JAL Expands International Network with New Services to SAN & HEL

This is extremely exciting news to me:
JAL announced as part of its Mid-Term Management Plan for FY 2012 to 2016, that it will launch new nonstop services from NRT to SAN in DEC12 & to HEL in MAR13, utilizing the strategic B788 Dreamliner aircraft on both routes, in addition to the inaugural service between NRT & BOS which will commence 22APR.

JAL 65/66 will be the first nonstop flights linking SAN with Japan & Asia, & will be operated with the B788 Dreamliner fitted with Executive Class and Economy Class cabins. JAL will begin serving the 8th most populous US city, also the city with the largest Asian community currently without a direct flight to Asia, with four flights a week from DEC12 & daily from MAR13 to/from NRT.

With approximately 1.4 million residents, San Diego is a thriving city with an economy made up largely of international trade, tourism and defense sectors. Furthermore, it is home to many research centers and higher educational institutions, and enjoys a healthy traffic of travelers going through each year, with substantial demand to/from Asia. San Diego is situated 124mi south of Los Angeles and adjacent to the Mexican Border near the city of Tijuana where several Japanese companies operate factories. JAL’s new direct service will eliminate the need for transit at US gateways, offer customers the superior comfort of the B788 Dreamliner, and also cut down more than 2 hours in travel time.

How much do you think this will hurt AM's TJU-NRT/PEK flights? I've heard about pax from San Diego crossing the border to Tijuana just to make this flight.

I don't think this will have much of an effect because unless you have a reason to be in TJ in the first place, most people don't fancy a trip into a war-zone to catch a flight. Make no mistake about it, it is a war-zone.

The latest addition to JAL’s US network is part of the transpacific joint business agreement between JAL and its OW alliance partner, AAL, which is scheduled to codeshare on this route. Together with fellow alliance partner BAW, who offers direct flights between LHR & SAN, JAL’ new route is expected to further strengthen OW's position in the market, enabling it to offer customers in California’s 2nd largest city even greater convenience and benefits.

JAL 66 NRT-SAN 530P-1030A B788
JAL 65 SAN-NRT 1200P-455P+1 B788

JAL will also open its 1st new service between Japan and Europe in 20 years, when it begins to operate 4 weekly flights from March13, using the B788 Dreamliner connecting NRT & HEL.

Some interesting observations and my theories:
1) All 788 routes annouced by JL so far are brand new for them(i.e. Never operated before by JL). Even for NH, all of their upcoming new U.S. routes annouced so far will be brand new for them and to be operated exclusively by 788. Solid evidence proving that the 787 is indeed a route-opener as Boeing predicted even before the 787 program was launched. Also, JL could hv used their 788s for at least some of their existing U.S. routes(All Tier1 cities) if the overall intent was to downgauge/downsize/rationalize(Given the current financial shape @ JL, I was expecting this to happen to a certain extent) but they didn't.

2) Both Japanese majors hv long been interested but UNABLE to serve Tier2 U.S. cities due only to financial #s that couldn't add-up. Apparently, the 787 has changed that financial equation for them and all they hv been waiting for in order to launch these routes is the 787.

3) NRT-HEL is really a no-brainer and relatively low risk especially with something as small as a 788. It'll be an OW hub to hub op(At least lesser risks than those 2 new U.S. routes which are only spokes fm NRT). If U want to stick with OW all the way traveling between Asia and Europe via a single European hub(e.g. To get to/fm a Tier2 EU city), LHR and HEL are the only game in town realistically. In terms of connecting pax experience, the terminally congested LHR is nowhere as friendly as HEL(Your choice in connection style: Hop on/off a bus while holding your cabin bags between T3 and T5 @ LHR or simply walk across to the nex gate @ HEL). I foresee AY will get more JL intercon feeds and HEL's position as OW's European hub will solidify further.

FLX: Not all JAL B788 routes are new. JAL 23 HND-PEK & 36 HND-SIN, #441 NRT-DME, NRT-SIN, & NRT-DEL are currently served.

HEL's geographical location and the extensive network of NS flights make HEL one of the most effective gateways for customers traveling between Japan and Europe. It is also the major hub airport for JAL’s OW alliance partner FIN, with whom JAL plans to strengthen its relationship. HEL's compact and well-designed terminal allows for minimum connection time as short as 35 minutes, and offers customers smooth connections to and from 54 cities within Europe. With ample signage in English and Japanese throughout the facility (and with Japanese-speaking staff at the airport), HEL is one of the most ideal transit points for a stress-free, speedy connection between Japan and Europe for Japanese and non-Japanese customers alike.

The capital city of the Republic of Finland has a population of approximately 590,000 with a robust economy supported by the electronics, machinery and other manufacturing sectors. An attractive destination in itself for leisure, Helsinki is also an important business center with some 80% of major Finnish companies headquartered there and where majority of the nation’s top-earners reside.

JAL 413 NRT-HEL 1145A-305P B788
JAL 414 HEL-NRT 525P-1005A+1 B788

Skid Kid:
Thx for the rich info re other JL routes to be flown by 788. I didn't know JL has already confirmed+annoucned its plan to use 788 fm Japan to PEK,SIN,DME and DEL. Can you provide the related link of this news so I can read it? I hv only read about its 788 plan for N.America.

I also didn't know nor expected the HEL terminal has signage in Japanese.......pretty sure no Japanese terminals hv got Finnish signage though. HEL is probably the only EU hub terminal that has got Japanese signage.

Skid Kid, did you work for the Helsinki Chamber of Commerce in your past life? :-)

FLX...It makes sense for HEL to have signage in Japanese because of AY's long-standing service to the Far East...HEL has been a major gateway between northern Europe and the Far East for decades.

Here it is gents.

http://www.centreforaviation.com/blogs/aviation-blog/jals-new-787-dreamliner-routes-to-moscow-and-new-delhi-allow-it-to-trim-capacity-on-thin-flights-64325

Mabel:
<<HEL has been a major gateway between northern Europe and the Far East for decades>>
I understand that but I also think the Finnish must be pulling out all the stops in order to specifically attract more JAPANESE pax to transit thur HEL.....not pax fm other major Far-Eastern mkts which is a bit strange. Among E.Asian/Far-East countries, Japan is no longer the largest nor the fastest growing trading partner with Europe for quite a long time. E.g., I would hv expected signage in Chinese too along with Japanese. Also, AY flies to as many Chinese cities with as many or more frequencies as it does to Japanese cities.

I think LHR has also been a major European gateway to/fm the FarEast(At least as long as HEL if not longer) yet upto 2wks ago when I arrived there, I still hv not seen any signage there in Hindu,Chinese(Despite deep historic & econ ties with India and HongKong) or Japanese. May be the Finnish are born more receptive/adaptive to foreign languages?

FIN destinations in China & Japan are CKG 4 x a week A343,PEK daily A333,PVG daily A343 & KIX ,NGO,NRT are daily A333 respectively.

Skid Kid:
If we include HKG as part of China, that's another daily to HEL.....AY still has more frequencies to Greater China than Japan.

What about JAL financial troubles???? Is it solve yet???

Lisa

In JUL, Japanese newspapers reported that JAL had agreed to form a LCC JV with JST, the LCC subsidiary of QFA.

On 6JAN, $12.4 JAL announced its intent to re-list its shares on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in an initial public offeringof up to $12.4 Billion. It would be the largest offering in Japan in more than a year.

In FEB, JAL and BAW' owner IAG both submitted applications to the Japanese government and EU respectively in seeking a JV business operation for flights between Japan and Europe.

Lisa:
<<What about JAL financial troubles???? Is it solve yet???>>

Depending on how U define <solved>. Today's JL is indeed a lot more solid financially than say, 2yrs ago. Although still no where near fellow countryman NH's steller financial performance, JL has been radically consolidating its ops(e.g. cutting unprofitable routes/frequencies and entering into new, promising and largely untapped mkts/segments with solid partners) and cutting tons of unnecessary costs. While I'm not sure JL's trouble has been solved yet, it's fair to say the path it's taking now is clearly sustainable.

Does this means JL's troubles are solved by your definition?

FLX, it means they are working hard, but by my definition it is not solved because still have alot of debts and you can´t say it is profit.

Lisa

Then a lot of airlines have troubles.