Japan Airlines will initially deploy its new Airbus A350-1000 on the Tokyo Haneda-New York JFK route, as it contemplates the replacement of its Boeing 777-300ERs.
The first A350-1000 service will depart to JFK on 24 January, as JAL awaits its second example before the end of its 2023 fiscal year on 31 March 2024, says the carrier.
The arrival of the second A350-1000 will allow the type to serve JFK daily. Upon the arrival of the third A350-1000, JAL will deploy the type on the Tokyo Haneda – Dallas Fort Worth route.
JAL has orders for 13 A350-1000s. In November, company officials had told FlightGlobal that it would receive two A350s before the end of 2023, with five additional jets in 2024. JAL’s JFK announcement suggests that deliveries of the first two aircraft have slipped.
Original plans had called for JAL’s first A350-1000 to enter service in November, coinciding with the start of the Northern Winter schedule, but supply chain delays pushed the launch timeline to the right.
“The operation of the latest fuel-efficient equipment enables a reduction of 15-25% in CO2 emissions,” says JAL.
“Furthermore, in line with the expansion of the A350-1000 fleet, JAL plans to replace the amount equivalent to 1% of the onboard fuel with Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) on Japan-bound flights to reduce CO2 emissions and further minimize environmental impact.”
Cirium fleets data indicates that JAL operates 13 777-300ERs with an average age of 16.7 years. The carrier also operates 16 A350-900s.
