TOKYO -- Japan Airlines, Japan's largest carrier, introduced
e-ticketing on its international flights.
With the move, JAL became the first Japanese airline to offer
international ticketless service; in June 1996, JAL introduced
electronic tickets for domestic flights.
JAL is accepting reservations for ticketless travel starting
June 12 on routes between Narita and Kansai airports in the Tokyo
area to New York and Los Angeles.
Initially, through September, the service will be offered only
to members of JAL's frequent flyer program, the JAL Mileage Bank,
and only for award tickets.
The service will be extended in October to all customers and
will apply to normal fares and published discount fares on all JAL
routes between Japan and North America, except Mexico.
Additional expansion to European and Asian routes is planned for
the first half of 2001.
In other JAL news, the airline launched JAL Value Fares for
travel to Japan, which it said represent a savings compared with
even the lowest Apex fares for transpacific travel and carry no
advance-purchase requirement.
There are three seasons for fare purposes: peak, which is June
30 through Sept. 3 and Dec. 15 through 27; shoulder, March 23
through June 29, Sept. 4 through Oct. 29 and Dec. 28 through Jan.
3, and basic, Oct. 30 through Dec. 14 and Jan. 4 through March
22.
JAL said it hopes to expand Value Fares to points in Asia beyond
Japan.