SAN DIEGO, 2012-12-05 — /travelprnews.com/ — Japan Airlines (JAL) celebrated the opening of its seventh gateway in North America with the first ever scheduled nonstop flight between San Diego and Asia today.
Flight JL066 -departed Tokyo (Narita) today carrying a full load of passengers on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. It landed in San Diego International Airport this morning and marked the start of the first and only scheduled nonstop flight between San Diego and Asia, as well as the first touch-down of the industry’s most advanced aircraft in South California’s second largest city.
“Our new service will provide business and leisure travelers in San Diego, the fastest and more comfortable way to travel to Japan and Asia.” said JAL President Yoshiharu Ueki, who will be on the first flight from San Diego bound for Tokyo. “New opportunities are created when there is robust traffic of peoples and goods between regions, and I am so pleased that this new JAL service might facilitate such exchange and I look forward to it being a catalyst for greater development and prosperity.”
“This historic new service connecting San Diego to Asia nonstop for the first time is made possible by one of the world’s great carriers, Japan Airlines,” said Thella F. Bowens, President/CEO of the Airport Authority. “And we’re thrilled this service showcases one of the world’s most innovative and exciting new planes, Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner-truly a dream aircraft for the San Diego market!”
Following gate festivities for the outbound passengers boarding flight JL065 from San Diego to Tokyo, it was announced by a protocol officer of the city of San Diego, that the Honorable Mayor Jerry Sanders proclaimed December 2, 2012 as “Japan Airlines Day”, citing among other reasons, JAL’s service to the largest Asian community before today without a direct flight to Asia, in the eighth most populous U.S city.
The service begins with four flights a week and will become a daily offering from March 1, 2013. It is the latest transpacific joint business route offered together with fellow oneworld alliance member American Airlines who is codeshare partner on this flight. JAL’s 787 Dreamliner is fitted with 42 seats in business, featuring the Executive Class JAL SHELL FLAT NEO seats in a 2-2-2 configuration and 144 in Economy Class arranged in a 2-4-2 configuration.
MEDIA NOTE: High-resolution images, and high-definition video will be available at the following website hosted by the San Diego County Regional Airport Authorities: http://www.san.org/sdcraa/news/media_resources.aspx.
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JAL Starts First Scheduled Nonstop Flight between San Diego and Asia Today