JAL and ANA to coordinate flight schedules for first time

Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways are adjusting their flight schedules for a domestic route for the first time to prevent overlap, people familiar with the matter said Monday.

The move affects flights by the two major Japanese airlines on the route between Haneda Airport in Tokyo and Okayama Airport in western Japan, starting in late October.

The airlines’ cooperation comes as they are seeking to maintain their route networks amid intense competition, rising fuel and maintenance costs, and a decrease in business travelers.

Until now, since adjusting schedules could violate the antimonopoly law, each airline has set its own schedules independently, resulting in many cases where multiple airlines schedule flights for the same route at the same time.

In May, however, an expert panel at the transport ministry released a report saying such adjustments would not violate the law if certain conditions are met.