Japan Airlines (JAL) has just announced their mid-term management plan. Part of that is the launch of new routes from Tokyo Narita (NRT) to San Diego (SAN) and Helsinki (HEL) with their brand new 787-8 in fiscal year 2012. Although reservations haven't started yet, JAL has already announced the schedules and flight numbers.
Tokyo Narita (NRT) - San Diego (SAN)
JL066 NRT 17:30 - SAN 10:30
JL065 SAN 12:00 - NRT 16:55+1
JAL plans to use 787-8 to launch this route in December 2012 with four weekly service (Mo, Tu, Th, Sa) and increase this to daily service from March 2013. oneworld alliance member and JAL's JBV partner American Airlines (AA) will codeshare on this flight. Inaugural flight date and codeshare details will be announced later.
This will be the first non-stop service between SAN and Asia! JAL plans to capture traffic from the international trade, tourism, defense and educational sectors from San Diego and the traffic from Japanese companies who have factories across the boarder in Tijuana. This will cut down their travel time for at least 2 hours.
Tokyo Narita (NRT) - Helsinki (HEL)
This will be the first new service between Japan and Europe in 20 years! JAL also plans to strengthen its relationship with oneworld alliance memeber Finnair whose hub is at HEL.
JL413 NRT 11:45 - HEL 15:05
JL414 HEL 17:25 - NRT 10:05+1
JAL plans to use 787-8 to launch this route in March 2013 with four weekly service (Tu, We, Fr, Su) and increase this to daily service within first half of FY2013. Inaugural flight date details will be announced later.
As usual all new flights are subject to regulatory approvals. JAL specifically mentions they will provide economy and business classes on flights to SAN but didn't do that for the HEL flights. But I would say it's safe to assume you won't get First class service on NRT-HEL :p
For more details, you can refer to JAL press release (Japanese, English)
Note that JL065 and JL066 used to be assigned to LAX-NRT flights when there were more than 1 daily LAX service back in the good old days. Maybe I should try to fly out from SAN instead in December just to get another JL065 boarding pass to my collection :P
Great news for us in San Diego, but no first class to use up AA mileage on?
ReplyDeleteYes lisa unfortunately there won't be F service on JL065/066
ReplyDelete