JAL to increase Number of Flights to China, India and Thailand

From October 29, 2006, JAL is to increase the number of flights between Japan and China, India and Thailand, subject to government approval.

JAL will establish a daily service between Nagoya (Chubu) and Guangzhou by increasing the number of flights on the route from 3 to 7 per week. Flight frequency will be increased on JAL’s Tokyo - Bangkok route from 14 to 21 flights per week, providing passengers with a three flights per day service. The airline will also increase the number of flights between Tokyo and New Delhi from 3 to 4 flights per week.

JAL will reduce from 14 to 7 flights per week its Tokyo – Chicago service, and suspend its 4 times-a-week service between Nagoya – Manila.

Based on a bilateral aviation agreement between the governments of Japan and China in July 2006, JAL plans to further increase flight frequency on its routes between the two countries.

The route and frequency revisions form part of the JAL Group’s ongoing restructuring of its international, domestic and cargo businesses. Through route restructuring JAL aims to build a more profit-focused network, and return its international passenger business to profitability in FY2006.

In the JAL Group medium-term business plan FY2006-2010, the company forecasts a 13.5 billion yen (US$112.5 million) income improvement in FY2006 from route suspensions, flight frequency adjustments, and a review of aircraft scheduling. JAL’s route restructuring measures led to an income improvement of 3 billion yen (US$25 million) in FY2005.

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