Japan Airlines

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JAL Logo
JAL Logo

JAL Boeing 747-400

Japan Airlines (Japanese: 日本航空 Nippon Kōkū, or JAL) is the largest airline in Japan.

The Japan Airlines Corporation operates two airline companies under the JAL brand. Japan Airlines International operates a vast international route network centered around its hub at Narita International Airport in Narita, Japan. Japan Airlines Domestic is based at Tokyo International Airport in Tokyo proper, and connects Japan's major cities with jet flights, a market where it competes with All Nippon Airways. JAL also owns seven other airlines: Harlequin Air, JAL Express, JALWays, J-Air, Japan Air Commuter, Japan Asia Airways, and Japan Transocean Air.

Among other distinctions, JAL has the largest fleet of Boeing 747's in the world (approximately 80, in early 2004), and is the only Asian airline that flies to Mexico City.

History

Japan Airlines was established in 1951, with the government of Japan recognizing the need for a reliable air transportation system to help Japan grow in the aftermath of World War II.

In 1953, a Martin 404 of Japan Airlines crashed, killing all 37 on board.

Japan Airlines, in addition to the 404's, used DC-3, DC-4, DC-6 and DC-7 during the 1950s. Towards the end of that decade, it started its first international service, to San Francisco.

In 1960, Japan Airlines bought their first jet, a DC-8. Soon after, they decided to re-equip their airline, using jet airplanes only. That decade, many new international destinations were established.

In the 1970s they bought the Boeing 747, the Boeing 727 and the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 to accommodate the ever growing list of international routes, both to its Asian neighbors, and around the world.

JAL Boeing 747-400 in a superseded colour scheme

In the 1980s Japan Airlines performed special flights for the Crown Prince of Japan and the Princess, Pope John Paul II, and various Japanese prime ministers. During that decade they also began to be more promotionally aware, with plane models and other promotional items being produced in quantity. It also bought new Boeing 767 jets and retired the DC-8's and 727's. On August 12, 1985, Japan Airlines flight 123, a 747 bound for Osaka International Airport, Itami/Toyonaka, lost control and crashed into a mountain after takeoff from Tokyo International Airport, Ota, Tokyo; it is the worst single-aircraft disaster in history; 520 out of 524 people on board died.

Japan Airlines began the 1990s with flights to help evacuate Japanese citizens from Iraq before the start of the Gulf War. In 1992, Japan Air Charters was established, and in 1997, an agreement with The Walt Disney Company was announced, making Japan Airlines the official airline of Disney Tokyo. That year also, JALExpress had been established, with Boeing 737 aircraft. Also in 1997, the airline had to fly the Japanese prime minister to Peru to help negotiate in the Tupac Amaru kidnapping case. Japan Airlines acquired Boeing 777's during that decade, and it was named the official airline of the Sydney Olympic Games.

On October 2, 2002, JAL merged with its former competitor, Japan Air System (JAS). The new holding company was called Japan Airlines System (日本航空システム) until 2004, when it was renamed to Japan Airlines Corporation to re-emphasize the JAL brand.

Fleet

JAL's fleet (including JAS, but not other subsidiaries) consists of:

Japan Airlines is one of the most widely known companies by model aeroplane collectors, their planes being produced in mass quantities by Schabak, Wooster, Flight Miniatures, Long Prosper, Dragon Wings, etc., etc.

JAL is known for adopting special liveries for individual aircraft. One 747, registration JA8908, carries an Adidas soccer livery. Another 747, registration JA5307, is the dream skyward baseball plane. The airline's Boeing 767-300, registration JA8853, is the Expo 2005 airplane. JALways' fleet includes some colourful Boeing 747 and DC-10 aircraft with "Reso'Cha" titles. These aircraft are used on charter flights to holiday destinations in the Pacific (Reso'Cha is a marketing abbreviation for Resort Charter).

Destinations

Japan

Asia

East Asia

South Asia

Southeast Asia

North America

Europe

Oceania

South America


IATA Code

Japan Airlines uses the IATA designator code JL.

ICAO Code

Japan Airlines uses the ICAO designator code JAL.



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