JAL operated unscheduled flight for Sumo wrestlers
Oct 13, 2023, 3:45 pm
#1
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JAL operated unscheduled flight for Sumo wrestlers
Oct.. 13, 14, and 15 Sumo tournament is being held at Amani Oshimqa. Amani Oshima is an island located about the midpoint between Kagoshima in Kyushu and Okinawa, The travel agent working with the tournament official had made a reservation on Oct. 12 flights for Sumo wrestlers, The flights were:
JL659 HND-ASJ (738)
JL2465 ITM-ASJ (738)
JAL employees at flight operation working during the graveyard shift on the 11th-12th, working on the flight plan for domestic flights on the 12th have noticed several Sumo wrestlers on the reservation on these two flights, likely there was a note on the reservation. JAL's flight plan software uses 70 kg (154 lbs) as a passenger weight, but athletes are listed as an exception and JAL requires manual input of passenger weight for athletes. Employees got the weight of each Sumo wrestler from the Nihon Sumo Kyokai website and discovered that both JL659 and JL2465 on the 12th would be off weight and balance. For weight and balance, not just the passengers, but the weight of cargo which was planned to be carried on the flight. Change in fuel consumption of the flight due to increased weight, The diversion airport situation also needs to be considered, etc.
JAL operation contacted other departments and in the early hours of the 12th, JAL decided to operate an additional unscheduled flight on HND-ASJ just for sumo wrestlers. 14 Sumo wrestlers who were booked on the ITM-ASJ flight were rebooked on the ITM-HND flight, which this ITM-HND flight could take in 14 Sumo wrestlers. All Sumo wrestlers heading to ASJ for the Sumo tournament flew on unscheduled HND-ASJ flight on the 12th. JAL said they will operate another unscheduled flight on the 15th for ASJ-FUK and change the aircraft on one of FUK-HND flights to accommodate Sumo wrestlers heading home after the tournament at Amami Oshima.
JAL operation said 737-800 is a flexible aircraft and usually can accommodate last-minute changes in operation conditions, and said such a situation is extremely unusual for 737-800 flights. But also I think JAL should have known. Looks like information was noted in the reservation. In Japan, this is not the first time Sumo wrestlers have flown on an airplane. But JAL did not realize the situation till 24-12 hrs. before the flight when somebody at the JAL flight operation looked up passenger information.
JL659 HND-ASJ (738)
JL2465 ITM-ASJ (738)
JAL employees at flight operation working during the graveyard shift on the 11th-12th, working on the flight plan for domestic flights on the 12th have noticed several Sumo wrestlers on the reservation on these two flights, likely there was a note on the reservation. JAL's flight plan software uses 70 kg (154 lbs) as a passenger weight, but athletes are listed as an exception and JAL requires manual input of passenger weight for athletes. Employees got the weight of each Sumo wrestler from the Nihon Sumo Kyokai website and discovered that both JL659 and JL2465 on the 12th would be off weight and balance. For weight and balance, not just the passengers, but the weight of cargo which was planned to be carried on the flight. Change in fuel consumption of the flight due to increased weight, The diversion airport situation also needs to be considered, etc.
JAL operation contacted other departments and in the early hours of the 12th, JAL decided to operate an additional unscheduled flight on HND-ASJ just for sumo wrestlers. 14 Sumo wrestlers who were booked on the ITM-ASJ flight were rebooked on the ITM-HND flight, which this ITM-HND flight could take in 14 Sumo wrestlers. All Sumo wrestlers heading to ASJ for the Sumo tournament flew on unscheduled HND-ASJ flight on the 12th. JAL said they will operate another unscheduled flight on the 15th for ASJ-FUK and change the aircraft on one of FUK-HND flights to accommodate Sumo wrestlers heading home after the tournament at Amami Oshima.
JAL operation said 737-800 is a flexible aircraft and usually can accommodate last-minute changes in operation conditions, and said such a situation is extremely unusual for 737-800 flights. But also I think JAL should have known. Looks like information was noted in the reservation. In Japan, this is not the first time Sumo wrestlers have flown on an airplane. But JAL did not realize the situation till 24-12 hrs. before the flight when somebody at the JAL flight operation looked up passenger information.
Oct 13, 2023, 5:18 pm
#2
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If the TA literally only put a note in the booking, but did not in advance (as they should know JAL required) contact JAL with the athletes' specific weights, they are part of the problem. If not the actual problem. That's why I would have thought the sumo stables would use rather experienced TAs, to make sure the appropriate information is communicated correctly.
Pricey, but practical save by JAL.
Pricey, but practical save by JAL.
Oct 13, 2023, 8:50 pm
#3
Join Date: Mar 2010
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Mediocrity shouldn't be a standard, but if this type of thing happened in the US at least, they would've simply offloaded passengers or delayed cargo/baggage.
The ITM-HND backtrack is annoying but overall I think it was decently handled.
The ITM-HND backtrack is annoying but overall I think it was decently handled.