CDA welcomes JAL’s new cargo flights between O’Hare International Airport and Narita International Airport

CHICAGO, IL, 2019-Aug-06 — /Travel PR News/ — The Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) today (08/01/2019) joined with Japan Airlines (JAL) and Kalitta Air at O’Hare International Airport to celebrate JAL’s new lease to utilize Kalitta Air’s wide body freighters for multiple, weekly cargo flights between O’Hare International Airport and Narita International Airport.

“O’Hare is one of the busiest air cargo gateways in the world, and trending up,” CDA Commissioner Jamie L. Rhee said. “We appreciate JAL’s sign of confidence, and are always grateful to have more planes bearing ‘Connie’ Kalitta’s signature livery – gracing our airfield. This is an excellent partnership, and one that furthers Chicago’s international connectivity and fuels our economy.”

“Our Japan-Midwest business partnership is taking a huge step forward today. Japan Airlines and Kalitta Air will now meet the rising demand for our trade,” said Naoki Ito, Consul-General of Japan. “Congratulations to O’Hare for bolstering its standing as a top-class cargo destination.”

In recent years, O’Hare has experienced record-setting cargo growth, supported by the City’s investments to increase capacity at O’Hare’s state-of-the-art Northeast Cargo Development. The $220 million project has produced a surge in air cargo activity, with nearly 1.9 million metric tons handled by O’Hare last year alone – a 50 percent increase over the year prior to completion.

The expansion of cargo capacity has catapulted O’Hare to the number one airport in all of the Americas for cargo value, with more than $200 billion in imports and exports passing through. In total, the O’Hare cargo development will deliver more than 900,000-square-feet of cargo processing space when all three phases are complete by 2021. “This is a great opportunity for the Chicago area and the cities surrounding Narita,” said Chicago Alderman Matthew O’Shea (19th Ward). “Getting more products on flights from O’Hare to Japan and other worldwide destinations means more economic and employment opportunities both locally and globally.”

In any given week, there are freighter flights from O’Hare to approximately 30 international destinations all across the globe. This new Japan Airlines cargo service complements one the CDA’s most frequent overseas routes for travel and trade: Chicago-Tokyo. The route has long been served on the passenger side by United Airlines, American Airlines, Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways –in addition to daily freighter service by Nippon Cargo Airlines.

Chicago’s air connectivity is poised to grow further thanks to the City and its airline partners’ recently approved $8.5 billion plan to expand O’Hare’s terminals over the next decade. These investments are a part of the O’Hare 21 plan, designed to modernize facilities, expand capacity and passenger amenities, and enable O’Hare’s future development to better connect travelers and Chicago to the rest of the world.

Doing business with Japan has, and continues to be, quite successful. There are some 300 Japan-based companies in the Chicago area at 900 locations. Among the largest companies and employers are Astellas, Seven-Eleven, Bridgestone, Sony and Sumitomo. More than 60 Chicago-based companies are located in Japan, including Abbott Laboratories, Caterpillar and Fellowes, Inc.

There are 35 nonstop flights per week between O’Hare and Narita, split between United, American, JAL and ANA.

Accomplishments in cargo and overall connectivity at O’Hare will be available in CDA’s 2018-19 annual report scheduled for release later this month. Visit FlyChicago.com for the official release date and for more information on the O’Hare 21 modernization plan.

About the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA):

The Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) is self-supporting, using no local or state tax dollars for operations or capital improvements at O’Hare and Midway International Airports. Chicago’s airports offer service to over 260 nonstop destinations worldwide, including 47 foreign countries, combined. Together, Chicago’s airports serve more than 100 million passengers each year, and generate approximately $60 billion in annual economic activity for the region. Please visit www.flychicago.com to learn more about the Chicago Department of Aviation.

About Japan Airlines:
The JAL Group will pursue the material and intellectual growth of all our employees, deliver unparalleled service to our customers; and increase corporate value and contribute to the betterment of society. We have established the JAL Group Corporate Policy as our universal management objective and management rationale, and strive to realize it by embodying the JAL Philosophy.

About Kalitta Air:
Kalitta Charters is a family owned and operated business. Here you aren’t just an employee, you are part of our team. We owe our success to the great work done by the members of our team – and we expect them to continue to keep building towards our future successes, too. Kalitta Charters is proud of our commitment to be an Equal Opportunity employer.

Source: Chicago Department of Aviation

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