JAL to expand flights to Asia and Europe
JAL to expand flights to Asia and Europe
TOKYO (AFP): Japan Airlines Co. Ltd. (JAL) said yesterday it
planned to increase the number of flights to Southeast Asia,
Europe and Hawaii as well as a couple of domestic routes in the
new year starting in April.
JAL also said it expected net earnings to remain flat next
year, projecting that profits after tax would only "break even"
for the second year in a row.
Under its latest plans for Asia, the airline will launch a new
twice-weekly service between Nagoya and Manila in April and boost
the number of weekly flights between Osaka and Hong Kong from 11
to 14 in November.
JAL said it was also considering plans to increase the number
of flights between Osaka and Ho Chi Minh City from two to three a
week. On the Tokyo-Seoul route, however, the number of weekly
flights will be cut from eight to seven.
In Europe, the number of weekly flights is to rise from five
to seven on the Tokyo-Amsterdam route, from three to four on the
Tokyo-Milan-Rome route and, starting in November, from four to
five on the Osaka-London route.
JAL also plans to boost the number of weekly flights from five
to seven on both of its services to Honolulu from Fukuoka and
Sapporo. The airline added that new domestic routes would include
Kansai to Kagoshima and Oita while frequencies on existing
services in Japan would be also increased.
The objective for the new year starting in April is for
operating profits to return to the black after an expected loss
of 15 billion yen (US$150 million) in the year to March and for
net earnings to break even.
"JAL expects market conditions to be fiercely competitive
following a marked swing to lower fares in the Japanese
international travel market and increased foreign competition
following the opening of Kansai International Airport," a
statement said.
The airline also expects to break even after tax this year
after three years of net losses. In addition, JAL expects to
reach its revenue target of 1,020 billion yen for the current
year, up from 982 billion yen last year.
JAL also plans to increase its fleet by nine aircraft with the
introduction of eight new aircraft, the leasing of another two
through a subsidiary and the retiring of one Boeing 747-400.