Japan Airlines (JAL) is to introduce a first class cabin on domestic routes for the first time, in response to passenger demand.
The new service will be available on flights between Tokyo Haneda and Osaka Itami airports from 1 December this year, while the carrier plans to expand the offer on Haneda-Fukuoka/Sapporo routes next April.
”The new class and seat is being introduced in direct response to feedback from business travellers, who have requested a higher level of service,” a JAL spokesman told ABTN.
”The Haneda-Itami route is one of the main, if not biggest business routes in Japan ” it was natural for us to start the new service. Tokyo-Osaka is the second busiest point-to-point flight in the world.”
JAL”s new first class domestic service will start on seven return daily flights, featuring large seats ” 133cm wide and reclined at 132 degrees ” on Boeing 777-200 aircraft configured in a 2x2x2 format.
Passengers will be served either a main meal or snack that will be rotated every ten days, while for evening flights, food will come alternately from French restaurant Epouvantail and Japanese restaurant Nadaman in Osaka, as well as Italian restaurant Aromafresca in Tokyo among others.
At the airport, JAL first class passengers will have a dedicated check-in and priority boarding, while also enjoying access to the Diamond Premier lounge at Haneda Airport and the Sakura lounge at Itami.
And it won”t exactly break the bank either to upgrade from economy. JAL already offers an upgrade facility to business class from Y1,000 (”4.50), while the new first class offer will be available at Y8,000 (”35).
Interestingly, JAL acknowledges that it has significant competition on Tokyo-Osaka from the Shinkansen or bullet train. With the distance between the two cities being 278mi (444km), the bullet train completes the journey in a mightily impressive 2h, compared with a JAL flying time of 1h05min.
”The [first class] seat will greatly strenghten our competitiveness on the route, as neither the Shinkansen or other airlines in Japan offer such a level of premium service,” noted the spokesman.
At a comparable distance with London-Paris, JAL clearly feels it has to differentiate itself through a first class service, but the fact it operates Boeing 777s on the sector demonstrates confidence in passenger numbers.
With high-speed Eurostar revenue services from St Pancras slated to start on 14 November, Paris will be accessible in 2h15min, compared to slightly less than 3h now.