JAL Air-Observation Jet with Special Livery (Source: JAL Press Release)

Japan Airlines (JAL) has been helping to collect air samples to measure atmospheric carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases with its passenger aircraft since 1993. In 2005, they have jointly established the Comprehensive Observation Network for TRace gases by AIrLiner (CONTRAIL) Project with other organizations and installed a newly developed Automatic Air Sampling equipment (ASE) and Continuous carbon dioxide Measure Equipments (CME) on its planes. 

Currently there are 4 777-200ERs in JAL's fleet that are equipped with these measuring devices. JAL will paint the CONTRAIL logo on one of them (JA707J) to promote this unique environment initiative. The JAL Air-Observation Jet with this special livery will be mainly flying between Tokyo Haneda and Paris CDG, San Francisco, and Hong Kong (Basically the HND routes with long-haul configured 777).

For more details, you can refer to JAL press release (Japanese, English)

About a year ago, more than 15,000 people were killed by a series of disasters triggered by the Tohoku earthquake. Japan Airlines (JAL) has participated and organized many events and campaigns to rebuild the Tohoku region, which includes operating 2,700 special flights to the region in the 5 months after the earthquake. March 11 2012 marks the first anniversary of the Tohoku earthquake, and JAL will operate a special "Tohoku Reconstruction Charter Flight" from Hong Kong (HKG) to Sendai (SDJ).

According to Japan Airlines (JAL) website, Hong Kong (HKG) will be added as a new destination with premium economy service from April 1 2012. But this only applies to flights to/from Tokyo Haneda (HND), i.e. JL028/029.

Japan Airlines (JAL) has once again update its business class meal service starting this month. Both long haul and short haul business class menus received an update. On top of that, the full a la carte menu finally arrives on LAX route! So now all on the US flights will have the full anything and any time meal service :) Below are more details on the changes rolled out this month

As expected, the JAL Sakura lounge at HKG will be closed as a result of cost saving and Japan Airlines (JAL) downsizes its HKG operation to 2 daily flights. From October 5 2010, JAL passengers will be invited to use the Travelers' Lounge instead. There will be a reserved area for JAL passengers. For details, you can refer to JAL website.

Japan Airlines (JAL) and Cathay Pacific (CX) finally found a way to work together as a partner!!! Until now, JAL and CX sees each other more as a competitor than a partner. Before JAL joined oneworld, you can't even earn JMB miles on CX's flights between HKG and Tokyo. According to the press release, this is only the first step JAL will take to improve JAL's network in Asia with the help of CX. Further announcements will come when they have reached more agreements.

I finally find out where Japan Airlines (JAL) is going to deploy the extra 777-300ER after switching Narita (NRT) - San Francisco (SFO) (JL001/002) from 777-300ER to 777-200ER. From October 31 2010, JAL will start First class service on NRT-Jakarta (CGK), the same day which JAL downsize SFO to 772. Since JAL will be using the SFO aircraft on this route, it is getting the latest and greatest products, i.e. JAL Suite and JAL Flat Shell NEO seats in First and Business class respectively. And don't forget about the Sky Gallery and Self-service bar. I start to feel jealous :P

Also, JAL will discontinue First class service on Hong Kong (HKG) route (JL731/732) from October 1 2010. Currently NRT-HKG is the only short-haul route left with First class service. When JAL switches this flight to Haneda (HND) airport, it will downsize the aircraft from 747-400 to 777-200ER, and therefore discontinuing First class service and finally retire the Sky Sleeper seats (at least no route with regular scheduled Sky Sleeper service). This will also marks an end of short-haul First class service. NRT-CGK will be the shortest route with First class service after this.

JiJi.com reports that Japan Airlines (JAL) is planning to reduce frequency on 7 Narita routes from October, resulting a reduction of 40 weekly flights at NRT.

Japan Airlines has announced more capacity and frequency cuts for the remaining of the fiscal year. Narita-Sao Paulo and Narita-Pudong will see frequency reductions while Narita-Beijing, Haneda-Beijing, and Haneda-Hong Kong will be switched to smaller aircraft.

Japan Airlines Hong Kong has uploaded pictures of its July meals. I am not impressed by the Business class offering at all. Not sure what I am going to pick on my HKG-NRT flight :( You can check out he meal options on JAL Hong Kong website.

I recently took a Japan Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Tokyo (JL061). And I finally remembered to take pictures before I eat my food on my LAX-NRT flight. Here's my photo report of my flight.

Japan Airlines is having a triple bonus promotion in Hong Kong. If you book a ticket through JAL Hong Kong website, you will receive three bonus awards in addition to the 500 miles bonus. You will get a 2,000 yen JAL gift card and Sakura lounge access at HKG. Also comes with it is a free roundtrip Hong Kong Airport Express roundtrip ticket. Looks like there are A LOT of promotions going on in Hong Kong :)

Source: JAL Hong Kong

Japan Airlines is holding a sweepstakes in Hong Kong to celebrate the 1st anniversary of Haneda-Hong Kong flights. The regular HND-HKG charter flights was launched on July 1 2008. JAL first operated a 767 on this route but now they have switched to 744 and 777.

What an "attractive" campaign. To celebrate the first anniversary of HKG-HND route, If you join a package tour to go to Japan in Hong Kong with the participating travel agencies AND you fly on JAL, you will get 1 case of JAL cup noodles FREE! That's 15 of them. That's not cheap stuff, they are selling for USD55 for 2 cases and JAL only serve cup noodles in premium cabins LOL

Source: JAL Hong Kong (Chinese only)

JAL has uploaded most of the July menus of its international flights (somehow I still don't see the menu for my HND-HKG flight). Again, this is a Japanese only feature but you can easily change the airport codes and cabin class in the URL to find your menu.

Japan Airlines has announced further reduction of its international network today. The earliest reduction will start on July 1 2009. According to the press release, JAL has to do this to improve profitability due to slow recovery in air travel demand.

This is an old video from 1998. Once in a while I would go to youtube to watch this video. You can see a JAL Cargo plane did a crosswind landing at the old HKG in the video. Honestly, I was kind of shocked the first time I saw this and thought the plane is going to crash LOL (but I knew it didn't because I would have heard of it).

JAL first announced the temporary frequency reduction of HND-HKG route between March and May back in Feb 28 2009. Despite the swine flu (yes I am still calling it by the old name LOL) which hit the Hong Kong tourist industry really hard, JAL is going to resume daily operation on this route according to the original plan (Hopefully this is a good sign). But they are going to re-time the flights a bit and move the departure time of both flights back by 15 minutes (Luckily they aren't changing the time until 2 days after my HND-HKG flight. I still have a chance to catch the last MTR train...fingers crossed)

Details can be found on JAL HK's website