Summary

  • Officials from the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism (国土交通省, MLIT) visited Japan Airlines’ offices after another safety incident.
  • In response, Japan Airlines stated that its priority was to restore confidence in the airline and its safety.
  • The carrier has suffered several incidents in the past few months, including a fatal collision with a Japanese Coast Guard aircraft in January.

Japan Airlines said that it aims to restore confidence in the airline after the Japanese government, led by the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism (国土交通省, MLIT), began auditing the carrier on May 24, 2024.

Restoring confidence

According to a report by Japan Times, a Japan Airlines (JAL) official stated that the airline takes the series of incidents and the MLIT’s emergency probe very seriously. The carrier will begin company-wide efforts to restore confidence in the carrier, the official added.

Officials from the MLIT visited Japan Airlines’ offices at Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND) on May 24, prompted by the on-ground collision of two of the carrier’s Airbus A350-900 aircraft at HND. While no passengers and/or flight crew were injured during the event on May 23, one Airbus A350-900, registered as JA02XJ, has remained at HND since the incident.

shutterstock_2289767481 Japan Airlines JAL A350-900

Photo: KITTIKUN YOKSAP | Shutterstock

According to the Aviation Safety Network, the other A350-900, registered as JA09XJ, had minor damage to its right winglet. The aircraft was stationary during the event, while the former A350-900 was being pushed back for its departure on flight JL503 to Sapporo New Chitose Airport (CTS).

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String of incidents

However, this was not the only incident that involved the airline’s aircraft or personnel. On April 24, Japan Airlines canceled flight JL11 from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to HND because the captain of the flight had acted disruptively at the hotel he was staying at. The Boeing 777-300ER, which arrived at DFW a day prior, had to be ferried to HND using the special flight code JAL11D, Flightradar24 records showed.

Japan Airlines Boeing 787 taking off.

Photo: Joe Kunzler | Simple Flying

Another Japan Airlines aircraft, a Boeing 787-8, registered as JA836J, overshot the taxiway at San Diego International Airport (SAN), forcing a Delta Air Lines Airbus A220-300, registered as N301DU, to initiate a go-around on February 6. The A220-300 eventually landed at SAN, while the 787-8 left for Tokyo Narita International Airport (NRT).

The incident had also prompted MLIT’s officials to visit the carrier’s offices at HND. The visit happened on February 13, around a week later after the incident at SAN. No passengers or flight crew were hurt on either of the aircraft during the

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Collision with a Japanese Coast Guard aircraft at HND

Still, the biggest incident involving a Japan Airlines aircraft happened in early January, when the airline’s Airbus A350-900, registered as JA13XJ, collided with a Japanese Coast Guard’s De Havilland Canada Dash 8 Q300 at HND. Miraculously, all 379 occupants, including 367 passengers and 12 crew members, evacuated the aircraft while it was burning on the runway of HND.

A Japan Airlines Airbus A350-900 on an airport apron.

Photo: KITTIKUN YOKSAP | Shutterstock
 

However, five people onboard the Japanese Coast Guard aircraft passed away. The only survivor was the captain of the flight. In April, Nobuo Takeda, the Chairman of the Japan Transport Safety Board (JTSB), stated that the investigation was still ongoing and that the JTSB had no new details to share with the public.

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