JAL Celebrates 70th Anniversary of Tokyo-Hong Kong Route with Full Flights and Kung Fu Performance

Japan Airlines (JAL) marked the 70th anniversary of its Tokyo-Hong Kong route on February 4. A commemorative ceremony was held at Haneda Airport to coincide with the departure of flight JL29 (Boeing 787-9, registration: JA871J), featuring a martial arts Tai Chi (Kung Fu) performance by members of the Tai Chi Friends Association to add flair to the occasion.

The Tokyo-Hong Kong route was inaugurated as JAL’s second international route on February 4, 1955, following the Tokyo-Honolulu-San Francisco route, which started on February 2, 1954. Initially operated with DC-6B aircraft, it offered two weekly flights, departing Tokyo on Mondays and Fridays, and Hong Kong on Tuesdays and Saturdays. The service originally transited via Okinawa/Naha, with a travel time of 10 hours from Tokyo and 8 hours from Hong Kong. It was scheduled to connect with the Tokyo-Honolulu-San Francisco route.

Starting April 24 of the same year, the service increased to three weekly flights (Tokyo on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays; Hong Kong on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Mondays). In November, one of these weekly flights became direct, reducing travel time to 8.5 hours from Tokyo and 6 hours from Hong Kong. The route became a daily service in August 1959. Currently, JAL operates one daily flight each from Tokyo/Narita and Tokyo/Haneda.

Kaori Nishiharaguchi, Head of JAL’s Tokyo branch, addressed the ceremony, highlighting how the Bangkok route launched in 1956 and the Singapore route in 1958 were both operated via Hong Kong. She noted, “The Hong Kong route truly served as a foothold for our expansion into Asia.” Reflecting on the service, she said, “By connecting Tokyo, the gateway to the Pacific, with Hong Kong, the hub of Asia, the distances between Japan, Hong Kong, North America, and Asian countries have been significantly shortened.”

Photos and timetables from the time of inauguration, along with a model plane of the DC-6B, were exhibited near the boarding gate. Passengers received commemorative certificates and drawstring tote bags as souvenirs.

This day coincided with the latter half of the Chinese New Year holiday period, and flight JL29, equipped with 203 seats (52 in business class, 35 in premium economy, and 116 in economy class), was overbooked to 204 passengers, including one infant who did not require a seat. The flight departed from spot 114 at 9:42 a.m.