Looking at the live cameras at Haneda Airport and Naha Airport during the day on weekdays after the busy summer season, I feel that JAL’s A350 is increasing. As of September 2022, the A350 series operated by JAL will be 16 aircraft with only the standard A350-900 type.
According to a JAL press release in 2013, the number of aircraft ordered is 18 A350-900 and 13 A350-1000 for a total of 31 aircraft. As a result, there are two A350-900 aircraft and 13 A350-1000 aircraft waiting to be delivered. According to the JAL medium-term management plan, it is decided that two A350-1000 aircraft will be delivered in 2023 to replace the B777-300ER, so it is assumed that the routes to be introduced next year will be international flights.
Like the B787, the A350-900, which is currently in service on domestic routes, has a good reputation among passengers for its comfort, and has already established itself as a flagship aircraft for domestic routes, as it has already been put into service on trunk routes departing from and arriving at Haneda. Passenger expectations are expected to be high when it comes to the international specification aircraft of this series.
Restrictions on immigration from overseas are being eased in response to the new coronavirus, and the number of international flights is gradually recovering. Therefore, it is certain that the introduction of the A350-1000 type aircraft for international flights will be implemented as planned in 2023, and this time we will guess the routes that will be introduced for the first time.
One of the prerequisites for putting a new aircraft into service is the ability to respond to trouble. JAL’s A350 has yet to enter service on international routes, and the A350-1000 will be JAL’s first A350 service on international routes. Therefore, it is necessary to select a destination where trouble can be dealt with safely and quickly in the unlikely event that trouble occurs. Based on this premise, I have listed three candidate destinations.
1. Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur International Airport, which is the gateway to Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, is the most promising. Malaysia Airlines, the flag carrier of Malaysia, uses this airport. The company has a track record of operating A350-900, and also operates flights to Narita Airport. It is also a oneworld member of the same airline alliance as JAL. Therefore, in the unlikely event that a problem occurs, it is possible to prepare for a situation in which parts are exchanged or passengers are transferred with the support of Malaysia Airlines. On the other hand, JAL currently operates the B787 type between Narita Airport and Kuala Lumpur International Airport, not the B777-300ER type to be replaced. Therefore, when the A350-1000 goes into service at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, the first class rumored to be installed in the A350-1000 will not be sold, and there will be a three-class system of business class, premium economy class, and economy class. It is considered to be.
2. Changi International Airport, Singapore
Next, we consider Changi International Airport in Singapore. Singapore Airlines, Singapore’s flag carrier, uses this airport. Singapore Airlines operates 60 A350-900 (including ULR), which is the largest number in the world. (If Qatar Airways received all A350s, it was planned to overtake Singapore Airlines to take first place, but due to paint deterioration problems, some of the A350-1000s were canceled, so the current number of orders is It will not exceed Singapore Airlines) Therefore, in the unlikely event that aircraft trouble occurs, JAL can also receive support from a maintenance company that undertakes repairs and maintenance. In addition, there are two flights daily to Singapore from Haneda Airport and Narita Airport, so even if the flight is canceled, it is easy to switch to our own flight.
JAL has both B777-200ER and B787 in service at Changi International Airport, and since the A350-1000’s four-class system is a little too large, this is also a temporary arrangement like Kuala Lumpur International Airport. I expect it to be.
3. Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Thailand
Finally, Suvarnabhumi International Airport is also a possible destination. The airport is used by Thai Airways International, the flag carrier of Thailand. Thai Airways International operates 12 A350-900 aircraft, and like Kuala Lumpur International Airport and Changi International Airport, it is thought that there will be no problems in the event of an emergency. In addition, since the B777-300ER type is in service at Suvarnabhumi Airport on an irregular basis, there is a possibility that first class will also be sold at the time of the first service.
One thing that can be said in common with the above three candidates is that they will be put into service on European and American routes after completing a certain degree of familiarization flight.
In the past, Shanghai was the destination where ANA launched the B777-300ER for the first time. After that, after completing the familiarization flight, JAL’s A350-1000 type was also introduced for the first time on short to medium-range international flights, and after that, long-distance international flights that meet the cruising distance and in-flight specifications It can be said that it is a natural flow to introduce it to the European and American routes.
It will be difficult for me to board the first flight myself, but I would like to wait for an official announcement from JAL.
