Tuesday, July 14, 2015

JAL Happy Journey Express enters service.

On July 14th, Japan Airlines [JL/JAL] placed Happy Journey Express, the airline's fourth generation of Disney-themed special livery aircraft, into service. Boeing 737-846(WL) JA318J, seating 20 in Class J (domestic business) and 145 in economy, became the first example to receive the treatment. Three additional domestic-configured aircraft will wear similar decals, and the quartet will fly in the color scheme through April 2016.

Boeing 737-846(WL) JA318J Happy Journey Express climbs from Haneda bound for Matsuyama on her inaugural flight with the decals. (Photo: Aviation Wire)

Inside the aircraft, headrest covers feature Duffy, and for young flyers, JAL will hand out specially-designed plastic folders with a picture of Disney's popular stuffed bear character. Postcards showing off the special livery will also be available for free. The inaugural flight was JL435, service from Tokyo/Haneda [HND/RJTT] to Matsuyama [MYJ/RJOM], which departed from Spot 4 in Terminal 1 at 1256 JST carrying 97 passengers, four flight attendants, and two pilots. It touched down at the Shikoku airport at 1414.

A collaboration between JAL and Oriental Land, operator of Tokyo Disney Resort, the special color scheme celebrates the 10th anniversary of Journey With Duffy at Tokyo DisneySea. Disney themes have appeared on JAL airplanes in 1994, 2001, and 2013 (JAL winding down Disney Happiness Express ops.). Which flights the aircraft would be assigned to would be posted on their website on the prior evening. The second aircraft, slated to be 737-846(WL) JA327J, will enter service on July 22nd, followed by the third, to be 737-846(WL) JA341J, on August 1st, and the fourth in September.

Source: Japan Airlines, June 25th. (in Japanese)
Source: Aviation Wire, July 14th. (in Japanese)

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