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American Airlines Seriously Considering Turning Japanese

The recession has been particularly cruel to Japan Airlines. Since expensive intercontinental travel is exactly the kind of thing thing that corporations are trying to replace with teleconferencing, JAL is particularly vulnerable to dips in demand. The result has been a $1 billion loss in the last quarter.

The financial hardship has opened JAP up for partial acquisition, and reports have it that both American Airlines and Delta are interested in getting their piece. The stakes are pretty high and include JAL's presence at Tokyo's Haneda Airport, one of the few alternatives to Tokyo's "thank you for landing, please enjoy your upcoming four hours in traffic" Narita International:

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Tags: Accidents / Luggage / Japan Airlines / LAX / Luggage Containers / → All Tags

JAL Engine Incident Proves Airlines Do Eat Your Luggage

We're not the only ones who get sucked in by the airlines checked baggage fees. Apparently, luggage containers are now a target too. At LAX yesterday, 250 passengers were evacuated from a Japan Airlines jet after a metal luggage container got sucked into the jet's engine as it was preparing for take-off. The LA Times reports:

The accident occurred about 1:30 p.m. when Flight 61 to Narita, Japan, pulled back from Gate 101 at the Tom Bradley International Terminal. Airport officials said the vacuum created by the air intake of the left outboard engine was so strong it pulled the empty container off a baggage cart that was either parked or driven too close to the aircraft.

The passengers and crew were all fine and other flight arrangements were made as the airplane was taken to a hangar for evaluation. While JAL does allow its economy class passengers to check two bags for free on flights to and out of the US, they recently put in place a new policy that will charge you $50 if your bag weighs more than 50 pounds (previously, 70 pounds was the limit.) Hopefully, anyone who had to pay the excess baggage fee on this aborted flight will get it free the next time around.

Related Stories:
· Metal baggage container sucked into jet engine at LAX [LA Times]

[Photo: MyFoxLA.com]

Tags: Biofuels / Japan Airlines / Green Travel / Airlines / → All Tags

Camelina Biofuel Will Save the World, JAL Says

Did you hear that Japan Airlines have just saved the world? That's how they've made their maiden camelina biofuel flight sound. They did a 90-minute test flight out of Tokyo on Friday and Japan Airlines president Haruka Nishimatsu said:

Today is an extremely important day for Japan Airlines, for aviation, and for the environment.

Just a little over the top, but we are pleased to see airlines jumping on the greener flying bandwagon. The test flight used a mix of camelina, a second generation biofuel, and regular jet fuel, and it all happened without any dramas. Keep it up, camelina-lovers.

If an airline begins using biofuel on its flights, will that make you more inclined to pick them over a regular gas guzzler? Let us know in comments below.

Related Stories:
· Japan Airlines Tests World's First Camelina Flight [The Age]
· Japan Airlines Will Fly On Camelina, Whatever That Is [Jaunted]
· Biofuels Coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: St Stev]

Tags: Biofuels / Japan Airlines / Green Travel / Airlines / → All Tags

Japan Airlines Will Fly On Camelina, Whatever That Is

Those hi-tech Japanese may not always come across as particularly environmentally friendly but when it comes to alternative fuel for planes, the national carrier JAL is keen to jump on the front of the bandwagon. And after the sketchy beginnings to their biofuel plans--when the energy source was still a secret--there are more details now which warm our greenie hearts.

JAL is now proposing to make a demonstration flight using a blend of biofuel and regular kerosene, and the biofuel's main component will come from camelina. That's a crop often grown in the northern Plains area of the US which fits the green requirements of not competing with regular food crops.

The test flight should take place on January 30 out of Tokyo's Haneda Airport, and it'll be a quickie--just one hour. We think it'd be nice if Japan combined its technological know-how with a bit of green biofuel love, so we say keep it up, JAL.

Related Stories:
· Montana Biodiesel Crop to be Tested on Airliner [CNN]
· JAL Jumps in the Biofuel Queue Too [Jaunted]
· Biofuels coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Hyougushi]

Tags: 787 / Boeing / Strikes / ANA / Japan Airlines / → All Tags

Boeing Pushes Back Dreamliner Deliveries Yet Again

We're about to stop handicapping the odds that Boeing will ever get these 787s built: A spokeswoman told aviation blog FleetBuzz that thanks to a crippling machinists strike, the Dreamliner won't be making its first flight before the end of 2008 as previously planned. That means it's almost certain that deliveries to carriers like ANA and Japan Airlines won't happen until 2010.

Here's what Boeing had to say:

First flight of the 787 Dreamliner will not be accomplished in the fourth quarter of 2008. The timeframe for first flight has not been established and will be based on the strike recovery assessment. The program is working to determine a new program schedule that will be announced when it is finalized.

Adding to the trouble are newly discovered quality control issues with fasteners, the variety of dodads that hold the plane together. Needless to say, you can't make test flights when you're worried that the plane isn't bolted together right!

Related Stories:
· Boeing 787 First Flight Delayed [FleetBuzz]
· Boeing 787 Schedule Pushed Back Again [USA Today]
· Could the Dreamliner Be Flying by 2009? [Jaunted]

Tags: Japan Airlines / Biofuels / Green Travel / Airlines / → All Tags

JAL Jumps in the Biofuel Queue Too

Air New Zealand's trying it with jatropha, and Virgin Atlantic thought that coconut oil would do the trick. Now it's time for Japan Airlines to give biofuel flying a whirl.

Japan Airlines, aka JAL, is planning a biofuel demonstration flight before the end of March 2009 in a 747; they won't say which Japanese airport they'll fly from yet, but expect the flight to take an hour and to be the first biofuel test flight in Asia.

The other thing JAL won't say is what biofuel they'll use--because apparently they haven't decided yet. They are sure it'll be a second-generation biofuel (that means one that doesn't compete with food crops) so Richard Branson's coconuts are out. We'll have to wait a few months and see what those clever Japanese scientists come up with.

Related Stories:
· Japan Airlines to Make Biofuel Test Flight [Treehugger]
· Richard Branson Flies Around on Coconuts [Jaunted]
· The Green, Green Skies of New Zealand [Jaunted]

[Photo: St Stev]