Japan Airlines Inaugurates Direct Route Between Doha Hamad International Airport and Tokyo Haneda International Airport

Monday, April 1, 2024

Japan Airlines (JAL) marked a significant milestone today with the inauguration of its nonstop route between Doha Hamad International Airport (DOH) and Tokyo Haneda International Airport (HND). This inaugural flight not only signifies the first direct service between Japan and the Middle East by a Japanese carrier but also represents a strategic collaboration between JAL and fellow oneworld® alliance member, Qatar Airways. The partnership aims to facilitate seamless connectivity for travelers to destinations across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and South America.

The maiden flight, JL059, operated by Japan Airlines’ Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, departed HND with a near-capacity load of passengers and arrived at DOH as scheduled, receiving a warm welcome with a water cannon salute. A ceremonial event at Hamad International Airport, attended by local dignitaries alongside representatives from Qatar Airways and Japan Airlines, included a ribbon-cutting ceremony to commemorate the occasion.

Commenting on this historic route launch, Ross Leggett, Japan Airlines Managing Executive Officer, Route Marketing Senior Vice President said: “Our new Doha service is the first direct flight from the Middle East operated by a Japanese airline. It perfectly complements JAL’s global network and enables customers to seamlessly connect from Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and South America through our partnership with Qatar Airways, a member of the same oneworld alliance as JAL, “The demand for business and leisure travel from Doha to Asia continues to grow, and we are excited to offer JAL’s renowned five-star service and unique approach to hospitality to even more travellers,” Leggett added.

“We are thrilled to welcome Japan Airlines to the Middle East through its renowned hub in Doha. The launch of Japan Airlines’ daily flights from Tokyo Haneda to Hamad International Airport is a landmark achievement and a testament to the flourishing partnership between both Qatar and Japan. Combining Japan Airlines’ latest launch with Qatar Airways’ recent resumption to Osaka, is projected to result in a 50% increase in weekly flight frequency between Qatar and Japan, which underscores Hamad International Airport’s commitment to advancing global travel and enhancing passenger experiences” said Sujata Suri, Senior Vice President of Finance and Procurement at Hamad International Airport.

Qatar Airways Chief Commercial Officer, Thierry Antinori said: “We are very pleased to welcome our oneworld partner Japan Airlines to Doha and look forward to further building our successful relationship for the worldwide customers flying from and to Japan and North Asia. It is wonderful to see how our strategy to leverage Hamad International Airport’s position as a global five-star rated hub, continues to yield results and we hope to continue to attract even more partner airlines to this major gateway and stopover destination in the future.”

Japan Airlines will now offer daily nonstop service between Doha (DOH) and Tokyo Haneda (HND) using their state-of-the-art JAL SKY SUITE 787 (Boeing 787-9) aircraft. This service features a two-class layout, comprising 52 JAL SKY SUITE III fully flat seats in JAL Business Class, recognized for their excellence, and 151 JAL SKY WIDER seats in JAL Economy Class, also renowned in the industry. Passengers can enjoy JAL’s latest inflight entertainment system, Magic-VI, accessible via touchscreen monitors at every seat. Additionally, Inflight Wi-Fi is available onboard (charges may apply).

The JAL Group remains committed to innovation, striving to enhance customer convenience, expand its network, and elevate the standards of its products and services.

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