Japan Airlines (JAL) recently received the green light from the Japanese government for its new routes from Haneda Airport when the new international air terminal opens in October. The carrier got the nod from authorities to introduce flights to Paris, San Francisco, Honolulu, Bangkok and Songsan in Taipei.
"We expect to come out with the timing of the new services of the by the end of June," Eiji Takemura, director of corporate planning at JAL, told Business Traveller, adding that long-haul flights will be set for nighttime take-off.
Haneda Airport will switch to a 24-hour operation at the completion of the expansion project that will transform the facility into Japan's second international air hub, estimated to annually handle about 30,000 slots at day time and another 30,000 slots at night.
Virtually all services to these destinations are earmarked for seven weekly flights except the Haneda-Songsan service, which is being eyed for 14 weekly flights. Meanwhile, JAL is reportedly also applying for the Haneda-Singapore route, which if approves will compete directly with Singapore Airlines, which is the sole Singapore carrier approved to fly this service.
Meanwhile, JAL was granted official approval for increased frequencies of its existing international flights from Haneda. Currently, the airline has what it calls "charter services" to Gimpo (Seoul), Beijing, Hongqiao (Shanghai) and Hongkong from the predominantly domestic airport.
For more information about the airline, visit www.jal.co.jp/en/
Gigi Onag
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