Japan Airlines (JAL) plans to change some of their international flight numbers to help customers better remember and recognize the flights. But compared to the complete overhaul JAL made back in May 2 2009, the changes this time are very minor. They are trying to assign 1-2 digit codes to international flights to international flights to and from Tokyo Haneda (HND), and mainly 3 digit ones on those to and from Tokyo Narita (NRT), Osaka Kansai (KIX) and Nagoya Chubu (NGO). Note that some of the continental US flights and as well as Canada ones to and from NRT will maintain their current 2 digit codes for now. Below are the changes effective March 31 2013.
Tokyo Haneda - Beijing
JL23 => JL21
Beijing - Tokyo Haneda
JL24 -> JL22
Hong Kong - Tokyo Haneda*
JL28 -> JL26
* No change on JL29 (HKG - HND) flight
Tokyo Haneda - Taipei Songshan
JL31 -> JL97
JL39 -> JL99
Taipei Songshan - Tokyo Haneda
Taipei Songshan - Tokyo Haneda
JL32 -> JL98
JL30 -> JL96
Tokyo Narita - Honolulu
JL72 -> JL782
JL74 -> JL784
JL76 -> JL786
Honolulu - Tokyo Narita
JL71 -> JL781
JL73 -> JL783
JL75 -> JL785
Osaka Kansai - Honolulu
JL78 -> JL792
Honolulu - Osaka Kansai
JL77 -> JL791
Nagoya Chubu - Honolulu
JL84 -> JL794
Honolulu -> Nagoya Chubu
JL83 -> JL793
JAL will be making changes on their reservation systems to reflect these changes today from 10:30 to 18:00. As a result, bookings on the above flights might be temporarily suspended. For urgent reservation inquiries, you should contact JAL reservation hotline.
In some ways, I can see how this can help customers to disgust the flights at HND and NRT. But now the Hawaii flights will also be regrouped into a different range which originally belongs to the Asia and Oceania region. Also, I am not sure if the 1-2 digit codes will be enough for the HND flights in a year or two. HND will further expand their international flight slots in the near future and I expect JAL to move or add more international flights to HND. So maybe another flight number changes are bound to happen sooner or later?
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