JAL and BA codeshare routes from London. Image from Japan Airlines

As we know, Japan Airlines (JAL) and British Airways (BA) have received approval from authorities and will start their joint business from October 1 2012. JAL has just announced the details of the joint business and more importantly the enhanced JAL Mileage Bank (JMB) benefits that comes with the new joint business. Basically, the agreement is very similar to the one we saw with American Airlines (AA) with comes with elite flight bonus and enhanced accumulation rates. Below are the details.

Japan Airlines may (JAL) seek joint venture agreement with Air France (AF) to bolster its European operations. According to the Bloomberg report, JAL will seek other JBV opportunities in Europe if the JBV with British Airways (BA) cannot cover the entire Europe.

When Japan Airlines (JAL) and American Airlines (AA) start their JBV on April 1, rules to JAL Mileage Bank (JMB) will change and JMB members will get more our of AA flights :) Below are the details

According to Bloomberg, Japan Airlines (JAL) President Masaru Onishi said they would like to create a joint business venture similar to the one with AA with Cathay Pacific Airways (CX) during an interview in Tokyo yesterday. An CX spokesperson said they see that as an option.

With the upcoming open skies deal with US, JAL will start a JBV with AA on April 1 2011. Japan plans to seek similar open skies deal with other Asian countries. This opens up business opportunities and possible tie up for JAL. As the only other Oneworld carrier in Asia, CX is an option (Of course BA said they are ready when JAL is too). Does that mean the big carriers within an alliance are going to create JBV with each other and coordinate on price and schedule? I don't like what this is heading at all.

[Update: Added NRT-ORD schedule]

Below are some of the highlights of today's press conference

Here are the official press release of today's joint press conference:

(Japanese) http://press.jal.co.jp/ja/release/201101/001720.html
(English) http://press.jal.co.jp/en/release/201101/001721.html

I posted this yesterday on FlyerTalk. In case you have missed this, Japan Airlines (JAL) and American Airlines (AA) are holding a joint press conference in Japan at 2PM Japan Standard Time on Jan 11 2011 (Yes that's today). This will be about their joint business venture (JBV) progress. I expect at least a timeline of their integration but it's possible they will announce changes in their respective FFPs as JAL usually announces changes to its program at around this time.

AA is doing a live broadcast of the press conference on its facebook page. Tune in at 2PM today to watch the press conference LIVE at http://www.facebook.com/aa?v=app_104852659551518