Japan Air Lines (JAL) is continuing to adjust its schedules in the aftermath of last month's earthquake and tsunami in the northeast of the country, reducing capacity on several international sectors while re-introducing additional domestic flights to the affected region.
It has announced a reduction in frequency and substitution of smaller aircraft on 10 international routes on varying days throughout May in reaction to a sharp reduction in demand for flights to Japan following the natural disaster. One domestic route is also affected.
The sectors affected are: Tokyo Narita-Honolulu (from three to two daily); Narita-Beijing (two to one daily); Narita-Shanghai (three to two daily); Narita-Seoul Incheon (two to one daily); Narita-Hong Kong (cutting all seven weekly flights, altjough Tokyo Haneda-Hong Kong will operate as normal); Narita-Pusan (two to one daily); Haneda-Seoul Gimpo (three to two daily); Narita-Taipei Taoyuan (two to one daily); Kansai-TaipeiTaoyuan (two to one daily); and Narita-Kaoh Siung (seven to three weekly). The domestic Narita-Kansai service will lose all seven weekly flights.
The reduced frequencies will be in effect until the end of May, says the company.
Smaller aircraft are also being substituted on several routes: Narita-Guam will go from a Boeing 767-300ER to a 737-800 from 9-31 May, Haneda-Honolulu will move from a Boeing 777-200ER to a 767-300ER over the same period and the domestic Narita-Nagoya (Chuba) will reduce from a 777-300ER to a 767-300ER from 4 May to 1 June.
JAL says it will also operate more domestic flights to northeast Japan as it aims to support the region's gradual recovery. From 21-28 April it will run daily extra flights between Tokyo Haneda and Osaka Itami to Sendai. It will also offer more services from Haneda to Yamagata and Hanamaki.
Further non-scheduled services will be operated after 29 April, adds the company.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
