Japan Airlines (JAL) is set to relaunch services to Dallas from November 30.
According to airlineroute, the Oneworld member will operate a four-times weekly route between its base in Tokyo Narita and Dallas/Fort Worth. Flights will be served by the B787-8 Dreamliner.
Flight JL012 will depart Tokyo at 1055 every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, arriving in Dallas at 0720. The return service on flight JL011 will take off from Dallas at 1145 and touch down in Tokyo at 1625 the following day.
JAL B787-8 Dreamliner
Aviation aficionados will remember that JAL first launched a three-weekly Tokyo–Dallas service back in March 1999. Due to popular demand, this soon expanded into a daily operation.
However, following the September 11, 2001 attacks the carrier announced a temporary suspension of the route – which has never been resumed until now.
JAL’s close joint venture partnership with fellow Oneworld member American Airlines, which sees the latter operate a twice-daily service between Dallas and Tokyo Narita, meant that there was always connectivity between the two cities.
Business class on JAL's B787-8
However, in am interview with Japanese news site Nikkei.com earlier this year, JAL’s president Yoshiharu Ueki highlighted Texas as a market that the carrier needed to urgently focus on. After all, Texas boasts the second-largest economy in the US after California.
The impending launch of JAL’s service to Dallas may see American Airlines drop one of its two daily flights to prevent competition with its joint venture partner.
Travellers in particular will be pleased with the move, as the JAL B787-8 offers the carrier’s latest business, premium economy and economy products. American Airlines, on the other hand, currently deploys two of its old B777 aircraft, which feature the old angle-flat business seats.
For more information, visit jal.com
Clement Huang
