Oneworld member Japan Airlines (JAL) has added flights between Japan and Mainland China for its northern hemisphere 28 March to 28 October summer schedule.

The update includes a second daily Tokyo Haneda-Shanghai Pudong flight, resumption of nonstop Haneda-Shanghai Hongqiao after three years, an increase to double daily on Haneda-Beijing, as well as reinstatement of Osaka Kansai-Pudong and Nagoya-Tianjin from May.

JAL also is expanding Haneda-Guangzhou and Tokyo Narita-Dalian to daily rotations.

The airline flies mostly widebody Boeing aircraft between Japan and China, including 767 and 787 Dreamliner aircraft, although some of the China routes may also be operated by 737-800 regional narrowbody aircraft.

The 787s typically offer lie-flat seating in business class whereas the 737s and some of the 767 feature older-style recliners.

Earlier this week media reports sourced saying that JAL was in the final stages of negotiating its first order for Boeing 737 Max programme aircraft.

The 737 Max order – split between Max 8 and larger Max 10 variants reportedly – will replace JAL’s 737-800 domestic and regional fleet.

The short-haul fleet rejuvenation follows the introduction of Airbus A350 widebodies at JAL in June 2019.

Until then JAL had exclusively operated Boeing aircraft.
Fast forward almost four years, JAL now has 16 A350-900s in its fleet, with another two on order, plus 13 larger A350-1000s.

Interestingly, the A350-900s feature exclusively on JAL’s domestic network. JAL is the only airline in the world that operates an exclusively domestic A350-900 fleet.

JAL expects to take delivery of its maiden A350-1000 later this year and hopes to have two before year-end. Another seven are scheduled to follow in 2024-25; followed by the final four by 2028.

The A350-1000s will replace JAL’s 777-300ER aircraft on its flagship routes to Europe and the US, including to London’s Heathrow, New York’s Kennedy and Los Angeles.

The Japanese flag carrier also retains options to purchase another 25 A350 aircraft from Airbus.

jal.co.jp