Airlines
- China Southern Airlines
- Emirates
- Fiji Airways
- Finnair
- Fuji Dream Airlines
- Garuda Indonesia
- Hawaiian Airlines
- Iberia
- JetBlue
- Jetstar Airways
- Jetstar Japan
- Kalitta Air
- Korean Air
- LATAM Brasil
- LATAM Chile
- Malaysia Airlines
- MIAT Mongolian Airlines
- Oriental Air Bridge
- Qantas
- Qatar Airways
- Royal Brunei Airlines
- Royal Jordanian
- Shanghai Airlines
- SriLankan Airlines
- VietJet Air
- Vistara
- WestJet
- XiamenAir
JAL also works closely with these airlines in "joint ventures":
JAL's Airplanes
What JAL Offers on Flights
Different Travel Classes
A350-1000 Cabins
In January 2024, Japan Airlines introduced new cabins on its A350-1000 planes. These include First, Business, Premium Economy, and Economy class. The new cabins have many improvements, like private suites in First and Business class. The A350-1000 has 6 First class seats, 54 Business class seats, 24 Premium Economy seats, and 155 Economy seats.
Newer Cabins
JAL introduced new international First and Business Class seats. The JAL Suite for First Class has seats that are 20 percent bigger. The JAL Shell Flat Neo Seat for Business Class is a bit wider and has a larger middle area. These new seats, along with Premium Economy seats, first appeared on flights between Tokyo and New York on August 1, 2008. They later expanded to other routes like Tokyo–San Francisco.
In 2013, JAL launched new Economy and Premium Economy seats called Sky Premium and Sky Wider Economy. Sky Premium seats have more legroom. Sky Wider Economy seats are slimmer and offer more legroom and width. Newer 787 planes will have Sky Wider II seats, which have even more legroom and width.
In premium cabins, JAL introduced fully flat beds called Sky Suite in Business Class and improved First Suite seats in First Class. The Sky Suite seats are arranged so all Business class passengers can easily reach the aisle. These are found on JAL's Boeing 777-300ER, 787-8, and some 787-9 planes. In 2015, JAL introduced Sky Suite II for its new international 767-300ER planes. In 2016, JAL added Sky Suite III for its Boeing 777-200ER and some 787-9 planes. These are often used on shorter international flights.
International Flights
On international flights, JAL offers different classes. These include the fully reclining JAL First Class JAL Suite. For JAL Business Class, they have JAL Sky Suite, JAL Sky Suite II, JAL Sky Suite III, and other options. For JAL Premium Economy, they have JAL Sky Premium. For JAL Economy Class, they have JAL Economy Class Seat or JAL Sky Wider. The First Class Skysleeper Solo seats recline fully and are made of real leather. The Business Class Shell Flat Seat can recline flat and has a shell shape that lets passengers slide forward without bothering the person behind them.
Flights within Japan
For flights within Japan, JAL offers First Class, Executive (Business) Class Class J, and Economy Class. The First Class seat is made from high-quality leather and is very wide with lots of legroom. Class J seats are designed to be comfortable and help passengers relax.
Fun on the Flight
MAGIC Entertainment System
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MAGIC is JAL's in-flight entertainment system. It offers the newest movies, videos, games, and music. There are six versions of the MAGIC system. The MAGIC-III system, launched in 2007, lets all passengers choose what they want to watch or listen to (Audio/Video on Demand or AVOD). The number of channels on MAGIC-III doubled from 57 to 130 by 2008. It is installed on all seats on Boeing 767-300ER, 777-200ER, and 777-300ER planes.
Planes with MAGIC-I and MAGIC-II have movies that start automatically. Economy class passengers can watch the movie already playing. First and Business Class passengers can control their own movies. MAGIC systems also have JAL's duty-free shopping catalog. MAGIC-V has a touch screen and USB ports for iPods. MAGIC-VI is on some newer Boeing 787-8s and 777-300s.
Cameras on the Plane
On most JAL international flights, you can see outside the plane using cameras. These cameras are on the wings, under the plane, or on the tail. When the plane is moving on the ground, taking off, or landing, the TVs in the cabin automatically show the view from these cameras. This gives passengers a "Pilot Vision" view. However, newer entertainment systems often do not have these cameras.
Reading Materials
Skyward is the airline group's magazine you can read on the plane. Its name comes from the company's motto, "Dream Skyward." Before JAL merged with JAS, JAL's magazine was called Winds. All of the JAL Group magazines are provided by JALUX.
JAL also offered some passengers a Nintendo DS Lite for air travel between June and August 2006. These were specially made without wireless features for safety. JAL also offers some passengers a VR (Virtual Reality) experience using Samsung Gear VR.
Food on the Plane
Japan Airlines offers meals on its long-distance international flights. The type of meal depends on your travel class, destination, and how long the flight is. You can usually choose between Western and Japanese food. The menus change with the seasons. JAL has worked with famous chefs to create its menus. In 2016, they launched a children's menu designed by some of these chefs.
Sakura Lounge
Sakura Lounge is Japan Airlines' special lounge. It's named after the Japanese word for cherry blossom. JAL also has other international lounges, including First Class Lounge and JAL Lounge. For domestic flights, they have Diamond Premier Lounge and JAL Lounge. You can use these lounges depending on your ticket class or if you are a member of JAL Mileage Bank or JAL Global Club.
Safety and Accidents
See also
In Spanish: Japan Airlines para niños
- Air transport in Japan
- List of airports in Japan
- List of airlines of Japan
- Tokyu Corporation
