JAL has revealed its new livery, called ‘Tsurumaru’, on its latest Boeing 767 aircraft. The new livery brings back the historical crane logo of the airline.

Originally posted on Airline Industry Review

The Japanese newspaper Asahi has reported that JAL has commited to stay in OneWorld alliance.
According to the newspaper, JAL has ended talks with Delta and will officially announce it’s decision soon.
It is reported that JAL’s new CEO, Kazuo Inamori, and officials of the Enterprise Turnaround Initiative Corp of Japan has decided that switching alliances at this stage is too risky for JAL.
Apart from the cost involved with upgrading computer systems and related costs, the risk that JAL and Delta would not receive anti-trust immunity played into the decision, the Asahi reported.
Attempts by Reuters to reach JAL or ETIC spokesmen regarding this matter has been unsuccessful.

Original Asahi article in Japanese could be found here .

Originally posted on Airline Industry Review

The United States and Japan have signed a full Open Skies deal between the two countries, which marks the first of its kind between these two nations.

Highlights, as reported by Airline Route Updates blog include
*Unlimited flights, destinations
for carriers from both sides
between US and Japan, except
Tokyo market.
*Unlimited operating carriers
from each side
*ATI (anti-trust immunity)
inclusion
* Up to 4 Daily service between
US and Tokyo Haneda for US
carriers
*US carriers’ slot shares at
Tokyo Narita to lower from 28%
to 25% once the airport slots
increases from March 2010 ( cannot be confirmed whether is this a reflection of increased slots to other carriers or an actual reduction )
*Due to slots issues at Tokyo
Haneda and Narita, slots
issuance for these two airports
remains to be Government
controlled
*Removal of restrictions of 5th
freedom rights beyond each
country (but approval from 3rd
country remains required)

ANA had long been seeking an Anti-Trust immunity with Continental and United.
This agreement also makes history as the first large-scale Open Skies deal signed by Japan.

Originally posted on Airline Industry Review

Japan Airlines today announced its planned route cuts, confirming long withstanding rumours.

Photo by Tom Turner .

The planned cuts are as follows

Domestic
Between Feb and Jun
Nagoya – Kumamoto
Nagoya – Iwate Hanamaki
Nagoya – Kushiro
Narita – Kobe
Kityakushu – Okinawa
Kobe – Ishigaki
Kobe – Okinawa
Kobe – Sapporo

International

From Narita

From Osaka Kansai

Singapore – Kuala Lampur – 17 Jan
* Service to both destinations continue

Vancouver – Mexico City – 18 Jan
* Mexico City service will be cancelled

Other changes

Narita – London Heathrow : Halved. From 14 to 7 weekly.

Narita – Taipei : From 28 to 21 weekly

Originally posted on Airline Industry Review