Japan Airlines

Brief history Japan Airlines was established in 1951, with the government of Japan recognizing the need for a reliable air transportation system to help Japan grow in the aftermath of World War II.

In 1953, a Martin 404[?] of Japan Airines crashed, killing all 37 on board.

Japan Airlines, in addition to the 404's had DC-3, DC-4[?], DC-6[?] and DC-7[?] operating during the 1950s. Towards the end of that decade, it had its first international service, to San Francisco.

In 1960, Japan Airlines bought their first jet, a DC-8. Soon after, they decided to re-equip their airline, using jet airplanes only. That decade, many new international destinations were established.

The 1970s brought over new jets for Japan Airlines, such as the Boeing 747, the Boeing 727 and the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 planes. This, to accommodate the ever growing list of international routes for the airline, both in the nearby Asian neighbors, and everywhere else around the world.

Japan Airlines spent a great deal of the 1980's performing special flights, for such people or groups as the Crown Prince of Japan and the Princess, Pope John Paul II, and various Japanese prime ministers. Japan Airlines during that decade also began to be more promotionally noticed, with plane models[?] and other promotional items of them being produced in mass proportions. It also bought new Boeing 767 jets and retired the DC-8's and 727's. In 1985, one of their 747's crashed, killing 540 out of 544 people on board.

Japan Airlines began the 1990s with another special flight, as it helped evacuate Japanese citizens from Iraq before the start of the Gulf War. In 1992, Japan Air Charters[?] was established, and in 1997, an agreement with Disney World was announced, making Japan Airlines the official airline of Disney Tokyo. That year also, JALExpress[?] had been established, with Boeing 737 aircraft. Also in 1997, the airline had to fly the Japanese prime minister to Peru to help negociate in the Tupac Amaru kidnapping case. Japan Airlines adquired Boeing 777's during that decade, and it was named the official airline of the Sydney Olympic Games.

Nowadays Nowadays, Japan Airlines is the only asian airline that flies to Benito Juarez International Airport in Mexico City. Other than that, the airline keeps a large list of destinations, both domestic and international. Model airplane wise, Japan Airlines is one of the most widely seen companies by collectors, their planes being produced in mass quantities by Schabak, Wooster, Flight Miniatures, Long Prosper[?], Dragon Wings[?], etc., etc.