business

JAL eyes legal action against gov't over Haneda landing slots

18 Comments
By Tim Kelly, William Mallard and Kentaro Sugiyama

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18 Comments
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Public discussion of lawsuits? Having the audacity to seek other vendors? Whatever else, you have to admit Ueki is one unconventional Japanese CEO.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

JAL was meek when they got their bailout but now they're getting defiant.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The government punished JAL for not choosing Boeing. The excuse that restricting their slots was because of the bailout doesn't make sense; they would just start losing money again. Then again, logic isn't the strong point of most politicians.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

The government punished JAL for not choosing Boeing.

Is it not the other way around? I thought the JAL's decision to purchase Airbus came after the government's decision over Haneda spots. Perhaps it was JAL's response to the Haneda decision.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

I thought the JAL's decision to purchase Airbus came after the government's decision over Haneda spots.

You are correct.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Way to go, JAL, for exposing croneyism.

More of this, please!

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Sounds like JAL's just angry they aren't getting the favoritism enjoyed over many years. How dare the government change the equation!

3 ( +3 / -0 )

It's interesting to see how this plays out. Very often there is a cozy relationship between J government and large corporations but now JAL seems to be doing whatever they want buying Airbus and now suing the government.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

All those years that ANA had to fight tooth and nail to get fair treatment while JAL just skated along on government funding and even a massive bailout. So, now that ANA's hard work over all those years pays off and becomes Japan's largest airline, what do we see now? Poor little spoiled child JAL whining to the government that it's not fair! TOUGH!!! Suck it up buttercup! Time to follow the leader,JAL, which is now ANA.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

KnowBetterOct. 27, 2013 - 01:27PM JST

All those years that ANA had to fight tooth and nail to get fair treatment while JAL just skated along on government funding and even a massive bailout. So, now that ANA's hard work over all those years pays off and becomes Japan's largest airline, what do we see now? Poor little spoiled child JAL whining to the government that it's not fair! TOUGH!!! Suck it up buttercup! Time to follow the leader,JAL, which is now ANA.

Exactly......

JAL has been the pampered golden child of the Japanese skies for so long, while ANA has to scrimp and save. JAL went bankrupt because of bad managerial decisions and this attitude of entitlement is another one.

JAL should shut up and be glad with what they've got......

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Did JAL return the bail-out money to the government? I guess they did otherwise they wouldn't sue. But If I were Mr. Ueki I wouldn't sue, I just do soul-searching.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

If the problem is just slots, why not increase the numbers of it?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Cry baby!!! JAL still expect the government to give them everything. Well, you better start earning it or you will end up in red again.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

JAL has been the pampered golden child of the Japanese skies for so long, while ANA has to scrimp and save.

I wouldn't say we had to scrimp and save, but we were definitely the number two airline. That was especially apparent when Japan Air System was still around (and before they announced the merger with JAL). Now things are reversed. ANA gets the larger share of new slots at Haneda. Another thing is that we are in Terminal 1 at NRT while JAL is in Terminal 2. Their service is still decent, better than anything from the States and a lot of European lines, but financially they are a shell of what they were.

Not all of it is their fault. Political considerations had them flying unprofitable routes. Of course, having almost 100 747s in their fleet at one time probably did not do much for the bottom line, either.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The problem with JAL is that they are still operating like it was during their heyday up till 1987 when it was the national airline of Japan. No wonder why the airline has gotten into financial trouble in recent years. Meanwhile, ANA has thrived, and the airline will likely use a combination of 787-8 and 787-9 to fly international routes on a profitable basis.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

First ABE and his party was so against of bailing out JAL using the government's money (people's money). The 5-11 Landing rights to HANEDA is probably ABE's payback time to JAL.

About 3 Billion US Dollars from the peoples taxes were given to JAL's bailout. Not only that, a few billions US Dollars were in the form of tax breaks. ANA is paying more taxes than JAL up to this present day because TAX breaks for JAL still exists.

If JAL will really insist to ABE's government to give them equal landing rights to HANEDA, ABE will probably tell them for sure (and probably insists forcefully) to cancel Airbus order deals and go to Boeing because almost no parts are obtained from Japan building the A350. Boeing outsourced 38% of its parts from Japan. Abe is very supportive of Japanese companies including the Heavy Industries that make Boeing airplane parts.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Of course JAL should sue and ask for a degree of transparency in the decision making process. I agree ANA deserves more but the government could have been a little less blatant about it.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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