Masaru Onishi, Japan Airlines

Japan Airlines

Japan’s major international carrier, connecting with destinations in countries throughout Europe, the Middle and Far East, Australasia and the Americas. A domestic network is also operated. Other JAL group airlines are: Hokkaido Air Systems, JAL Express, Japan Air Commuter, Japan Transocean Air, J-Air and Ryukyu Air Commuter.

History

Japan Airlines launched services in October 1951 with a flight from Tokyo to Osaka, operating a Douglas DC-4. JAL was reorganised on 1 October 1953 with capital equally divided between the Japanese government and private investors. The airline became privately owned once more in November 1987.

Japan Airlines filed for bankruptcy protection on 19 January 2010, continuing to operate as normal. The airline was delisted from the Tokyo Stock Exchange on 19 February 2010. In November 2010 the Tokyo District Court approved the airline's reorganisation plan, and JAL emerged from bankruptcy protection on 29 March 2011 and announced the change of its trade name to Japan Airlines Company, Ltd.