JAL upgrades in-flight services, equipment to woo foreign fliers
Japan Airlines is accelerating efforts to upgrade its in-flight services, as well as equipment used on medium-haul international flights.
The carrier is particularly focusing on routes to Hawaii and Southeast Asia, because of the increasing number of international tourists travelling on these routes.
The airline’s refurbished fleet of 111 Boeing 777-200ER aircraft - dubbed “JAL Sky Suite” to reflect the higher level of comfort and services offered - began flying in July last year.
The refurbished planes now include fully reclining seats with direct access to aisles in business class.
In economy class, the seating configuration has been changed from the standard 3-3-3 to 3-4-2, making it possible for the airline to better accommodate certain passengers, such as families.
Additionally, fliers in economy class will now benefit from a bit more leg room, with up to 10 centimetres (about inches) of extra space.
The redesign has meant reducing the number of seats in the refurbished Boeing 777200ER aircraft from 245 to 236.
But JAL aims to promote “improvement in the value of seats,” hoping their efforts will attract more customers.
JAL’s Sky Suite fleet currently flies between Tokyo’s Haneda Airport and Bangkok, Singapore and Hong Kong, as well as routes connecting Honolulu with Narita, Kansai and Chubu airports. The service upgrade also includes an improved in-flight menu in business class supervised by wellknown Japanese chefs.
JAL’s Chairman Masaru Onishi said, “Aiming to provide the best service in the world, we will continue to tackle new challenges, for example, attracting international passengers to JAL by offering delicious meals.” — WP-Bloomberg