https://www.scmp.com/rss/57225/feed Established in 1951, Japan Airlines (JAL) became the official flag carrier two years later, and is a member of the Oneworld airline alliance. In 2009, it suffered steep financial losses despite being Asia’s largest airline by revenue, and cut staff and routes to prune expenses. However, it was forced to file for bankruptcy protection in January 2010, after losses of nearly ¥100 billion in a single quarter. JAL emerged from bankruptcy in March 2011, and in September 2012 JAL shares resumed... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Jean Iau Jean Iau As high fuel prices and disruption from the Middle East conflict force many Asian carriers to cut capacity and rearrange routes, Singapore Airlines (SIA) is moving in the opposite direction: adding long-haul flights to Europe in a bid to capture traffic from its Gulf rivals. Aviation analysts said the carrier’s expansion reflected a rare combination in the region: a strong balance sheet, insulation from sudden jumps in fuel prices due to its hedging strategy and a hub in Singapore that could... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3354405/singapore-airlines-faces-narrow-window-gain-market-share-gulf-rivals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3354405/singapore-airlines-faces-narrow-window-gain-market-share-gulf-rivals?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 12:33:32 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen Japanese airlines’ lucrative European routes could become a victim of simmering tensions between China and Japan because access to airspace is a potential lever for Beijing, aviation professionals have warned. However, they said outright closure of Chinese airspace remained unlikely because it would snarl regional air traffic and embroil Chinese carriers. Aviation observers in China have recently discussed the likelihood of Beijing restricting or forbidding Japanese carriers from overflying the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3353718/could-china-limit-japanese-airlines-access-its-airspace-ties-sour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3353718/could-china-limit-japanese-airlines-access-its-airspace-ties-sour?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 01:00:11 +0000 Minxiao Chang Minxiao Chang Bridging the gap between science fiction and reality, a Chinese robotics firm on Tuesday unveiled a manned “mecha” capable of transitioning between bipedal walking and four-legged mode. Developed by Unitree Robotics, the GD01 – resembling an Autobot from a Transformers movie – is a high-strength alloy machine designed for civilian transport. It weighs 500kg with a pilot on board – roughly the weight of a grand piano – and carries a starting price of 3.9 million yuan (US$573,674), according to... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3353262/real-life-transformers-chinas-unitree-debuts-mecha-robot-shifts-2-legs-4?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3353262/real-life-transformers-chinas-unitree-debuts-mecha-robot-shifts-2-legs-4?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2026 08:54:13 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang China-made humanoid robots are beginning to gain traction in Japan, with models from Chinese firms Unitree and UBTech being deployed by Japan Airlines for baggage and cargo handling, highlighting the growing adoption of Chinese robotics technology as Japan grapples with acute labour shortages. Japan Airlines said last week that it would launch a two-year trial using humanoid robots for ground-handling operations at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport through a partnership with GMO AI & Robotics. Tasks in the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3352626/baggage-bots-chinese-humanoid-robots-roll-japans-airports-amid-labour-shortage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3352626/baggage-bots-chinese-humanoid-robots-roll-japans-airports-amid-labour-shortage?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 11:30:05 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Thousands of Japanese are defying rising prices at home and the pain of the feeble yen to have one final foreign holiday over “golden week” before airlines increase fuel surcharges. The operator of Narita International Airport anticipates that 1.59 million travellers will pass through the airport on the outskirts of Tokyo between last Friday and May 10. That would be an increase of around 2 per cent from last year’s golden week holiday season, which in Japan refers to a cluster of national... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3351741/japanese-travellers-rush-abroad-golden-week-fuel-price-increases?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3351741/japanese-travellers-rush-abroad-golden-week-fuel-price-increases?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:15 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Airspace closures across the Middle East have left tens of thousands of travellers stranded and forced airlines to divert routes, threatening to derail the fragile recovery in Asia’s tourism and aviation sectors, as the conflict involving the US and Israel against Iran continues to escalate. Major transit hubs, including Dubai and Doha, remain shut or are operating at reduced capacity for a third straight day, upending Europe–Asia connections that depend heavily on Gulf airspace. Airlines are... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3345150/asias-travel-sector-rattled-iran-attacks-fears-domino-effect-slowdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3345150/asias-travel-sector-rattled-iran-attacks-fears-domino-effect-slowdown?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 09:53:17 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk Police in South Korea are hunting a person claiming to be a commercial pilot who threatened to carry out a “suicide flight” over Seoul’s Gimpo International Airport, voicing resentment over the merger between the country’s two largest airlines. The alarming message – posted on an anonymous online forum popular with office workers – also mentioned a stabbing, prompting authorities to increase security around the airport and verify the poster’s identity, police and aviation officials said on... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3340539/seoul-airport-suicide-flight-threat-sparks-police-manhunt-south-korea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3340539/seoul-airport-suicide-flight-threat-sparks-police-manhunt-south-korea?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 08:22:39 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg As tariffs change trade patterns and roil global supply chains, corporate Japan is dealing with it the best way it knows how: by getting executives in the air. Home carriers Japan Airlines and ANA are reaping the biggest benefits, as increased premium demand for long-haul flights is boosting sales. Outbound business travel has picked up since US President Donald Trump set out to reshape the global order of commerce with a first salvo of tariffs announced back in April. The number of Japanese... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3326231/upside-trumps-tariffs-japan-airlines-profits-soar-business-travel-demand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3326231/upside-trumps-tariffs-japan-airlines-profits-soar-business-travel-demand?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Sep 2025 02:30:46 +0000 James Marsh James Marsh 4/5 stars Good News is the new film from Byun Sung-hyun, director of The Merciless and Kill Boksoon, and opens with the caption: “Inspired by true events, but all characters and events portrayed are fictional,” before asking “What is the truth then?” The event in question is the March 1970 hijacking of Japan Airlines flight 351 by members of the Red Army Faction of the Japan Communist League. What unfolds is a riotously entertaining black comedy about the nature of truth, the power of propaganda... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3326068/busan-2025-good-news-movie-review-hilarious-korean-farce-based-real-life-hijacking?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3326068/busan-2025-good-news-movie-review-hilarious-korean-farce-based-real-life-hijacking?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Sep 2025 04:15:08 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Japan’s transport ministry on Wednesday reprimanded Japan Airlines and urged it to report back on preventive measures it will take after an incident in which a pilot was unable to fly from Hawaii to Japan after failing a preflight alcohol screening, delaying three flights for hours. The major Japanese air carrier has in recent years faced multiple similar drinking incidents involving its pilots, and it comes after a previous warning given to JAL in December by the Ministry of Land,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3325001/japan-airlines-fire-drunk-pilot-after-stern-rebuke-government-over-flight-delays?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3325001/japan-airlines-fire-drunk-pilot-after-stern-rebuke-government-over-flight-delays?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Sep 2025 06:20:08 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo A Japan Airlines employee who admitted to drinking alcohol in Hawaii before his scheduled piloting duty last month, causing delays as the airline found a replacement, had on multiple occasions tampered with his testing kit to avoid detection under similar circumstances, the operator said on Thursday. The 64-year-old captain had been flagged by the airline as someone who needed close monitoring after he was found with a below-threshold level of alcohol seven years ago. He had vowed to quit... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3324415/japan-airlines-says-pilot-repeatedly-faked-alcohol-tests-flights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3324415/japan-airlines-says-pilot-repeatedly-faked-alcohol-tests-flights?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Sep 2025 03:17:17 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Three recent Japan Airlines (JAL) flights from Hawaii to Japan were delayed, two by around 18 hours, after a pilot in command was found to have drunk alcohol, the carrier said on Wednesday, the latest in a series of similar scandals to plague the airline. The captain was scheduled to fly from Honolulu to Chubu Centrair International Airport in central Japan on Thursday, but called in sick on the day of the flight and admitted to drinking alcohol the day before at a hotel, according to the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3324187/japan-airlines-pilots-drinking-delays-flights-18-hours?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3324187/japan-airlines-pilots-drinking-delays-flights-18-hours?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Sep 2025 08:54:40 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo The steady passing of ageing relatives of the victims of the 1985 Japan Airlines jumbo jet crash has been sad to watch for Kuniko Miyajima, a leading advocate for those who lost loved ones in the world’s deadliest single-aircraft accident. But on its 40th anniversary, Miyajima’s dedication to remembering the tragedy in Japan through her support group remains steadfast, especially in the interest of future air safety. In its first essay collection in a decade, her group self-published a booklet... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3321523/not-forgetting-deadly-japan-airlines-crash-families-are-still-mourning-40-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3321523/not-forgetting-deadly-japan-airlines-crash-families-are-still-mourning-40-years?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Aug 2025 04:15:21 +0000 Edith Mao Edith Mao Japan Airlines flight JL8696 from Shanghai to Tokyo was forced to make an emergency landing at Kansai Airport on Monday evening after what passengers described as a sudden descent in the aircraft. The aircraft was on a code-share service operated by budget carrier Spring Airlines Japan as IJ004 from Pudong to Narita when it diverted to the airport in Osaka for an emergency landing at around 8.50pm local time. None of the 191 passengers and crew on board the Boeing 737-800 was injured. According... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3316523/chinese-passengers-describe-aircrafts-violent-plunge-emergency-landing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3316523/chinese-passengers-describe-aircrafts-violent-plunge-emergency-landing?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Jul 2025 10:33:14 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan is scrambling to shore up its cybersecurity capabilities through new legislation, international partnerships and training schemes – moves observers say are long overdue as threats from hostile states and criminal groups escalate. In the latest push, Defence Minister Gen Nakatani met his Lithuanian counterpart Dovile Sakaliene in Tokyo on Wednesday and agreed to deepen cooperation in cybersecurity. A Japanese defence ministry expert will be dispatched to Lithuania in June to learn from the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3312312/japan-boosts-cybersecurity-new-laws-overseas-partnerships-amid-rising-digital-threats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3312312/japan-boosts-cybersecurity-new-laws-overseas-partnerships-amid-rising-digital-threats?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 May 2025 00:00:12 +0000 A Japan Airlines plane that was taxiing on the tarmac of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport apparently struck the tail of a parked Delta aircraft on Wednesday morning, airport authorities said. Authorities responded to the incident around 10.17am, the airport said on social media. There were no injuries, and airport authorities were working to get the passengers off the aeroplane and bring them back to the terminal. Delta spokeswoman Samantha Moore Facteau said in an email that its Boeing 737... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3297533/taxiing-japan-airlines-plane-hits-parked-delta-aircraft-seattle-airport?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3297533/taxiing-japan-airlines-plane-hits-parked-delta-aircraft-seattle-airport?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Feb 2025 21:57:46 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Cathay Pacific Airways and Singapore Airlines improved their regional standing in terms of on-time performance in 2024, with Hong Kong’s flag carrier ranking ninth and its neighbouring rival coming third, a flight intelligence service provider said on Thursday. Cirium’s On-Time Performance Review showed that while Cathay Pacific had gone up in the regional ranking, its punctuality performance had declined from 2023. Its budget arm, Hong Kong Express, also dropped out of the top 10 low-cost... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3293141/hong-kongs-cathay-singapore-airlines-climb-regional-punctuality-ranking?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3293141/hong-kongs-cathay-singapore-airlines-climb-regional-punctuality-ranking?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Jan 2025 10:00:19 +0000 Japan Airlines said its systems were up and running again after a cyberattack on Thursday caused delays to domestic and international flights. “We have identified the cause and scope of the malfunction, and the system has been restored,” said the airline, Japan’s second biggest after All Nippon Airways (ANA). The “large data attack” did not leak any customer information and safety was unaffected, Japan Airlines (JAL) said in a post on social media platform X. Japanese media said it may have been... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3292282/japan-airlines-hit-cyberattack-disrupting-flights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3292282/japan-airlines-hit-cyberattack-disrupting-flights?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Dec 2024 02:12:15 +0000 Japan Airlines (JAL) is offering to deliver luggage to your hotel or accommodation when you visit Tokyo. The same-day service costs 4,500 yen (US$29) per suitcase and is available from terminal three at Haneda Airport. JAL said the initiative will help “address social issues such as congestion in public transport and the shortage of storage lockers,” as well as making life easier for tourists. The “Baggage-Free” service, which is also available for Japanese residents, covers 14 districts in... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3290214/japan-airlines-offers-luggage-delivery-service-your-hotel-when-you-visit-tokyo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3290214/japan-airlines-offers-luggage-delivery-service-your-hotel-when-you-visit-tokyo?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Dec 2024 22:00:22 +0000 Flight cancellations are never welcome and Hong Kong’s flag carrier has in recent months been criticised for an alarming number of scrapped schedules as it seeks to return to pre-Covid passenger capacity. However, this week’s grounding of dozens of Cathay Pacific Airways flights after the carrier found a potential global safety problem may ironically prove to be a good thing. Cathay was the first airline to raise the alarm about what appears to be an issue with a component of engines, made by... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3277386/right-call-hong-kongs-cathay-it-puts-safety-first-a350-engine-drama?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3277386/right-call-hong-kongs-cathay-it-puts-safety-first-a350-engine-drama?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Sep 2024 22:15:11 +0000 Some of Asia’s largest operators of the Airbus A350, including Singapore Airlines, said they would undertake checks of their fleet after Cathay Pacific Airways’s mid-flight discovery of an engine component issue in the aircraft type. Singapore’s flag carrier said it would inspect all the engines powering its fleet of 64 A350-900 aircraft as a “precautionary measure”, stressing there was no current impact on its flights. The carrier said it was in contact with Airbus and engine-maker Rolls-Royce... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3277126/singapore-airlines-follows-cathay-pacifics-lead-acts-airbus-a350-safety-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3277126/singapore-airlines-follows-cathay-pacifics-lead-acts-airbus-a350-safety-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Sep 2024 04:20:41 +0000 Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways have united to draw up guidelines on travellers’ behaviour, in a bid to stamp out the increasing problem of “customer harassment” faced by the two carriers and other local companies. The two airlines unveiled the new guidelines last Friday, with their websites identifying a range of actions that would constitute harassment of staff on board aircraft, at airport check-in counters or during phone conversations. The list includes the use of language that is... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3269096/2-japan-airlines-issue-guidelines-tackle-customer-harassment-complaints-surge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3269096/2-japan-airlines-issue-guidelines-tackle-customer-harassment-complaints-surge?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jul 2024 04:00:13 +0000 A Japan Airlines flight from Dallas to Tokyo was cancelled after a captain got drunk at a hotel bar and received a warning from police, according to Japanese media. The Mainichi newspaper, which cited a statement from Japan Airlines, reported that the captain dined in Dallas last week with other crew members. Japan Airlines imposes 24-hour preflight drinking ban on pilots According to the outlet, the airline said he then continued to drink throughout the evening in the hotel lounge where the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3260890/drunk-japan-airlines-pilot-causes-dallas-tokyo-flight-cancellation-after-police-warning-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3260890/drunk-japan-airlines-pilot-causes-dallas-tokyo-flight-cancellation-after-police-warning-us?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Apr 2024 06:32:13 +0000 Japan’s two primary carriers All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Japan Airlines (JAL) are increasingly shifting passenger flights away from Tokyo’s Narita International Airport to Haneda as part of a “dual hubs” strategy. Haneda is by far the favourite point of arrival or departure for visitors to Tokyo, thanks primarily to its proximity to the city centre. A train or monorail will complete the 18km journey into the heart of Tokyo in less than 20 minutes, while it takes up to 45 minutes to reach the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3256783/japans-jal-and-ana-launch-more-flights-convenient-haneda-airport-narita?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3256783/japans-jal-and-ana-launch-more-flights-convenient-haneda-airport-narita?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Mar 2024 00:00:19 +0000 The seeds of former flight attendant Mitsuko Tottori’s rise to the top of Japan Airlines (JAL) were planted in the aftermath of the carrier’s bankruptcy more than a decade ago. Tottori, who rose through the ranks from cabin crew to chief customer officer, takes over as president of JAL in April, becoming one of the few women to lead a major global airline. Qantas has a woman boss, and KLM and Air France are led by women who report to a male group CEO. That ascent from cabin to boardroom is... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3250439/flying-high-how-japan-airlines-first-woman-leader-went-cabin-crew-president?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3250439/flying-high-how-japan-airlines-first-woman-leader-went-cabin-crew-president?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Feb 2024 01:00:14 +0000 Despite the outcry from animal-lovers after a dog and a cat died in the hold of the Japan Airlines (JAL) aircraft that collided with another plane at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport on January 2, Japan’s two major airlines say they have no plans to lift their ban on pets accompanying passengers in the cabin. JAL and All Nippon Airways (ANA) have been under pressure to rethink their policies that require animals to travel in secure containers in the hold of aircraft, with pet-lovers pointing out that... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3250363/japan-airlines-refuse-allow-pets-cabin-despite-animals-fiery-deaths-tokyo-crash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3250363/japan-airlines-refuse-allow-pets-cabin-despite-animals-fiery-deaths-tokyo-crash?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 Jan 2024 04:00:27 +0000 Japan Airlines Co. is appointing Mitsuko Tottori, a former flight attendant and executive in charge of customer experience, as the carrier’s first woman president. Tottori, 59, will take the helm in April, as the airline deals with repercussions from the collision of its Flight 516 with a Japan coastguard plane at Tokyo’s Haneda airport earlier this month. All 379 people aboard JAL’s Airbus jetliner – which was landing at the airport after departing from Sapporo in northern Japan – were able to... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3248752/ex-flight-attendant-mitsuko-tottori-becomes-japan-airlines-first-woman-president?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3248752/ex-flight-attendant-mitsuko-tottori-becomes-japan-airlines-first-woman-president?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Jan 2024 08:02:18 +0000 A Korean Air Lines plane collided with a stationary Cathay Pacific Airways aircraft on Tuesday at Japan’s New Chitose Airport, which serves Sapporo, but no injuries were reported. Cathay said its flight CX583 from Sapporo to Hong Kong would not operate as scheduled as a result of the incident but most customers would be moved onto another service on Tuesday and the rest on Wednesday. According to a Korean Air spokeswoman, flight KE766 was being pushed backwards from its parking position by a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3248657/korean-air-jet-clips-cathay-pacific-aircraft-japans-sapporo-airport-no-injuries-reported?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3248657/korean-air-jet-clips-cathay-pacific-aircraft-japans-sapporo-airport-no-injuries-reported?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Jan 2024 11:08:26 +0000 Japan’s transport ministry said on Tuesday it has introduced improved emergency measures for the country’s airports, a week after a fatal collision between a Japan Airlines jetliner and a coastguard plane at Tokyo’s busy Haneda airport that is seen as a result of human error. The measures – including more visible stop line markings on taxiways leading to runways and use of clearer language in traffic control communication – are to be implemented right away at Haneda while they are slated to go... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3247834/japan-issues-improved-emergency-measures-following-fatal-plane-collision-haneda-airport?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3247834/japan-issues-improved-emergency-measures-following-fatal-plane-collision-haneda-airport?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Jan 2024 11:39:48 +0000 Tuesday’s runway collision in Japan marks the first time a modern lightweight airliner has burnt down and is being seen as a test case for how well a new generation of carbon-composite aeroplanes copes with a catastrophic fire. The Japan Airlines (JAL) Airbus A350 crashed into a De Havilland Dash-8 coastguard turboprop plane shortly after landing at Haneda airport in Tokyo, bursting in to flames. All 379 people aboard the A350 were evacuated from the burning aircraft, but five of the six... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3247344/japan-airlines-crash-puts-spotlight-carbon-composite-planes-ability-resist-fire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3247344/japan-airlines-crash-puts-spotlight-carbon-composite-planes-ability-resist-fire?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jan 2024 03:15:08 +0000 Pilots on a Japan Airlines plane engulfed in flames just after all 379 passengers and crew escaped were initially unaware the aircraft was on fire, according to fresh details reported on Thursday. The three pilots were unable to see the fire from the cockpit when it first broke out and were informed of it by cabin crew, a JAL spokesman said. The spokesman also said the pilots had no “visual contact” with the other aircraft in the collision. The airliner collided with a coastguard plane after... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3247220/japan-airlines-pilots-initially-did-not-know-plane-was-ablaze-tokyos-haneda-airport-report?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3247220/japan-airlines-pilots-initially-did-not-know-plane-was-ablaze-tokyos-haneda-airport-report?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jan 2024 04:25:08 +0000 After landing, smoke filled the cabin and flames licked the windows, but the Japan Airlines crew got all 367 passengers safely off the aircraft in an orderly fashion – and just in time. Babies and children screamed and panic-stricken passengers begged to be let off, footage from the scene on Tuesday at Tokyo’s Haneda airport showed. “Honestly, I thought we wouldn’t survive. So I texted my family and friends to say that my plane is burning, right now,” a woman told broadcaster NHK. After arriving... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3247204/how-efficient-evacuation-saved-367-passengers-burning-japan-airlines-plane-tokyos-haneda-airport?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3247204/how-efficient-evacuation-saved-367-passengers-burning-japan-airlines-plane-tokyos-haneda-airport?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jan 2024 01:22:48 +0000 Japanese authorities said on Wednesday that a passenger jet that collided with a coastguard turboprop at a Tokyo airport was given permission to land, but the smaller plane was not cleared for take-off, based on transcripts of conversations with the control tower. All 379 people aboard the Japan Airlines (JAL) Airbus A350 had a miraculous escape after it erupted in flames following Tuesday’s crash with a De Havilland Dash-8 coastguard turboprop shortly after landing at Haneda airport. But five... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3247170/tokyo-plane-collision-transcripts-shows-crashed-plane-entered-runway-without-permission-passenger?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3247170/tokyo-plane-collision-transcripts-shows-crashed-plane-entered-runway-without-permission-passenger?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jan 2024 11:56:20 +0000 Police are investigating whether a crash between an airliner and a smaller plane at a Tokyo airport may involve professional negligence, media reported on Wednesday, as transport authorities began inspecting the charred wreckage for clues. All 379 people miraculously escaped the Japan Airlines (JAL) Airbus A350 which erupted into flames after colliding with a De Havilland Dash-8 Coast Guard turboprop shortly after landing at Haneda on Tuesday evening. Five of the six Coast Guard crew, responding... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3247120/did-human-error-cause-deadly-tokyo-plane-crash-japan-investigates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3247120/did-human-error-cause-deadly-tokyo-plane-crash-japan-investigates?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jan 2024 07:02:14 +0000 A team of forensic experts from plane manufacturer Airbus and French state agency BAE will arrive in Japan on Wednesday to help authorities investigate the deadly accident involving an A350 plane at Tokyo’s Haneda airport, they said on Tuesday. “4 @BEA_Aero investigators will be on site tomorrow joined by 5 @Airbus technical advisers,” the BEA agency said in a post on social media platform X. The aircraft involved was MSN 538, delivered to Japan Airlines after production in November 2021 and was... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3247063/france-send-forensic-experts-tokyo-after-airport-collision?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3247063/france-send-forensic-experts-tokyo-after-airport-collision?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jan 2024 18:04:21 +0000 Geopolitical tensions, economic concerns, high fuel prices and supply chain difficulties are among the biggest problems facing Asia-Pacific airlines such as Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways, industry executives and a global airline body have said at a Singapore summit. Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong told the meeting of top regional airline executives on Friday that he was encouraged by the rebound in demand, with international passenger capacity among Asia-Pacific carriers hitting... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3241132/hong-kongs-cathay-pacific-chief-hears-singapore-regional-airline-summit-supply-chain-problems?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3241132/hong-kongs-cathay-pacific-chief-hears-singapore-regional-airline-summit-supply-chain-problems?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Nov 2023 12:58:42 +0000 Bounce, a luggage storage company, published its annual ranking of the world’s best international airlines on August 2. Bounce analysed data from 52 of the largest airlines in the world – according to the total number of departures in 2022. The company evaluated these airlines based on the following 10 factors: on-time arrivals, percentage of cancellations, total number of flights, free carry-on allowance, free checked domestic allowance, free checked international allowance, meal, in-flight... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3232105/japan-airlines-named-worlds-best-ahead-singapore-airlines-5-other-asian-carriers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3232105/japan-airlines-named-worlds-best-ahead-singapore-airlines-5-other-asian-carriers?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Aug 2023 03:11:11 +0000 Some shinkansen bullet train services and flights are set to be cancelled as a strong typhoon remains on course to make landfall on the Pacific coast of western Japan on Tuesday, affecting many people during the annual Bon holidays, the weather agency and operators said. With Japan bracing for the arrival of Typhoon Lan, Central Japan Railway said all of its services on the Tokaido Shinkansen Line between Nagoya and Shin-Osaka stations will be cancelled on Tuesday, as will West Japan Railway for... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3231040/travel-chaos-japan-trains-flights-cancelled-it-braces-typhoon-lan-heading-western-region?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3231040/travel-chaos-japan-trains-flights-cancelled-it-braces-typhoon-lan-heading-western-region?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Aug 2023 10:30:15 +0000 The last time humans witnessed supersonic travel was the legendary Concorde, which operated from 1973 to 2003. Equipped with four powerful engines, the super-speedy plane could journey from New York to London in less than four hours – a tremendous feat for the era. However, the aircraft’s costly inefficiencies and risky operation forced airlines to retire it after 30 years of service. No manufacturer has yet been able to recreate the days of the Concorde, but some are trying. Denver-based Boom... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3227395/tokyo-new-york-1-hour-hypersonic-stargazer-jet-aims-best-concorde?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3227395/tokyo-new-york-1-hour-hypersonic-stargazer-jet-aims-best-concorde?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Jul 2023 05:01:07 +0000 Airline ranking company Skytrax just released its annual list of the best airlines in the world. The World Airline Awards, the list is based on data collected from an online traveller satisfaction survey. With 2023 marking the first year of global recovery from the pandemic, the following list highlights the airlines that have demonstrated exceptional resilience, swiftly rebounding to maintain or hopefully even build on their reputations. So, who soared above the rest and made the top 10 this... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3226725/worlds-10-best-airlines-2023-emirates-vs-qatar-airways-japans-rivals-jal-and-ana-how-does-hong-kongs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3226725/worlds-10-best-airlines-2023-emirates-vs-qatar-airways-japans-rivals-jal-and-ana-how-does-hong-kongs?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Jul 2023 04:29:22 +0000 Singapore Airlines has been voted 2023’s best airline, taking the prestigious title over the previous seven-time winner Qatar Airways. Airline ranking company Skytrax releases what it calls an “independent and impartial” annual list of the top 100 airlines around the world based on data from an online traveller satisfaction survey. It’s an aviation Super Bowl. And this year – as is usually the case – the United States was a big letdown: only one US carrier made the top 20 list. Here’s what... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3224814/singapore-airlines-voted-worlds-best-travellers-hong-kongs-cathay-pacific-comes-no-8?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3224814/singapore-airlines-voted-worlds-best-travellers-hong-kongs-cathay-pacific-comes-no-8?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jun 2023 02:03:24 +0000 A passenger on board a Japan Airlines flight said he was served a banana with chopsticks as part of the vegan in-flight menu. Kris Chari said he booked to fly business class on Tuesday from Jakarta in Indonesia to Tokyo in Japan. The flight was scheduled to last more than seven hours. There were two meal services during the flight – the first was a snack and light refreshment served after take-off and the second was lunch, Japan Airlines said in a statement. The snack option for non-vegan... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3211780/japan-airline-serves-vegan-passenger-single-banana-and-chopsticks-flight-meal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3211780/japan-airline-serves-vegan-passenger-single-banana-and-chopsticks-flight-meal?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Feb 2023 05:33:07 +0000 A Japanese domestic flight turned into a seven-hour ordeal for more than 300 passengers after narrowly missing a curfew then being sent on a roundabout route back to its starting point. Japan Airlines Co. flight JL331, had been due to leave Tokyo’s Haneda Airport for the two-hour hop to Fukuoka at 6:30pm local time on Sunday. However, take-off was delayed for 90 minutes after a last-minute plane switch, and as the flight approached Fukuoka it became clear it would just miss the airport’s 10pm... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3211190/japan-plane-goes-7-hour-flight-nowhere-after-being-forced-make-u-turn-minutes-landing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3211190/japan-plane-goes-7-hour-flight-nowhere-after-being-forced-make-u-turn-minutes-landing?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Feb 2023 03:01:36 +0000 Japan is set to allow in some package-tour tourists from overseas starting June 10, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Thursday, ending a ban that was introduced about two years ago as part of the country’s virus control programme. “Active exchanges between people are the foundation of the economy and society,” Kishida said in a speech at the Future of Asia conference in Tokyo. “From the 10th of next month we will restart the admission of tourists on guided package tours.” He added that... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3179324/japan-start-reopening-foreign-tourists-june-10-package-tours?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3179324/japan-start-reopening-foreign-tourists-june-10-package-tours?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 May 2022 12:34:39 +0000 Anticipating a solid recovery in demand for foreign travel as soon as the coronavirus pandemic has been brought under control, Japan Airlines is to make the local unit of Chinese low-cost carrier Spring Airlines into a subsidiary. JAL is to increase its stake in Spring Airlines Japan from its current 5 per cent to 51 per cent and will release the full details of the investment on May 7, when it unveils its midterm business plan, a spokesman for the Japanese company told This Week in Asia.... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3131124/japan-airlines-make-local-unit-chinas-spring-airlines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3131124/japan-airlines-make-local-unit-chinas-spring-airlines?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Apr 2021 10:00:15 +0000 Japan has ordered a halt to all flights of Boeing 777s equipped with the engine that failed on Saturday over Denver as US aviation regulators ordered emergency inspections of the model’s fan blades. Japan’s transport ministry on Sunday ordered ANA Holdings Inc. and Japan Airlines Co. to ground Boeing 777 planes they operate following an engine failure that rained debris over a Denver suburb but injured no one. ANA operates 19 planes and JAL 13 with similar engines that failed on United Airlines... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3122581/japan-grounds-boeing-777s-after-us-airlines-jet-suffers-engine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3122581/japan-grounds-boeing-777s-after-us-airlines-jet-suffers-engine?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Feb 2021 01:19:17 +0000 Japan Airlines is the latest aviation company to join the fight in reducing food wastage - which contributes to more than six million tons of cabin waste globally. The airline is now asking travelers to make an “ethical choice” by skipping meals on board their flights in a bid to deal with the problem. Since the airline prepares a meal for every person on board, a passenger who would rather sleep through meal service, or prefers to bring their own in-flight snacks, results in an enormous amount... https://www.scmp.com/food/airlines-begin-war-flight-meal-waste/article/3117202?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/food/airlines-begin-war-flight-meal-waste/article/3117202?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Jan 2021 09:47:05 +0000 Japan’s Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation is putting a brave face on the news that it is planning to cut about 95 per cent of the employees working on its SpaceJet aircraft, insisting that the changes are merely a “reorganisation” of the project. Analysts, however, say the cuts are effectively the final nail in the coffin of an aircraft that had massive government support and was meant to serve as the basis of a new Japanese aerospace industry. And they add that while the effective termination of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3114486/mitsubishis-spacejet-fail-leaves-japans-aviation-dreams-tatters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3114486/mitsubishis-spacejet-fail-leaves-japans-aviation-dreams-tatters?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Dec 2020 01:30:12 +0000 Japan’s tourism sector is making tentative plans to welcome back the first foreign visitors in the spring, with the government keen to open the doors wider before the coronavirus-delayed Tokyo Summer Olympic Games commence on July 23. The Asahi newspaper reported this week that the government is drawing up plans to permit small group tours to enter the country from other parts of Asia, such as Taiwan, Vietnam or China, which have done a relatively good job of controlling the spread of the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3113225/japan-eyes-march-opening-asian-tourists-coronavirus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3113225/japan-eyes-march-opening-asian-tourists-coronavirus?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Dec 2020 10:19:09 +0000 With ongoing travel restrictions and drastically reduced consumer demand, airlines across the planet have been compelled to consider creative – and sometimes rather unconventional – ways of mitigating the severe financial impact of Covid-19. Tel Aviv to Dubai flights are now on sale – how and when can I fly? From innovative, never-tried-before ideas to sweet new deals and value add-ons, the following are some of the measures airlines have employed to get more people flying and ultimately more... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3109774/emirates-air-asia-ana-airlines-fight-survival-during?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3109774/emirates-air-asia-ana-airlines-fight-survival-during?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Nov 2020 00:00:20 +0000