Back in July 2023, JAL announced it would be launching flights between Tokyo Haneda and Doha starting from the 2024 summer schedule. Yesterday, the airline revealed the exact schedules for the flights. Continue reading to learn more about what...
Back in July 2023, JAL announced it would be launching flights between Tokyo Haneda and Doha starting from the 2024 summer schedule. Yesterday, the airline revealed the exact schedules for the flights.
Continue reading to learn more about what will be JAL’s first route to the Middle East.
JAL will use its 787-9s on the flights.
JAL’s Tokyo Haneda – Doha Route Will Launch in March 2024
As per the announcement, JAL will start operating the Tokyo Haneda – Doha route from March 31, 2024, in the westbound direction and April 1, 2024, in the eastbound direction. The flights will operate daily with the following schedule:
JL59 / Tokyo Haneda – Doha / 10:50PM – 4:40AM+1 JL60 / Doha – Tokyo Haneda / 7:15AM – 11:55PMJAL will use Boeing 787-9s in “E91” configuration, which seats a total of 203 passengers in three classes. The aircraft has 52 business class seats in a 1-2-1 layout, 35 premium economy class seats in a 2-3-2 layout, and 116 economy class seats in a 2-4-2 layout.
Unfortunately for passengers flying on this flight in business class, the aircraft features JAL’s (compared to the seat’s other variations) not-so-great reverse herringbone seats in business class rather than the great Apex Suites.
On the other hand, passengers flying in economy class will have some extra comfort thanks to JAL’s 2-4-2, eight-seats-abreast layout as opposed to most other operators’ 3-3-3, nine-seats-abreast layout.
With this new route, JAL hopes to offer better connectivity between Japan and the Middle East, as well as Africa and South America, utilizing its partner Qatar Airways’ network. The airline also sees an opportunity in connections to Europe since the inability to overfly Russia makes the time loss when flying through the Middle East negligible compared to the past.
JAL will not use aircraft with the great Apex Suites on this route.
Qatar Airways Will Discontinue Haneda Service in March 2024
Currently, JAL’s oneworld partner Qatar Airways operates two daily flights between Doha and Tokyo. One of those connects Doha with Narita Airport while the other with Haneda Airport.
On both routes, Qatar Airways deploys aircraft equipped with QSuites which are much better than JAL’s business class hard product on the route will be. That said, Qatar’s aircraft are not equipped with premium economy class and, while not currently serving Tokyo (although they have in the past), its 787s have economy class in a 3-3-3 layout.
Qatar Airways’ flights between Doha and Tokyo feature QSuites in business class.
The Qatar Airways flights currently depart Tokyo Narita at 9:55PM and Tokyo Haneda at 11:55PM, arriving in Doha at 4:55AM and 6:50AM the next day respectively. In the other direction, both of the flights arrive in Tokyo at much more desirable times than JAL’s flights will – at 5:55PM for the Narita flight and at 10:30PM for the Haneda flight.
At this point, JAL codeshares on both of the Qatar Airways flights and will continue to do so until its own flights launch. From that point onward, as reported by Aeroroutes, Qatar Airways’ Tokyo Haneda route will be discontinued and Qatar Airways will place its code on JAL’s flights.
Qatar Airways currently uses A350s on both of its flights to Tokyo.
Summary
On March 31, 2024, JAL will launch daily flights between Tokyo Haneda and Doha. This will be the airline’s first route to the Middle East and will help JAL better capture some of the demand between Japan and the Middle East, Africa, and South America.
The airline will use 787-9 aircraft which feature below-average business class and above-average economy class seats.
With Qatar Airways already operating between the two cities twice a day with one flight to each Haneda and Narita, the airline will discontinue its Haneda service once JAL launches the route.
First published on 2023/12/08. Updated on 2023/12/21 with information about Qatar Airways’ discontinuation of Doha – Tokyo Haneda service.
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