Editing JALways (section)

== History ==
[[File:JAL Narita Operation Center Building.JPG|thumb|JAL Narita Operation Center - JALways's headquarters]]
The [[airline]] was established on October 5, 1990, as Japan Air Charter Co., Ltd. (JAZ), an 80 percent-owned low-cost [[charter airline|charter]] [[subsidiary]] of [[Japan Airlines]] (JAL), to operate leisure flights to [[Asia-Pacific]] resort destinations from regional airports in [[Japan]]; in response to a [[Ministry of Transport (Japan)|Ministry of Transport]] policy. JAZ obtained its aircraft from JAL; its [[aviator|cockpit crew]]s were [[United States|America]]n contract [[aviator|pilot]]s based in [[Hawaii]] and its [[flight attendant|cabin crew]]s were hired and based in [[Bangkok]], where it operates a cabin crew training centre. JAZ obtained license to operate non-scheduled services on February 22, 1991 and operated its first charter flight from [[Fukuoka]] to [[Honolulu]] with a [[McDonnell Douglas DC-10]] on July 1. The airline celebrated its 100,000th [[passenger]] on July 9, 1993, in a ceremony held in [[Sendai]].<ref name=hist>{{cite web|title=Company Profile - History|url=http://www.jalways.co.jp/english/company/history.html|publisher=JALways|access-date=2009-09-08|archive-date=2019-02-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190217142603/http://www.jal.co.jp/jalways/index.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=JALways>{{cite press release|title=JAL's Low Cost Charter Subsidiary Reborn as Scheduled Airline - JALways|url=http://www.jal.com/en/press/1999/062501/062501.html|publisher=[[Japan Airlines]]|date=1999-06-25|access-date=2009-09-08}}</ref><ref name=FI040323>{{cite news|title=J-Air|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/2004/2004-09%20-%200211.html|format=PDF|page=89|work=[[Flight International]]|publisher=[[Reed Business Information]]|date=2004-03-23|access-date=2009-09-12}}</ref>

During the 1990s, JAL was hit by the effects of Japan's [[recession]], increased foreign competition and the strengthening of the [[Japanese Yen]], JAZ was given a new role to help reduce costs. The airline obtained the license to operate scheduled services on July 30, 1999 and would operate as a scheduled carrier on a [[aircraft lease#Wet lease|wet-lease]] basis for JAL. It would operate on high-density low yield tourist routes in the Asia-Pacific region, particularly the Japan–Hawaii services; with a fleet of four McDonnell Douglas DC-10s and five [[Boeing 747]]s. On October 1, the airline changed its name to JALways Co., Ltd. and operated its first scheduled passenger service from Tokyo to [[Kailua, Hawaii County, Hawaii|Kona]] and Honolulu.<ref name=hist/><ref name=JALways/><ref name=FI040323/>

JALways became a wholly owned subsidiary of Japan Airlines on March 9, 2001 through an exchange of shares. The change in ownership enabled JAL to consolidate and improve management and operational efficiency in the JAL Group's international passenger operations, part of the JAL Medium Term Corporate Plan 2000-2002.<ref>{{cite press release|title=JAL Changes 80% Owned Airline Subsidiary "JALways" to 100% Ownership|url=http://www.jal.com/en/press/2001/011701/011701.html|publisher=[[Japan Airlines]]|date=2001-01-17|access-date=2009-09-08}}</ref> The airline introduced new uniforms for its cabin crew on April 1, 2005, and retired its last McDonnell Douglas DC-10 on October 31.<ref name=hist/> JALways became an affiliate member of [[Oneworld]] on April 1, 2007, together with four of its sister airlines, in the alliance's biggest expansion in its young history.<ref>{{cite news|title=Japan Airlines|url=http://www.atwonline.com/news/story.html?storyID=8442|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120718053503/http://www.atwonline.com/news/story.html?storyID=8442|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-07-18|work=ATW Daily News|publisher=[[Penton Media]]|date=2007-04-03|access-date=2009-09-12}}</ref>

As part of the JAL Medium Term Corporate Plan for 2005–2007, announced on March 10, 2005, the JAL Group accelerated the retirement of older Boeing 747 aircraft. The airline operated its last [[Boeing 747|Boeing 747-300]] ''Classic Jumbo Jet'' as JALways Flight 73 from Honolulu to Tokyo on July 30, 2009; after 26 years of service to the airline group. The aircraft was draped in a giant [[lei (Hawaii)|Hawaiian lei]] before departure at [[Honolulu International Airport]]; and the day was declared as "Japan Airlines Classic Jumbo Jet Day" by the [[Hawaii|State of Hawaii]] [[Linda Lingle|Governor Linda Lingle]] and [[Duke Aiona|Lt. Governor Duke Aiona]] The aircraft was met on arrival in Tokyo by the "Father of the 747", [[Joe Sutter|Mr Joseph F. "Joe" Sutter]]. A sell-out commemorative flight flew fans of the Boeing 747-300 ''Classic Jumbo Jet'' from Tokyo (Haneda) to Shimojishima on a round-trip day tour on July 5, 2009.<ref>{{cite press release|title=JAL Medium Term Corporate Plan for 2005-2007|url=http://www.jal.com/en/press/0000020/img/CORPLAN%20MAR%2010%202005.pdf|format=PDF|page=4|publisher=[[Japan Airlines]]|date=2005-03-10|access-date=2009-09-08}}</ref><ref name=B743>{{cite press release|title=JAL Retires Last 747 Classics|url=http://press.jal.co.jp/en/release/200907/001271.html|publisher=[[Japan Airlines]]|date=2009-07-30|access-date=2009-09-08}}</ref>

In May 2009, it was reported that the airline terminated the assignments of 130 American contract [[Hawaii]]-based [[Boeing 747]] pilots and closed its [[Oahu]] office. Japan-based JAL cockpit crew now operates the five daily flights previously operated by the JALways crew.<ref>{{cite news|title=Japan Airlines subsidiary JALways|url=http://www.atwonline.com/news/story.html?storyID=16572|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120718221858/http://www.atwonline.com/news/story.html?storyID=16572|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-07-18|work=ATW Daily News|publisher=[[Penton Media]]|date=2009-05-11|access-date=2009-09-12}}</ref>