Japan Airlines revises its plan vis-à-vis cargo fleet, route and frequency

Japan Airlines (JAL) is revising its plan on cargo fleet, route and frequency for the second half of the financial year 2008, the year ending March 31, 2009.

In a statement, Japan Airlines said it would suspend freighter-only operations between Narita International Airport in Tokyo, Japan, and New York in the United States. The airline also has decided to cut frequency of freighter flight from six to five flights a week on the Tokyo (Narita International Airport)-Los Angeles route.

By the end of November 2008, the statement continued, Japan Airlines would also have retired from service its last remaining two Boeing 747-200 freighter aircraft.

In addition, the airline will cancel the conversion of one of its Boeing 747-400 passenger aircraft into a freighter aircraft, as had originally been planned.

Japan Airlines Corporation, based in Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan, is one of the largest airline operators in Asia. The airline operates scheduled and non-scheduled international and domestic services. Its main bases are Narita International Airport, Tokyo, and Tokyo International Airport, Tokyo.

The Japan Airlines statement explained: “In order to build a more profitable business structure, the airline will concentrate its freighter resources on just two destinations in North America: Chicago and Los Angeles in the United States. By concentrating on fewer freighter destinations in North America and adjusting demand and supply, Japan Airlines aims to respond speedily to changes in the business environment and further improve profitability.”

The airline has admitted that it is at present facing “a tough environment,” particularly with regard to its freighter business in North American.

According to Japan Airlines, “even though the price of fuel has stabilisded, it has remained at a very high level. Furthermore, the business outlook, centering on North America, remains gloomy,”

The company said it would meet the demand for transporting cargo to and from New York by utilising belly space on the airline’s passenger flights, operating twice daily, between Tokyo and New York, and by using feeder truck services to and from the airline’s freighter gateway in Chicago.

Regarding the carrier’s overall cargo fleet and network strategy, the JAL statement said the company would “strive to respond to customers’ needs by providing the best mix of large-size Boeing 747-400 freighters, medium-size Boeing 767 freighters, and belly space in passenger flights, and by offering the largest network to and from Japan.”