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Boston Logan Lands Nonstop Service to Tokyo with Japan Airlines
American Airlines Will Codeshare on the Service Which Will Begin in 2012

BOSTON – Boston Logan International Airport will achieve a long-sought goal of nonstop service to Asia when Japan Airlines starts flying from Boston to Tokyo’s Narita International Airport in April 2012, the Massachusetts Port Authority announced today.

Boston is the largest U.S. market without nonstop Asian service and Massport, which owns and operates Boston Logan, estimates more than 380,000 passengers flew from Boston to Asia in 2010 and generated more than $350 million in ticket sales; the single largest market is Boston to Tokyo. The service will facilitate travel to and from cities throughout the New England region as well as add greater convenience for business and leisure travelers connecting to and from key Asian cities through JAL’s extensive international network at Narita.

"I am thrilled that Japan Airlines has agreed to begin non-stop service between Tokyo and Boston, and I applaud them for choosing Massachusetts as a destination,” said Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick. “I also want to commend Massport for their efforts to make this a reality. Our counterparts in Tokyo understand the value of a direct flight that will connect them to our growing health care, biotechnology, telecommunications, and advance technologies industries, and to our prestigious colleges and research universities. This is an invaluable economic partnership for the Commonwealth, and we look forward to the increased tourism, commerce, and economic development with Japan that it will bring."

“Having nonstop service to Asia improves Boston’s connection to the world,’’ Mayor Thomas M. Menino said. “Boston business leaders have needed this service and our educational institutions have wanted it. It helps us commercially, it helps us culturally and makes us all better global citizens.’’

JAL will become the only carrier offering nonstop service from Boston to Asia, but American Airlines and JAL have a joint business agreement and both airlines will sell tickets on the flight, which is expected to be the first in JAL’s trans-Pacific network to use the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

“I am pleased to announce the addition of Boston to our international network – our first new gateway in North America in 13 years,’’ said Masaru Onishi, President of Japan Airlines. “By making full use of the efficiencies of the revolutionary 787 as well as capitalizing on our closer relationship with American Airlines, we are confident this new route will prove to be another valuable link for commercial and cultural exchanges between both regions, and more significantly, the onset of JAL’s growth strategies going forward.’’

JAL has begun discussions with JetBlue Airways to strengthen its US network by utilizing JetBlue’s Boston Logan network to provide JAL customers with smooth connections along the East Coast and Caribbean.

“This new service will connect New England and Asia as never before,’’ said Thomas J. Kinton Jr., Massport’s CEO & Executive Director. “Asia is a priority for Governor Patrick’s administration to further enhance the economic competitiveness of the Commonwealth and nonstop flights to Asia are the number one service target among the Boston-area’s business, academic and tourism communities. We are thrilled with the route and thankful that the work of our Asia Task Force with Boston business leaders helped clinch the deal.’’

Massport estimates daily service to Japan will generate about $174 million annually in regional economic impact.

Service is scheduled to begin April 22, with four flights a week and the frequency will increase to once daily on June 1, 2012.

The new service falls under Massport’s International Air Service Incentive Program, which applies to new nonstop international service to destinations in Asia, Central America, South America, Africa, the Middle East, and Mexico City. The incentive program, instituted in 2008, includes landing fee credits and joint advertising opportunities. Massport’s action is not designed to subsidize a service that is not likely to be self-sufficient, but to help minimize the initial business risk of the air carrier. In doing so, Massport also expects to improve utilization of Boston Logan’s international Terminal E, as Asia, Latin America and Middle East flights would operate during current off-peak hours. Massport is undertaking the program to compete with other airports around the country, most of which offer some type of financial incentive to attract new international air service.

Boston Logan, 15 minutes from the intersection of Route 128 and I-90 and five minutes from downtown Boston, serves as the gateway to the New England region and offers nonstop service to 70 domestic and 32 international destinations and in 2010 handled 27.4 million passengers. Boston Logan is the Air Line Pilot Association’s Airport of the Year for 2008 because of its commitment to safety. Over the past decade, the airport spent $4.5 billion on a modernization program that includes new terminals, parking facilities, roadways and airport concessions, and has been transformed into a world-class 21st Century facility. The airport generates $7 billion in total economic impact each year.

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The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) owns and operates Boston Logan International Airport, public terminals in the Port of Boston, Hanscom Field and Worcester Regional Airport. Massport is a financially self-sustaining public authority whose premier transportation facilities generate more than $8 billion annually, and enhance and enable economic growth and vitality in New England. No state tax dollars are used to fund operations or capital improvements at Massport facilities.

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