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JAL's History - History of Company 1971s

1971-1980
We will take a look back at the history of Japan Airlines (JAL), from its founding to the present day, with a timeline of details and notable events.

1971 4.2: JAL inaugurates Osaka-Pusan route.

5.29: JAL Chairman Mr. Teruo Godo retires, and is succeeded by President Mr. Shizuma Matsuo. Vice President Mr. Shizuo Asada is elected to President.

6.3: JAL conducts a special flight for a good will visit of their Imperial Highnesses the Crown Prince (Kinjo Emperor) and Princess to Afghanistan. -06.12

7.1: JAL introduces DC-8F exclusive cargo freighter on the San Francisco route.
JAL inaugurates Fukuoka=Sapporo route(with B727 plane).

9.1: JAL begins to calling at Osaka on the Guam route (three Tokyo=Guam=Osaka flights out of six Tokyo=Guam flights a week)

9.27: JAL conducts a special flight for a goodwill visit of their Imperial Majesties Showa Emperor and Kojun Empress to seven European countries. (with DC-8-55 plane) -10.14

11.1: Opening of Napa Flight Crew Training Center.

1972 2.2: JAL conducts a special flight for the return of Shoichi Yokoi, a former Japanese soldier (Guam-Tokyo).

3.1: JAL establishes the first Non Smoking seats on international flights (B747 planes).

4.1: JAL inaugurates New York route via Anchoragewith DC-8-62).

4.3: JAL inaugurates the Mexico route via Vancouver (with DC-8-62 plane).
JAL inaugurates the Copenhagen route via Moscow (with DC-8-62 plane).

5.15: JAL incorporates Okinawa route into domestic flights, accompanied by Okinawa's reversion to Japanese administration.

6.3: JAL inaugurates the Fukuoka=Kagoshima=Hong Kong route.

8.1: JAL introduces B747-LR plane service on its Tokyo=Okinawa(Naha) route as the first scheduled domestic flight.

10.28: Operation of special flight to transport 2 giant pandas, Kan Kan and Ran Ran, by air .

1973 4.3: JAL introduces the first Tokyo=Papeete(Tahiti) service, a code-sharing flight with Air France. -1997.03

7.21: Flight 404(B747/JA8109)hijacked shortly after take-off from Amsterdam Airport and blown up at Benghazi, Libya on July 24.

10.7: JAL introduces B747-SR planes (the first short range jumbo jet) service on the Tokyo=Okinawa(Naha) route.

10.18: JAL is designated the official airline for the Okinawa Ocean Expo.

1974 4.1: JAL inaugurates the Rome route via Moscow (with DC-8-62 plane).

4.5: JAL inaugurates the Frankfurt route via Moscow (with DC-8-62 plane).

9.29: JAL operates the first scheduled flight on its China route (Tokyo=Beijing, with DC-8-62 plane).

10.1: JAL introduces B747-F exclusive cargo freighter on its transpacific routes (Tokyo-San Francisco-New York-Anchorage-Tokyo).

11.25: JAL receives an award from Boeing Co. for its B747-SR superior punctual departure rate (99%).

1975 2.20: JAL conducts a special flight for the visit to Nepal by their Imperial Highnesses the Crown Prince (the Kinjo Emperor) and Crown Princess. -02.28

7.17: JAL conducts a Tokyo-Naha special flight for the attendance at the opening ceremony of the Okinawa Ocean Expo by their Imperial Highnesses Crown Prince (the Kinjo Emperor) and Crown Princess. -07.19

7.21: Founding of JAL Scholarship for Asian students .

8.8: Japan Asia Airways Co., Ltd. is established to operate the Japan-Taiwan route.

9.15: Japan Asia Airways introduces its first Tokyo-Taipei service.

9.30: JAL conducts a special flight (DC-8-50 plane) for the U.S. goodwill visit by Their Imperial Majesties, Showa Emperor and Kojun Empress.

1976 4.16: JAL conducts its first transportation of 58 cattle by Bulk Loading System between Moses Lake and Tokyo.

6.8: JAL conducts a special flight for the visit to Jordan, Yugoslavia and United Kingdom by Their Imperial Highnesses, the Crown Prince (the Kinjo Emperor) and Crown Princess.

7.1: JAL introduces DC-10 planes on its Tokyo=Sapporo and Tokyo=Fukuoka routes.

7.26: Japan Asia Airways inaugurates its Osaka=Taipei=Hong Kong, Osaka=Taipei and Tokyo=Osaka=Taipei=Manila routes.

9.1: JAL inaugurates its Fukuoka=Seoul route (with DC-8-61 plane).

10.22: JAL conducts a Tokyo-Fukuoka special flight for the attendance at the Saga Autumn National Athletic Meet by Their Imperial Majesties, Showa Emperor and Kojun Empress.

1977 4.1: JAL Special Selection Travel renamed JAL Jet Plan, operations transferred to Domestic Travel Development Co., Ltd.
JAL introduces DC-10 planes on its Tokyo=Anchorage=New York route.

5.19: JAL introduces jumbo jet (B747-SR planes) service at Osaka International Airport (Tokyo=Osaka route).

7.7: JAL inaugurates the Northern route to Frankfurt via Copenhagen service (with B747 plane).

10.1: JAL renews the female cabin attendants uniform (designed by Hanae Mori/dark blue one-piece dress).
JAL starts to call at Saipan on its Tokyo=Guam route (with DC-8-50 plane).
JAL inaugurates Nagoya=Seoul route (with DC-8 plane).

1978 4.1: JAL inaugurates the Osaka=Tokyo=Honolulu route (with DC-8/B747 planes).

5.22: The first flight (JL947) from New Tokyo International Airport (Narita) departs for Saipan and Guam.

6.1: JAL introduces non smoking seats into all domestic flights.

6.8: JAL inaugurates domestic flight service to/from Narita (Tokyo(Narita)=Sapporo, Tokyo(Narita)=Osaka, Tokyo(Narita)=Fukuoka).

6.20: JAL inaugurates its Tokyo(Narita)=Sao Paulo=Rio de Janeiro route (with DC-8-62 plane, one round trip in every other week).

8.1: JAL introduces Sky-Sleeper service into its transpacific route.

1979 3.26: Completion of Emergency Evacuation Mockup Center (EVAC-1)at Haneda.

4.1: JAL inaugurates the Tokyo(Narita)=Copenhagen=Zurich route (with B747-LR plane).

4.2: JAL inaugurates the Tokyo(Haneda)=Kagoshima=Hong Kong route (with DC-8-61 plane).

7.2: JAL inaugurates the Tokyo(Narita)=Pusan route (with DC-8-62 plane).

9.11: JAL inaugurates the Tokyo(Narita)=Nagasaki=Shanghai route (with DC-8-62 plane).

9.26: JAL inaugurates the Kumamoto=Seoul route (with DC-8 plane).

11.22: Japan Asia Airways inaugurates the Okinawa(Naha)=Taipei route (with DC-8-61 plane).

12.12: JAL inaugurates the Niigata=Komatsu=Seoul route (with B727 plane).

1980 2.14: JAL introduces B747-SR planes with 550 seats(world's largest capacity) on its Tokyo=Okinawa(Naha) route. It records 550 passengers aboard on JL904 between Okinawa(Naha) and Tokyo on February 15.

7.3: JAL inaugurates the Fukuoka=Pusan=Seoul route (with DC-8-61 plane).

7.4: JAL inaugurates the Tokyo(Narita)=Nand=Auckland route (with DC-8-62 plane).

7.7: JAL inaugurates the Tokyo(Narita)=Anchorage=Copenhagen=Madrid route (with B747 plane).

9.1: JAL adopts three-class system into its transpacific, Northern route to Europe, Sydney, Oakland, and Moscow routes.

11.1: JAL inaugurates the Nagoya=Fukuoka=Hong Kong=Singapore, Nagoya=Kagoshima=Hong Kong=Singapore, and Fukuoka=Okinawa(Naha) =Hong Kong=Singapore routes.

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