In terms of the pilot workforce, with many pilots having retired early during the pandemic, the airline has recruited flight crews to fill those open cockpit positions in the time since. However, this has resulted in a flying environment where few pilots know each other and often meet for the first time on the flight deck.  

Such an environment is making it more difficult for pilots to communicate and interact with each other in a country where a seniority-based hierarchy is still very much installed in the national psyche, said unnamed sources employed by the airline. 

Equally, during the pandemic, many ground handling staff aged between 30 and 50 left JAL to secure employment elsewhere as they were unable to see a recovery in the airline industry in the short term, effectively breaking the connection between older workers and younger staff. Where the older staff would once have acted as mentors to new recruits, the dynamic has shifted so that there are fewer more experienced staff to train newcomers leading to an experience gap in the workforce.

Although JAL has declined to comment formally on the allegations of safety issues at the carrier, the Japanese airline touched upon the lack of skilled workforce at its shareholder meeting earlier in June 2024.  

鈥淲e failed to build an environment where ground staff could ensure safety amid various pressures and that led to the series of incidents,鈥� said Munekazu Tachibana, the carrier精东影业 senior vice president of corporate safety and security. 

JAL operations have come under additional scrutiny since the accident at Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND) in January 2024 when one of its Airbus A350s was destroyed following a collision with a Japanese Coast Guard plane on the runway. Although the incident was not the fault of the JAL crew in any way, the accident has opened the carrier to additional scrutiny over its own safety processes and procedures.  

Other incidents

In November 2023, a JAL aircraft crossed the runway at Seattle-Tacoma Airport (SEA) without clearance. In a subsequent safety report issued to the Japanese government, the carrier said the captain had misunderstood the air traffic controller精东影业 instructions and even though the co-pilot doubted they had clearance to line up, he failed to speak up due to the fear of overruling the captain.鈥� 

In May 2024, at Fukuoka Airport (FUK) in southwest Japan, a JAL pilot allegedly failed to correctly repeat air traffic controller (ATC) instructions and subsequently moved beyond a runway stop line, entering the airport精东影业 active runway without the control tower精东影业 clearance. 

In another incident also in May 2024, the wingtips of two JAL aircraft came into contact at Haneda airport as one was being pushed back from the terminal to prepare for take-off while the other was moving forward to enter an adjacent parking position.  

Then, on June 22, 2024, a J-Air (a JAL subsidiary) Embraer 170 bound for Osaka-Itami returned to Aomori Airport in the country精东影业 north after a cockpit signal indicated that one of its engines had caught fire. 

Japan精东影业 transport ministry, speaking in March 2024, said that JAL is facing a challenge securing sufficient captains as many of them are currently aged in their 50s and are set to retire by around 2030. Meanwhile, the majority of co-pilots at the carrier are in their 20s to early 40s. JAL employs around 2,000 pilots. 

On June 24, 2024, the transport ministry also said that it was planning to strengthen runway encroachment measures, including installing a sound feature, in addition to a message, that would go off on air traffic control screens if there精东影业 a danger of two aircraft colliding. Additionally, the ministry is considering increasing the number of air traffic controllers to bolster safety.  

Russia精东影业 Ural Airlines, Volga-Dnepr, Novaport added to latest EU sanctions list

• War in Ukraine

byMiquel Ros

2024-06-25

Through its new partnership with Liverpool FC, Japan Airlines will become part of one of football精东影业 greatest ever teams, renowned for its rich, vibrant history and incredible worldwide fanbase.听聽

At the same time Liverpool FC will become interconnected with one of Japan精东影业 premier airlines with worldwide reach, particularly in the Asian market.  

Ben Latty, Chief Commercial Officer at Liverpool FC, said he is 鈥渄elighted鈥� to welcome Japan Airlines onboard and partner with a brand that shares the club精东影业 鈥渨inning mentality鈥�. 

鈥淭his partnership aligns our global ambitions, combining the passion and heritage of one of the world精东影业 most storied football clubs, with the exceptional service and reach of Japan精东影业 premier airline. The partnership will create opportunities for fans to engage with the club through unique activations and experiences,鈥� Latty said.  

He added: 鈥淧artnering with Japan Airlines is another major step forward in our club精东影业 strategy to expand our international presence and engage more deeply with our diverse and dedicated global fanbase.鈥澛�

Liverpool FC精东影业 previous official airline partnership with Malaysia Airlines ended in 2019 but the club appeared in no rush to replace the carrier until now.  

Liverpool is an attractive club to a variety of companies due to it having the Premier League精东影业 most engaged online fan base and being the most watched European team globally across domestic and league cup fixtures.  

鈥淭his partnership is significant for us because it will allow us to deepen connections with our customers and develop new relationships with Liverpool FC fans around the world. We feel incredibly fortunate to be embarking on this exciting journey with the Liverpool FC and the LFC Foundation,鈥� said Junko Sakihara, Deputy Senior Vice President of Customer Experience at Japan Airlines.  

Under the partnership Japan Airlines will work closely with the on key community initiatives across global markets.听聽

The first initiative will start in July, with the airline supporting a youth football clinic with Liverpool FC精东影业 international pre-season match in Philadelphia.听

Qantas to make major investment in future regional turboprop fleet聽

• Airlines
• Aviation in Australia

byLuke Peters

2024-06-25

Japan Airlines President Mitsuko Tottori was summoned to the Transport Ministry on May 27, 2025, for serious talks on the airline精东影业 recent safety record, according to .听

It is understood that the situation relates to five incidents including Japan Airlines Flight 516 on January 2, 2024, which saw a JAL Airbus A350-900 crash into Coast Guard plane shortly after landing at Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND).听

While the Coast Guard pilot managed to escape from the Dash 8, tragically all five other people on board were killed.    

More recently on May 23, 2024, two JAL aircraft clipped wings at HND and on May 10, 2024, a Japan Airlines jet mistakenly entered the runway at Fukuoka Airport (FUK). 

Japan Airlines has until June 11, 2024, to submit plans to the Transport Ministry on how it will rectify the situation. 

Officials from the Transport Ministry visited Japan Airlines offices on May 24, 2024, to conduct an inspection.  

鈥淚t cannot be said that the safety management system is functioning effectively throughout the company,鈥� Shigenori Hiraoka, Director General of the Ministry’s Civil Aviation Bureau, said.  

Mitsuko Tottori apologized for the incidents and said: 鈥淭he biggest problem is that similar incidents have occurred consecutively despite past incidents. We want to take responsibility and take corrective actions.鈥澛�

JAL cancels Dallas-Tokyo flight after pilot got drunk and disorderly at hotel

• Airlines

byJean Carmela Lim

2024-05-02

Both GPUs and APUs are generally used to provide electrical power to aircraft while they are on the ground without their engines running. The electrical energy generated is used to power air conditioning and aircraft lighting while that aircraft is parked at an airport.听

By introducing the eGPUs, the airline states that CO2 emissions will be reduced to zero, while noise levels will decrease by approximately 30% (below 65db) compared to more traditional GPUs or APUs. It is hoped that this will improve the working environment for ground staff, mitigate noise and environmental issues in communities around airports, and contribute to the preservation of the global environment. 

The eGPU units can supply electricity continuously for approximately 14 turnarounds of a Boeing 737-800-sized aircraft on a full charge. To date, orders for over 400 of the units have been received from airports and airlines worldwide.听

JAL has been exploring the deployment of eGPU units at domestic airports as part of its efforts to promote CO2 emission reduction in airport facilities and vehicles, advocated by the Civil Aviation Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism.听

To this end, within the JAL Group, JAL精东影业 regional subsidiary Japan Air Commuter has introduced the eGPU at seven airports (Tanegashima, Yakushima, Kikaijima, Amami Oshima, Tokunoshima, Okinoerabujima, Yoron), while another subsidiary, Hokkaido Air started operations with the eGPU at three airports (Sapporo Okadama, Rishiri, and Okushiri) in March 2024.听

Japan Airlines said in a statement that in considering the expansion of eGPU deployment at airports across Japan, the installation of charging infrastructure and securing AC power sources for use with jet aircraft were issues. However, at Matsuyama Airport, this issue was resolved by converting the power plugs used for snowplow vehicle heaters, leading to the introduction of the eGPU.  

This implementation of the eGPUs within the JAL group of carriers is expected to pave the way for further deployments at other airports, leveraging the knowledge gained from the experience obtained so far.听

Japan Airlines unveils special EXPO 2025 livery to be applied to a Boeing 787聽聽

• Airlines

byLuke Peters

2024-05-17

The initiative marks the second phase of the publicity campaign by the carrier and follows the introduction of another special livery on an Embraer 190 aircraft operated by Japan Airlines subsidiary J-AIR, based at Osaka International (Itami) Airport (KIX).  

The special design to be displayed on the 787 features images of the Expo’s official mascot ‘MYAKU-MYAKU’, along with other original elements of the EXPO 2025 branding. The newly decorated aircraft is scheduled to begin operations on behalf of the carrier on June 3, 2024. Specific dates and flights to be operated by the 787 Expo-jet have yet to be revealed by the airline.  

According to Japan Airlines, the aim of the special schemes is 鈥渢o introduce both domestic and international passengers to EXPO 2025, encouraging visits not only to the exposition but also to various destinations throughout Japan鈥�.  

The 787 Dreamliner aircraft that has been chosen to bear the ‘MYAKU-MYAKU鈥� design scheme is one of the carrier精东影业 23 787-8s, with registration JA823J. This aircraft is 10.8 years old, having been delivered new from Boeing to Japan Airlines in August 2013. The aircraft has a capacity of 206 passengers, comprising 30 business class seats and 176 economy class seats.  

The routes earmarked to be serviced by the 787 EXPO 2025 jet include flights from Tokyo-Haneda (HND) to Seoul-Gimpo(GMP), Taipei-Songshan (TPE), Dalian (DLC), Shanghai-Pudong )PVG) and Ho Chi Minh City (SGN). The aircraft will also be seen on flights from Tokyo-Narita (NRT) to Bangkok (BKK) and Osaka-Kansai to Bangkok and Taipei. 

The aircraft is expected to remain in the special color scheme until August 2025. Meanwhile, the carrier has also disclosed that there will be a third EXPO 2025 liveried aircraft, details of which have yet to be revealed.  

According to a Japan Airlines statement, the concept behind 鈥楳YAKU-MYAKU鈥�, the official mascot of EXPO 2025, is that it is 鈥渁 mysterious creature born from the unification of cells and water. Its true identity is unknown. The red part is the 鈥榗ell鈥� which divides and increases while the blue part represents clean water which can be transformed to flow. The character will be utilized by the EXPO 2025 organizing committee, as well as other stakeholders, to 鈥減ublicize and foster the momentum of the Expo鈥�.听聽

easyJet CEO to step down in January 2025, new base at London-Southend Airport

• Airlines
• Airport

byLuke Peters

2024-05-16

According to Japanese news outlet the 49-year old captain engaged in 鈥渄isruptive behavior鈥� at the layover hotel bar, prompting staff to call local police who then questioned the pilot and warned him not to cause further problems.

The Mainichi reported that the pilot had dined with other crew members at the hotel when they arrived in the city. The dinner started at 18:00 local time and continued until 02:00, when the pilot started to act in a disorderly manner.

Japan Airlines told the news outlet that it decided to cancel flight JL 11 on April 24, 2024 because it could not find a replacement pilot for the flight, which was scheduled to depart at 11:00 local time.

The airline made alternative arrangements for the 157 passengers to get to Tokyo.

An airline spokesperson told Business Insider via email that the decision to cancel the flight was due to the need to assess the captain’s physical and mental well-being, and not because the pilot was under the influence at the time of the flight.

“It is true that the captain consumed alcohol,” the spokesperson said, adding that “there was a sufficient interval between alcohol consumption and the scheduled duty time.”

This is not the first incident where an on-duty pilot became inebriated before a flight. In February 2019, an American Airlines pilot was arrested in Manchester, United Kingdom, for consuming alcohol over the prescribed limit before a flight. In March 2024, a Delta Air Lines pilot was jailed in the UK after failing an airport breathalyzer and blood test prior to his flight.

Drunk Delta Air Lines pilot due to captain Boeing 767 to New York jailed in UK聽

• Airlines

byIan Molyneaux

2024-03-20

The airline launched the program in partnership with Yokohama City under the 鈥淔ry to Fly鈥� project, which aims to realize a decarbonized society through domestic resource recycling, and is promoting initiatives for the production of SAF by utilizing used cooking oil as its feedstock. 

Since March 2024, the airline has been collecting used cooking oil from households in Yokohama, Japan精东影业 second-largest city, to use as a biodiesel and SAF feedstock. Japan Airlines said it will be used on flights starting 2025. 

The used cooking oil is collected by AEON Food Style Kamoi store, which is operated by the Japanese supermarket chain Daiei.

Japan Airlines and Yokohama精东影业 city government are also planning to sell bottles for depositing oil and organize publicity events with airline employees. It is hoped that the activity will spread to more facilities in the new fiscal year.

In a social media post, the airline said it has 鈥渂roader plans鈥� to expand the program to regions across Japan, adding that the initiative is bringing the airline close to its goal of replacing 10% of its fuel with SAF by 2030.

Construction of Japan精东影业 first SAF manufacturing plant is currently underway at Sakai City, Osaka, with the goal of commercializing domestically produced SAF by 2025.

British Airways operates passenger flight using recycled cooking oil

• Airlines

byJean Carmela Lim

2021-09-16

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, registered JA843J, was descending towards Tokyo-Narita International Airport (NRT) in Japan on April 1, 2024, when turbulence struck the aircraft, which had flown from Melbourne Airport (MEL) in Australia.听聽

According to Japan’s Ministry of Transport, the incident occurred at around 15:30 local time when the 787-8 was flying at an altitude of 5,200 meters and 150 kilometers from NRT. 

The severe turbulence resulted in one cabin crew member receiving a fracture to their lower right thigh, whereas three others suffered sprains.  

At the time of the incident there were 146 passengers and 11 crew on board the aircraft. The Japan Transport Safety Board (JTSB) is now investigating the incident.  

On March 29, 2024, a United Airlines Boeing 787 was forced to make an emergency landing at New York Stewart International Airport (SWF) due to severe turbulence. 

Seven passengers on board the flight were taken to hospital following the incident, but a further 15 were treated at the airport for injuries.  

‘United Airlines Flight 85 landed safely at New York Stewart International Airport around 6:45 p.m. local time on Friday, March 29, after the crew reported a passenger medical emergency,” the (FAA) said in a statement.听

The agency added: 鈥淭he Boeing 787 departed from Tel Aviv and was en route to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. The FAA will investigate. Please contact the airline for additional information.鈥澛�

Japan Airlines set to purchase 32 Airbus and 10 Boeing jets

• Aircraft
• Airlines

byIan Molyneaux

2024-03-21

The Japan Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft departed Tokyo Haneda International Airport (HND) on March 31, 2024, and landed at Hamad International Airport (DOH) in Doha almost 12 hours later.听聽

The Japan Airlines 787-9 Dreamliner was welcomed in Doha by a water cannon salute and a ceremony was held to officially launch the route which is also a codeshare service with fellow oneworld alliance member Qatar Airways.  

鈥淥ur new Doha service is the first direct flight from the Middle East operated by a Japanese airline. It perfectly complements JAL精东影业 global network and enables customers to seamlessly connect from Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and South America through our partnership with Qatar Airways, a member of the same oneworld alliance as JAL,鈥� Ross Leggett, Japan Airlines Managing Executive Officer and Route Marketing Senior Vice President, said.听

Konnichiwa Doha

Welcoming Japan Airlines to for the first time!
Our and codeshare partner was met with a water cannon salute in cooperation with Qatar Aviation Services

— Qatar Airways (@qatarairways)

Leggett added: 鈥淭he demand for business and leisure travel from Doha to Asia continues to grow, and we are excited to offer JAL精东影业 renowned five-star service and unique approach to hospitality to even more travelers.鈥澛�

The new service will run daily until October 26, 2024, and will feature Japan Airlines JAL SKY SUITE 787 (Boeing 787-9) aircraft. 

The two-class configuration includes 52 JAL SKY SUITE 鈪� fully flat seats in JAL Business Class, and 151 JAL SKY WIDER seats. 

“We are thrilled to welcome Japan Airlines to the Middle East through its renowned hub in Doha. The launch of Japan Airlines鈥� daily flights from Tokyo Haneda to Hamad International Airport is a landmark achievement and a testament to the flourishing partnership between both Qatar and Japan,鈥� Sujata Suri, Senior Vice President of Finance and DOH, said. 

Suri added: 鈥淐ombining Japan Airlines鈥� latest launch with Qatar Airways鈥� recent resumption to Osaka, is projected to result in a 50% increase in weekly flight frequency between Qatar and Japan.鈥澛�

Japan Airlines set to purchase 32 Airbus and 10 Boeing jets

• Aircraft
• Airlines

byIan Molyneaux

2024-03-21

JAL announced on March 21, 2024, that it will order 21 Airbus A350-900 aircraft, 11 A321neos, and 10 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners.  

Of the 21 new A350-900s, 20 will be deployed internationally with the additional jet operating on domestic routes and replacing the one that was destroyed at Haneda Airport (HND) in Japan on January 2, 2024.听聽

JAL currently has over 50 Boeing 787s in its fleet. The 10 new Boeing 787-9s, combined with the A350s, will enhance and expand its international operations, particularly in North America, Asia, and India. 

Japan Airlines expects to introduce the A350-900 and 787-9s on international routes from 2027. 

JAL has also decided to purchase 11 Airbus A321neo aircraft, introducing them for the first time in its fleet. These aircraft will be deployed on routes based on demand, including flights to and from Haneda Airport, starting in 2028. 

Up to this point Boeing has been the exclusive supplier of single-aisle jets to Japan Airlines.  

In March 2023, Japan Airlines ordered 21 Boeing 737-8 aircraft to replace its current 737-800 fleet. 

Japan Airlines鈥� potential widebody order could include Boeing and Airbus jets

• Aircraft
• Airlines

byIan Molyneaux

2024-03-20