JAL's History1970's
We will provide detailed chronological timelines introducing the history of JAL, the history of its fleet, and the history of its uniforms respectively.
History in Each Era
We will introduce our journey by each era.
1970's The era of the jumbo Jet
The 1970s began with the arrival of the "giant aircraft that seats 500 passengers". Known as the Jumbo, this passenger plane became the driving force behind significantly lower airfares and led the era of mass transportation with unprecedented carrying capacity. The popularization of JALPAK, which packaged overseas travel, and the completion of the New Tokyo International Airport (Narita) brought the era closer when everyone could enjoy air travel as a form of leisure.
Aircraft introduced in 1970 and events of that time Open
A large 500-passenger
Boeing747-100
July 1970: Introduction of the jumbo jet
With the advent of the era of mass transportation, the Boeing 747-100 was introduced in 1970 as the first aircraft for this new phase. Nicknamed the "Garden Jet", it became a major topic of interest at the time. Its introduction nearly doubled the existing transport capacity in a single stroke, leading to wide-ranging impacts on reservation systems, airport facilities, ground equipment, and other areas due to the larger aircraft size.
May 1971: The establishment of Toa Domestic Airlines
Toa Domestic Airlines, the predecessor of the Japan Air System (JAS), was established through the merger of Japan Domestic Airlines and Toa Airways.
October 1974: Introduction of the Boeing 747 freighter
A jumbo freighter equipped with a nose cargo door was introduced and began operations on October 1st on the Tokyo–San Francisco–New York–Anchorage–Tokyo route.
May 1978: Opening of Narita Airport
In May 1978, the New Tokyo International Airport in Narita officially opened. JAL, which accounted for about 50% of international flights departing from and arriving in Japan, invested 48 billion yen in facility development for the transfer of international routes. In the final phase of the move, approximately 30,000 items weighing 3,250 tons were transported over 3 days and 2 nights. The first flight to the new airport was the DC-8F "Wakasa", arriving from Los Angeles at 8:08 am on the 21st. Remarkably, JAL did not cancel a single scheduled flight during the transition—a truly historic achievement.
Pickup Episode
April 1971: The birth of the first female purser
Leading the world’s airlines, JAL introduced female pursers on its jumbo jets. Until then, the position of purser, who oversees all cabin crew, had been held exclusively by men. Starting in April 1971, 17 female pursers and 116 assistant pursers were assigned mainly to international Boeing 747 flights. Their confident and impressive work made them admired role models among other flight attendants.
Transport of giant pandas from China
To commemorate the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and China in October 1972, JAL’s DC-8F, known as the "Giant Panda Special Air Transport", carried the giant pandas "Kang kang" and "Lan lan" from Beijing. A project team was formed in advance with Ueno Zoo, the recipient, to study feeding methods and cabin temperature. The safely delivered pandas sparked a nationwide sensation across Japan.