JAPAN AIRLINES INCREASES SERVICE FROM LOS ANGELES WITH RETURN OF NONSTOPTO OSAKA’S KANSAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ONBOARD BOEING 787 DREAMLINER

         (Los Angeles, California – March 20, 2015) – Japan Airlines (JAL)  today celebrated the return of daily nonstop service between Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Osaka’s Kansai International Airport (KIX) –strenghening the airline’s network across the Pacific and increasing its frequency to and from Los Angeles. The service is also the latest transpacific joint business route offered together with fellow oneworld® alliance member American Airlines.

         “ Japan Airlines is pleased to further expand its trans-Pacific network,” said Yasuhiro Nakamura, Senior Vice President – the Americas for Japan Airlines. “The increase in service also strengthens JAL’s presence in Los Angeles and offers our customers more choice and convenience when traveling to Japan and destinations throughout Asia.”

         “Japan Airlines resumption of nonstop service from LAX to Osaka will strengthen business, tourism, and cultural ties with one of the most desirable cities in Asia,” said Gina Marie Lindsey, Executive Director of Los Angeles World Airports. “The new route will offer LA travelers more choices in reaching the economically important Kansai region, as well as destinations beyond.” 

         The nonstop service becomes the only and most direct link from Los Angeles to Japan’s Kansai region, which is the country’s second largest economy and population. The flight is also convenient for travelers bound for the many cultural and historic destinations throughout the area including Kyoto, Nara and Kobe.

         Japan Airlines will operate the Los Angeles to Osaka nonstop with the state-of-the-art Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which provides a heighted inflight cabin experience. The aircraft is fitted with a total of 186 seats including 42 JAL SHELL FLAT NEO seats in Business Class.  In JAL Economy, the 144 seats are configured in a spacious 2-4-2 layout rather than the standard 3-3-3 configuration for a more comfortable inflight experience .

LAX=KIX Flight Schedule from 3/20/15*:

*All times are local.  The above schedule is between 3/20/15 and 3/28/15.  For schedules on/after 3/29/15, please visit  http://www.ar.jal.com/arl/region/en/flight_planning/lax/kix.html . Flights operated by JAL and codeshares by American Airlines. 

         JAL’s Los Angeles – Osaka service has been reinstated after a more than eight-year suspension, and the operation is in addition to the airline’s current daily Los Angeles – Tokyo service. Under the theme “Embrace new Challenges,” Japan Airlines is striving to provide more innovative products and services to its customers and to become its customers’ most favorite airline.

About Japan Airlines

Japan Airlines (JAL) was founded in 1951 and became the first international airline in Japan. A member of the oneworld alliance, the airline now reaches more than 254 airports in 41 countries and regions together with its codeshare partners with a modern fleet of more than 220 aircraft. JAL Mileage Bank (JMB), the airline's loyalty program, has reached over 28 million members worldwide. Awarded the most punctual major international airlines in 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013, JAL is committed to providing customers the highest levels of flight safety and supreme quality in every aspect of its service, and aims to become its customers’ most favored airline in the world. JAL’s U.S. gateways include New York, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco and Honolulu. For more information, please visithttp://www.jal.com/en/outline/

About Los Angeles International Airport

LAX is the fifth busiest airport in the world and second in the United States.  LAX served nearly 70.7 million passengers in 2014.  LAX offers 692 daily nonstop flights to 85 cities in the U.S. and 928 weekly nonstop flights to 67 cities in 34 countries on 59 commercial air carriers.  LAX ranks 14th in the world and fifth in the U.S. in air cargo tonnage processed, with over two million tons of air cargo valued at over $91.6 billion.  An economic study in 2011 reported that operations at LAX generated 294,400 jobs in Los Angeles County with labor income of $13.6 billion and economic output of more than $39.7 billion.  This activity added $2.5 billion to local and state revenues.  LAX is part of a system of three Southern California airports – along with LA/Ontario International and Van Nuys general aviation – that are owned and operated by Los Angeles World Airports, a proprietary department of the City of Los Angeles that receives no funding from the City’s general fund.

For more information about LAX, please visit www.lawa.aero/lax or follow on Twitter @flyLAXAirport, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LAInternationalAirport , and on YouTube at www.YouTube.com/laxairport1 . Information about LAX’s ongoing multi-billion-dollar LAX Modernization Program as well as tips and shortcuts to help navigate LAX during construction are available at www.LAXisHappening.com. 

As a covered entity under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Los Angeles does not discriminate on the basis of disability and, upon request, will provide reasonable accommodation to ensure equal access to its programs, services, and activities.  Alternative formats in large print, braille, audio, and other forms (if possible) will be provided upon request.

Media Contact: 

For Japan Airlines: carol.anderson@jal.com 310-606-6609

For LAWA:  ncastles@lawa.org (424) 646-5260