JAL
 

Last month saw the last MD-11 aircraft leave the Jal fleet. I was just wondering why that this aircraft was chosen over the ageing DC-10's which still operate in abundance!
With so many aircraft types from both Boeing and Airbus (from Jas merger) does this hinder profit margins?
Thanks in anticipation!

I imagine the DC10s are paid for and also cheap to operate and the MD11s fetched a good price from FedEx or Lufthansa and will be converted into freighters .

There's a farewell video available on the JAL website, which shows shots of the last flight etc. Soundtrack is in the Japanese language, though.

Seems to me to be a pale imitation of BA's SSC retirement stuff ...

JAL 7E7 order
 

December 22, 2004: 6:41 AM EST

JAL: $4B Boeing Dreamliner order
Asia's biggest airline will buy 30 7E7 Dreamliners with an option to purchase 20 more.

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan Airlines Corp. said Wednesday it will buy 30 Boeing 7E7 Dreamliners in a deal valued at about $4 billion, with an option for Asia's biggest airline to buy an additional 20 planes.

The contract will be signed next spring and the new planes will be introduced in April 2008 to replace JAL's 36 Boeing 767 jets and 22 Airbus A300-600s.

"We chose the 7E7 after carefully considering both it and Airbus' aircraft," a JAL spokesman said. "The 7E7 fit better for what we needed and it could be delivered when we hoped to get it."

The spokesman said JAL had not chosen an engine supplier for the order.

Merry X-mas ;)

JAL chairman resigns
 

JAL charters to Prague
 

The airline started seasonal charters to the Czech capital, they operated a weekly 744 there throughout August.

JAL bankruptcy set for Jan 19
 

JAL sets bankruptcy date


AFP, TOKYO
Sunday, Jan 10, 2010, Page 11
Japan Airlines (JAL) is set to file for bankruptcy on Jan. 19, the first step in a court-led rehabilitation process for the debt-ridden Japanese carrier, news reports said yesterday.

The decision came as its creditor banks dropped their earlier proposal for an out-of-court reorganization of the troubled airline after ensuring public support, the Nikkei Shimbun business daily and other media reported.

The state-backed Enterprise Turnaround Initiative Corp, now overseeing JAL’s restructuring, will provide ￥300 billion (US$3.2 billion) in investment so it can continue operations, the news reports said.

The government body will also ask JAL’s creditors to waive a further ￥350 billion in loans to the airline, while speeding up its restructuring, including massive trimming of its international routes, they said.

“We have made an effort to minimize troubles with JAL’s operations and will continue to do so in the future,” Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama said late on Friday after meeting transport minister Seiji Maehara.

The government will issue a statement to 35 countries, where JAL has operations, guaranteeing public support in a bid to help avoid a possible credit squeeze on the company overseas, the Yomiuri Shimbun said.
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...not sure this will happen since the Japanese government usually rescues big companies similar to the way Uncle Sam has done with the banks, brokers, auto makers, etc.

In Japan, everything is too big to fail and, unfortunately, this attitude has led to a miserable economic climate for the last 15-20 years.

It's looking like JAL are going to join Skyteam. How will this affect BA and Oneworld?

JAL against bankruptcy, favors Delta offer: report | Reuters

JAL files for bankruptcy
 

The Financial Times reports that:
I note that ETIC i.e. government support has tripled in value since Armchairpilot's post on 9 January.

The Vancouver Sun has an interesting background piece here. (Discovered via here.) It adds up to a not-unfamiliar tale of political interference with bells and whistles.

Japan Airlines devoted to One World
 

JAL to stay with American, end Delta talks: report | Reuters

WOW! Something I was certainly not expecting! I think this is a fantastic decision made by Japan Airlines - lets hope they reap the benefits from the ATI with AA.

I think the major benefactor in this decision is AA who will now be able to capitalise on ATI on both the Pacific and Atlantic.

Well done to Wille Walsh and his One World counterparts for putting up such an impressive offer and I wish them the best of luck!

The stock markets are going to love this in the morning.:ok:

Congrats to AA and its partners. I hope however they don't find themselves in 2 years time having overbid on the provision of new capital to JAL tho, and that the turnaround efforts really do work, instead of wiping out additional shareholders equity ! Those who bought shares in Eurotunnel when it first started digging a hole under the sea will know what I mean....

JAL cutting routes
 

CNBC 0745Z, JAL cutting 49 routes by end-2012 as part of re-structuring. This is news, not a rumour.

They plan to get rid of over 100 aircraft including 42 747s. Sounds like well over a thousand pilot jobs will be affected. Together with the recent Mexicana collapse it has not been a good month for legacy carriers.

but probably a good month for all those airlines in the ME looking for stick monkeys

News story here:

Japan Airlines JAL to cut 61 flights to China, Mexico - eTurboNews.com

Good link - to a November 2009 news story!!!!!