Japan Airlines Decides to Re-Adopt Flying-Crane Logo

The JAL Group (JAL) has decided to re-adopt the iconic logo it used for many years, to symbolize a fresh start for the airline group as it adopts a new corporate policy.

The motif Japan Airlines will use from April 1 will be a Japanese red-crown crane with its wings extended in full flight. First registered as a trademark of Japan Airlines in August 1959, the circular crane logo was painted on JAL’s entire fleet throughout the period of the airline’s international network expansion.

It remained a primary feature of the JAL livery for more than 40 years and became an unmistakable image representing Japan Airlines and the country of its domicile.

Japan Airlines is re-adopting its famous flying-crane logo, which the airline abandoned in 2002 after using it for more than 40 years. The airline is also going to spell out the Japanese Airlines name in bold, all-capitalized letters on its aircraft, rather than using a stylized 'JAL' title as it does now

Japan Airlines will feature the logo on the tails of its aircraft, which will see a livery change. While the fuselages of JAL’s aircraft will be all-white, much as they are now, the carrier will paint each aircraft with the title ‘Japan Airlines’ in sloping, bold, all-capitalized characters above its cabin windows, rather than the stylized  ‘JAL’ title with a samurai-sword-like logo cutting through it that Japan Airlines uses now. In the current JAL livery, the JAL logo is painted along the cabin-window line.

According to JAL, the symbol of the crane has come to be associated with the nation’s distinct hallmarks of pristine quality and reliability. JAL says it is determined to safeguard these values of the Japanese culture and to continue reflecting its quintessential hospitality from the heart to customers in the airline’s authentic services – a promise embodied in the group’s new corporate policy, unveiled on January 19.

“Japan Airlines started out as a pioneer and ventured on a path where no other company in Japan explored,” says Masaru Onishi, JAL Group president. “Today, we firmly resolve to recapture the unity and challenging spirit that our employees possessed at the time of JAL’s founding, and together, we will propel the company forward over the hurdles that lie ahead to again stand at the forefront of this ever-evolving industry.”

This photograph is of a Japan Air Lines DC-10-40 in the livery the airline used from 1989 to 2002 and showing the circular, flying Japanese red-crown crane logo the airline used from 1959 to 2002 before adopting a stylized logo suggesting a partial view of Japan's national red rising-sun flag. The re-styled Japan Airlines is re-adopting the famous flying-crane logo with effect from April 1, 2011. This photograph was taken by Los688 at Kansai International Airport on July 28, 2001

“Now, represented by the high-flying crane, we hereby renew our commitment to provide our valued customers with the highest levels of service, and to diligently raise our corporate value so that the JAL Group can once again contribute to the advancement of society,” adds Onishi.

The first aircraft to be painted with the new logo will be a Boeing 767-300ER for international flights. Although staff uniforms will remain unchanged, corporate items such as signage, name tags and stationery which bear the current logo will be phased out over the next few years.