What would you like to see happen to struggling airline JAL?

Tuesday 15th September, 12:55 AM JST

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Latest 15 of 21 Total Comments Show All

ratpack at 11:00 AM JST - 15th September

Keep the prices high and get a few....lower your prices and get most.
sonnycorinthos at 11:36 AM JST - 15th September

Get rid of the overpriced fuel surcharge for good, this charge really puts me off the airline, it seems so petty...
stirfry at 12:45 PM JST - 15th September

AA wants a piece to leverage it into increased access to china...re-making tokyo into a brief stopover in the process
timorborder at 01:53 PM JST - 15th September

Firstly it has to be remembered that JAL is the Japanese flag carrier, and through stock holdings, etc., the government has more than a limited interest in its future. That being said, however, it would appear that the current management team of JAL have little awareness of global realities. As such, over a number of years they have put off restructuring plans and instead used their close relationship with the Japanese establishment to be bailed out again and again. Although nothing has been said publicly, I think the government has become sick of sinking money into this black hole. As such, JAL is now on the ropes.

In terms of what should be done, there needs to be large-scale restructuring of the business. Those non-core businesses that do not benefit the core JAL business need to be wound up or sold off. Greater efficiencies also have to be realized. This means discontinuing unprofitable routes and rationalizing the workforce. Some consideration might also be given to rethinking its product offerings. Back in the day, people (particularly Japanese people) were willing to pay a premium for JAL services, either because they had the money or they were largely ignorant of what price competitiveness meant in the airline industry. These days, however, many people realize that they can get by flying economy class and there is little resistance to the idea of using cut-price ticket services. The result of this is that JAL has seen load factors decrease.

Finally, the current management needs to be shown the door.
Wakarimasen at 01:55 PM JST - 15th September

Get bought by foreign airline. Best would be BA, Cathay or Singapore. Introduce more reasonable fares. And bigger seats.
ratpack at 02:21 PM JST - 15th September

I wonder where Richard Branson is now? Perhaps Virgin will make a last minute bid!!!!!
Beelzebub at 07:12 PM JST - 15th September

JAL is not the problem. The word "charter" does not seem to exist in the Japanese language. Where has this country been since the introduction of wide-body jets in the 1970s? Under the control of the ministry of transport and a wealthy Diet member who was the airline's largest individual shareholder, JAL was able to get away with putting a premium on overseas travel for the past four decades. Can anyone blame its main customer base for abandoning it? Now the sky is black with birds coming home to roost. Let's make the punishment fit the crime. JAL's fleet should be sold off to repay its debts, and five 747s left to operate low-cost charters to Honolulu, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Seoul and Los Angeles. Period.
seesaw at 11:58 PM JST - 15th September

Perhaps Virgin will make a last minute bid!!!!!

Oh yea?..right..and soon JAL passengers will have to speak to their Call Centre located in India, too? Please! (no offence)
seesaw at 11:59 PM JST - 15th September

FYI: I just had had a terrible experience with the Virgin call centre.
memyselfI at 12:27 AM JST - 16th September

JAL needs to lower the ticket prices. also JTB needs to go too. actually all Travel companies that has three letters needs to go.
wontond at 07:59 AM JST - 16th September

I would have loved to see them drop their fare prices. I'm going to Japan next month and would have liked to fly with JAL, but their fares were too expensive.
Beelzebub at 10:22 AM JST - 16th September

Full-fare business class travelers are what kept JAL afloat all these years. Now companies are cutting back on overseas travel and when company executives do fly, more of them look for discounts in tourist class. The carriers that were most dependent on this business are the hardest-hit in the recession. JAL is paying the price of failure to keep up with the times.
Weasel at 10:27 AM JST - 16th September

Raise fairs slightly, but make all the seats business class.
abromofo at 12:59 PM JST - 16th September

Crumble! Along with every other mismanaged money guzzling Japanese company in existence. Unfortunately it's going to be another 20 years before all the dim-witted gyoza eating oyajis running these companies are retired. The problem is, I see a new generation of mid-30s couldn't-run-a-teddy-bears-picnic Japanese managers beginning to take their places. Oshimai da ne. Nippon teikoku.
BurakuminDes at 10:02 PM JST - 16th September

If JAL gets taken over - which is likely - think of all the Japanese who will now refuse to fly because foreign airlines are not "Safety Airlines" like JAL.

I hope they get taken over by Aeroflot.