JAL - Japan Airlines (JL, Tokyo Haneda) announced an order for 42 aircraft, split between Boeing and Airbus, on March 21, 2024. In a statement, the airline said it will acquire twenty-one A350-900s, eleven A321-200Ns, and ten B787-9s as part of its fleet renewal plan.
The aircraft will "enhance and expand the capacity of its international operations, with a primary focus on regions such as North America, Asia, and India where future growth is expected." The acquisition of the A321neo will also end Boeing's run as the sole provider of the airline's narrowbody aircraft.
Japan Airlines currently operates two A350-1000s, fifteen A350-900s, forty-two B737-800s, twenty-five B767-300ERs, two B767-300ER(BCF)s, one B777-200, thirteen B777-300ERs, twenty-three B787-8s, and twenty-two B787-9s. According to the ch-aviation fleets module, the airline also has 14 wet-leased ATR - Avions de Transport Régional turboprops and thirty-two wet-leased Embraer aircraft deployed onto domestic sectors. Aside from this announcement, Japan Airlines has eleven A350-1000s, two A350-900s, and twenty-one B737-8s on order.
Japan Airlines will use twenty of the freshly ordered A350-900s on international routes. To date, the airline has primarily deployed the type on domestic flights. By 2030, it aims to grow its international network by 40%, relying on its full-service and low-cost brands. The airline says it will introduce the new A350s and B787s over six years starting in FY2027.
While the existing B737-8s on order will gradually replace the B737-800s used on domestic routes, the airline will use the A321neo to update the existing B767 fleet. "These aircraft will be strategically deployed on routes that align with demand, including to and from Haneda Airport, starting from 2028. Furthermore, Japan Airlines has decided to introduce one additional A350-900 in a domestic configuration as a replacement for the A350-900 that was lost in January 2024."
