Japan Airlines (JAL) has forecast a 1.0% increase in the number of international passenger reservations on JAL Group airlines during the Japanese New Year vacation period, from December 28, 2007 to January 6, 2008. A total of 439,866 international passenger reservations are expected for the vacation period.

 

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.