Japan Airlines (JAL) has unveiled a new app for Android and iOS devices that allows travellers to connect automatically to more than 200,000 wifi hotspots around the country.

The JAL Explore Japan Wifi app has been developed by Wire and Wireless Co. Ltd. (Wi2) and is designed to connect to wifi spots operated by the company across Japan, namely in public areas such as airports, major train stations, restaurants and key tourist locations. Connectivity is free of charge and without limit.

Users of Wi2’s existing Travel Japan Wifi will be familiar with the service – the new JAL-backed offering adds links to the airline’s overseas visitor information websites and services. Most notably for overseas travellers, this includes the airline’s JAL Japan Explorer Pass, launched back in 2015, which is a flexible fare for domestic flights only available for non-resident travellers.

The new wifi app is similarly aimed at overseas travellers – residents of Japan are not able to download the app – and is available in English, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Korean and Thai.

Access to a social media account is required as part of the sign up process once the app has been installed – Facebook, Google+ and Weibo are all options.

Japan Airlines has been focusing on offering enhanced wifi connectivity recently, most notably with the decision to offer free in-flight wifi on all domestic flights operated by aircraft equipped with the service.

jal.co.jp