JAL organizes special tour for first flight with new Tsurumaru livery

Special Tour for JAL new livery. Image by Japan Airlines.

Japan Airlines (JAL) announced more details on the roll out of their new Tsurumaru livery. Although they won't be changing the company logo until April 1 2011, the new livery will debut a month ahead of the change. JAL has just received a brand new 767-300ER (which happens to be the 999th production 767) with registration number JA654J. This will be the first plane with the new Tsurumaru livery. As you can see in the delivery video on KPAE Paine Field, the plane was delivered without finishing the paint job. Body was painted with the new livery's white but the rudder was painted with the on Arc of The Sun livery. JAL will do some painting before rolling this out.

This 767 will mainly be used on JAL's international flights in Asia, starting with Haneda (HND) - Beijing (PEK) flight on March 2 2011. But before that, JAL will organize a special domestic tour to Kushiro, northeastern part of Hokkaido where red-crowned cranes can be frequently seen in the snow fields during winter. They are only selling 150 tickets on this tour although there are 227 seats on this 763 with A43 configuration. The tour costs JPY 30,000 plus extra charge for selecting seats. Everyone passenger will receive a commemorative first-flight certificate and gifts. Also they can enjoy the performance by flight crew and cabin attendants! Below are details on the tour.

Date
Feb 28 2011 (Mon)

Flights
JL4901 Haneda 13:45 - Kushiro 15:25
JL4902 Kushiro 18:25 - Haneda 20:10

Itinerary
1. Depart Haneda with ceremony at boarding gate
2. Chartered bus from Kushiro Airport to Ito Sanctuary or Tsurumidai Sanctuary to observe and learn about the red-crowned cranes
3. Kushiro Airport to Haneda with commemorative ceremony at airport

Reservation of this special tour starts at 10:30AM on Feb 10 2011. JAL has a special hotline 050-3155-3355 for this tour. Operating hours are 10:30-18:00 on Feb 10 and 09:00-18:00 afterwards. You can find more details on this tour on JAL's special first Tsurumaru flight page or refer to JAL's press release (Japanese, English)

Too bad this is on the same day of the last 744 tour. If I were to join one of these tours, I would have definitely picked the 744 one. You can fly on this plane at any time in the near future but the JAL 744 tour is the last chance to fly on the plane once represent JAL. The choice is obvious at least for me :)