On April 15, JAL held an event at Haneda Airport to commemorate the 60th anniversary of its Tokyo – Seoul route.
The route between Haneda and Seoul’s Gimpo Airport began operations exactly 60 years ago today, on April 15, 1964. At that time, it was the only airline to operate the Tokyo-Seoul route with two flights per week. Currently, the airline operates three flights a day in the morning, afternoon, and evening.
Kumiko Saito, Executive Officer of JAL and General Manager of Tokyo Airport Branch and President of JAL Sky, took the stage at the event. Kumiko Saito, President of JAL Sky, took the stage at the event. “At the time, diplomatic relations between the two countries had not been normalized, but after lengthy negotiations, we were able to establish regular flights between the two countries. We faced a number of hurdles, but we were able to overcome them because of our strong pride as a pioneer in connecting Japan and the world.” Looking back, she said, “We will continue to provide safe, reliable, people- and earth-friendly air travel with the best service.
The “JAL JETS,” a cheerleading team made up of active CAs, gave a spectacular performance in front of Departure Gate 114 of Haneda Airport Terminal 3, the venue for the event. The JAL JETS, a cheerleading dance team made up of current CAs, gave a spectacular performance in front of Departure Gate 114. The performance was accompanied by the song “Celebrate” by the popular Korean artist TWICE.
A model plane of a Convair CV880, the aircraft used when the service was launched, route maps, and other historical materials were also on display. CAs wearing the uniforms of the time when the airline was in service were also on hand for a photo session.
Passengers on JL93 to Gimpo will receive a mug engraved with the 60th anniversary logo and a tote bag made of eco-friendly materials. Onboard the flight, 60th anniversary cookies featuring the “mugunghwa,” Korea’s national flower, will also be offered.
The aircraft was a two-class Boeing 787-8 with a total of 206 seats. The JL93 flight, carrying 201 passengers (including 1 infant) and almost full, took off for Seoul at 15:44 (scheduled time 16:40), escorted by JAL employees holding up a banner.
© Source travel watch