When compared to the same period last year, the forecast number of passenger bookings on China, Europe, Hawaii, Korea, and transpacific routes is expected to increase by 6.5%, 4.3%, 4.6%, 5.2% and 15.3% respectively. Compared to last year the number of passengers traveling to Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam is expected to be up by 13%, 13% and 29% respectively.
The JAL Group will operate an additional 96 flights, both scheduled and charter, to such resort destinations as Guam, Hawaii, and Palau.
Overall international seat capacity is 3.1% down on the same period last year following network restructuring, notably on Oceania routes. The forecast international seat load factor is 81.5%.
Over the festive season, JAL has forecast that seat supply on domestic Japan routes, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK) will be 3.7% lower than the same period last year. As a result, the airline expects the total number of domestic passenger bookings to be 1,233,529 reservations, 3.4% down on last year.
JAL Group plans to operate an additional 64 flights to meet demand on popular domestic Japan routes such as Tokyo - Sapporo, and Tokyo - Kagoshima.
At present the domestic Japan seat load factor forecast is 65.6%.
Looking at both international and domestic operations over the New Year period, JAL has forecast that seat supply will be 3.8% down and passenger booking numbers will be 2.3% down on last year. Seat load factor is expected to increase by 1.1 points.
Vicky Karantzavelou - Thursday, December 27, 2007