The JAL Group will be developing its Japan-China network this winter following agreements to expand code share operations with China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines and to start a new connection service with Hainan Airlines. The total number of JAL Group flights, including code share services with Chinese airlines, will increase from 182 flights per week to 202.

From November 2 JAL will boost the current code share programme with China Eastern with new code share flights daily from Nagoya to Shanghai (flights by both JAL and China Eastern) and twice-weekly between Sapporo and Shanghai (flight operations by China Eastern operation). JAL and China Eastern have been cooperating in code share flights on the Tokyo-Shanghai and Osaka-Shanghai routes since September 2002.

From December 1, five weekly flights on the Osaka-Guangzhou route will be newly operated as a three-partner code share flight by JAL, Japan Air System (JAS) and China Southern. (Formerly JAS and China Southern operated a code share on the Tokyo-Guangzhou route, which from April 2003 became a triple code share with JAL.)

On the Tokyo-Beijing route one of JAL`s two daily flights, both currently operated independently, will become a code share with China Southern. JAL will continue to operate the flights.

From mid December new JAL and China Southern code share flights will be inaugurated on the Tokyo-Shengyang and Osaka (KIX)-Shengyang routes, both operated three times weekly by China Southern aircraft and crews. The addition of Shengyang will bring the number of cities served in China by the JAL Group network to 11.

In addition, from November 1 the JAL Group has made an agreement with Hainan Airlines to open new daily connection flights between Beijing and Hainan Airlines` destinations Chengdu and Xi`an, for the benefit of JAL passengers flying to and from these cities from Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya via the Chinese capital. The new service, the West China Express, will offer JAL travelers smooth connections, including the use of lounges.