Japan Airlines (JAL) will complete a fleet and network reshuffle, and launch new codeshares as it enters its winter schedule in November.
The airline will conclude the transfer of Boeing 737-400s to domestic subsidiary JAL Express (JEX), increasing the smaller carrier's fleet to eight aircraft, which will be operated on a wet-lease basis. Low-cost international subsidiary JALways will take over routes from Saipan to Tokyo and Osaka in October, and will later assume control of JAL's Fukuoka-Honolulu service.
The restructuring of its fleet and redistribution of services is part of the carrier's continuing efforts to drive down costs as it recovers from the effects of the 1997 Asian economic downturn.
From November, JAL will expand its codeshare with Alitalia to cover all flights between Japan and Italy, and with Vietnam Airlines between Tokyo and Ho Chi Minh City.
The carrier is planning to increase international cargo charges by up to 10% in October, in an attempt to compensate for soaring fuel costs. Charges on routes within Asia and to the Americas will increase by 5%, while European flights will become 10% more expensive.
This follows an announcement by Korean Air (KAL) that it will raise freight charges on North American routes by 10%, also citing high fuel costs. Unlike KAL, JAL has hedged against fuel price rises on about 40% of its fuel bill, which puts the Japanese carrier in a stronger position to ride out further fuel price fluctuations.
Source: Flight International
