JAL Changes Boarding Order on Domestic Flights to Smoother Method

 

JAL Changes Boarding Order on Domestic Flights to Smoother Method with Tokyo Tech Collaboration; International Flights Now Guided by LINE 

September 13, 2024 #LINE Yahoo #Japan Airlines (JAL)

Travel Voice, a Japanese travel business news site reported the following.

JAL has changed the boarding procedure on wide-body aircraft with two aisles in the cabin on domestic flights. This change is being implemented after joint research with Professor Toshiyasu Obutsu of the Tokyo Institute of Technology's School of Environmental and Social Science and Engineering revealed a boarding method that is expected to reduce in-flight congestion on wide-body aircraft more than the current method.

An image of the revised boarding process by JAL for Airbus A350-900

The organization of groups to be called in order at boarding will be changed. Group 3, which is called after pre-boarding and priority boarding (Group 1 and 2), was previously seats after 40 and emergency exit row seats, but will be changed to seats after 40, window-side A and K seats, and emergency exit row seats; Group 4 will be changed from seats after 20 to all seats; and Group 5 will be eliminated. Group 4 will be changed to all seats from number 20 onward, and Group 5 will be eliminated.

From the press release The boarding bridge aisle that passengers pass through when boarding will also be changed. For aircraft that use two boarding bridges, the boarding bridge aisle has been guided according to the class of service. From now on, the system will be changed to guide passengers by row for standard seats. This will alleviate congestion near the doors, according to the company.

The Tokyo Institute of Technology's research used a 360-degree camera installed in the cabin to measure the movements of passengers during boarding, and built a unique boarding simulation model based on the data obtained. The optimal boarding method was derived from this simulation model by conducting approximately 1,000 trials of multiple scenarios, changing the boarding order and other factors.

On September 18, 2024, JAL will begin using LINE's corporate function "LINE Notification Message" on international flights to provide boarding information and other information based on individual reservations to passengers on international flights.

Up until now, LINE has only provided a service to notify information on the status of flights scheduled for international flights, while information on reservations and boarding has been provided via e-mail and the JAL application.

After the renewal, LINE will use "LINE Notification Messages" to provide information on flight status, boarding procedures, when check-in has not been completed, information on passing through security checkpoints, flight cancellations and delays, and other flight status information.