Above: A Japan Airlines 787 Dreamliner.
Getting between Asia and Boston is about to get easier, with both Japan Airlines and China Eastern Airlines planning services to Boston Logan International Airport.
Japan Airlines will offer its Tokyo-Boston service on Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft starting on April 22. It will be first-ever nonstop flight to connect Asia to Boston, a city that’s been wanting such a service for some time. The airline took delivery of the cutting-edge aircraft in late March and is employing it first on the Boston route, an indication of the city’s importance as a destination.
Flights will depart Tokyo (Narita) at 11:30 a.m. and arrive in Boston at 11:20 a.m. On the way back they’ll leave Boston at 1:20 p.m. and arrive the next day at 4 p.m. The flights will initially run four times a week, on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.
The in-flight entertainment system on this service will include a new offering called Sky Manga, which features more than 30 titles of Japanese comics available in electronic format. Lavatories in Executive Class will feature a warm-water Toto Washlet.
China Eastern Airlines meanwhile has received approval to launch a Beijing-Boston service as early as June 1. There’s less certainty in this case on the details and exact start date, but the service seems to be a go.