- JAL's in-flight sales are actually a long-established business that has been in business for 70 years
- You can purchase it after boarding for domestic flights, or in advance for international flights.
- Our dedicated team plans and selects attractive products
- They may sell out quickly. The team's top picks
- In-flight sales are part of the fun of the journey. Take your time choosing from our carefully selected lineup.
JAL's in-flight sales are actually a long-established business that has been in business for 70 years
With the expansion of entertainment programs and Wi-Fi on board, the variety of ways to spend your time has been expanding. Among them, one popular entertainment is the in-flight magazine "JAL SHOP". Did you know that JAL SHOP started selling alcohol and tobacco in-flight when international flights began in 1954, and has a history of about 70 years?
Nakano: "The basic purchasing method has never changed. You tell the flight attendant on board the plane the item you want and pay on the spot. The item will be wrapped according to your request and handed over to you."
These are the words of Atsuko Nakano of the Life Commerce Division In-flight Sales Group, who is in charge of selecting the product lineup and creating the JAL SHOP. The lineup is carefully selected to suit the times. The team in charge has been researching customer needs in line with the times while developing products and selecting trendy items.
You can purchase it after boarding for domestic flights, or in advance for international flights.
Generally, the products listed are carried on board the aircraft. However, due to the limited space on board, the number of items may be limited, and popular items may run out of stock. Furthermore, on short routes, there are cases where cabin attendants are unable to provide service due to the effects of turbulence. In response to the needs of customers who want to take a little more time to think about the product or want to purchase more later, JAL has launched a new service.
Nakano: "From August 2023, we have launched a service called 'In-flight Shopping at Home' for in-flight sales on domestic flights. This is limited to those who have used JAL domestic flights, and allows you to purchase in-flight sales products online for three days after boarding. You can connect to the in-flight Wi-Fi while on board, check your ID and password, and make purchases from home or other locations. In fact, we previously offered a service where you could send us a postcard after boarding and have it delivered to you free of charge, but this was discontinued due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We have now renewed this to a more user-friendly online service."
JAL SHOP In-flight Shopping Online Store
On the other hand, we do not offer "In-flight sales at home" on international flights. This is because the products are duty-free and can only be sold on board international flights outside of Japan. For this reason, we offer a "pre-order service." Keisuke Watanabe, a member of the same group who is in charge of logistics and loading of in-flight sales, continues:
Watanabe: "Previously, only high-ranking members could make advance reservations by phone, but we wanted to make it possible for more customers to enjoy the service. In particular, duty-free items on international flights are more affordable than regular purchases, so the disappointment when you can't buy them is greater than for domestic flights. We wanted to do something about it, so we decided to implement advance orders."
Reservations can be made from the 25th of the month prior to the flight date up to 72 hours (local time) prior to the flight's departure on the reservation details screen on the website.
Information on JAL International Flight In-Flight Sales "Pre-Order Service"
Our dedicated team plans and selects attractive products
With the introduction of post-flight purchases for domestic flights and advance orders for international flights, in-flight sales have significantly reduced the number of missed purchases. However, these services are useless if we do not provide products that customers "want." Our development team is working day and night on product development.
Nakano: "We are constantly analyzing our customer base. In-flight sales are mostly made by women in their 40s and 50s, but our next challenge is to develop products that will please younger customers."
Generally, the product lineup is updated every two months.
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Nakano: "The most popular products are JAL original products. In addition to limited edition items with airplanes or JAL logos, products in collaboration with popular brands and characters are also well-received. We work closely with JALUX, an affiliate company that develops original JAL products, to think of what kind of products will please our customers."
Also, the trends in popular products are slightly different on international flights.
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Nakano: "Cosmetics and alcohol are popular because they offer a discount on the consumption tax. If you use a JAL card with a credit function, you can get an additional 10% discount. Many people buy these products regularly every time they fly."
To meet the needs of such customers, we make sure to include popular standard items in our lineup even after we replace our products every two months.
Watanabe: "Shochu has been well received by many of our customers. In addition, Japanese craft whiskey is gaining recognition worldwide. We offered some popular Japanese craft whiskey in June, but it sold out immediately. We will continue to sell such products, and try to carry as many on board as possible."
If there is a product you absolutely want, we recommend using the "In-Flight Shopping at Home" or pre-order service, but here are some tips to help you.
Watanabe: "For domestic flights, there are cases where one aircraft operates multiple times a day, but generally products are replenished in the morning. If there is something you want, it's best to buy it on an early flight. For international flights, the products are loaded in Japan. If you want to buy souvenirs for your overseas trip on the in-flight sales, it's recommended that you buy them on the departing flight."
They may sell out quickly. The team's top picks
The development team is currently working on a product that will be released in about six months. Let us introduce a little bit of what they are currently working on.
Nakano: "We have a lot of cosmetics that are not available in Japan and collaboration products with famous brands coming up. Please look forward to them."
Watanabe: "We plan to offer rare Japanese craft whiskeys on international flights in the future. Due to the recent boom, they sell out quickly, so we would like to combine this with advance orders to ensure that we can deliver them to customers who want them."
Both items are limited editions available only in-flight and may sell out quickly, so if you're interested, be sure to check carefully.
In-flight sales are part of the fun of the journey. Take your time choosing from our carefully selected lineup.
Nakano: "We are extremely happy to have received such a positive response. However, we do regret that we should have secured a larger quantity in the end. I originally interacted with customers as a flight attendant, but now I feel very happy to be able to connect with customers through product planning. The purchasing experience is also part of the fun of traveling. We hope you will enjoy communicating with the flight attendants as well."
The in-flight shopping experience is a little different from your everyday shopping. Just point out the product you want from the catalogue and our cabin attendants will become your personal shop staff for a moment. If you request it, they will gift wrap it in a special way and bring it right to your seat.
Watanabe: "For us who work behind the scenes, we can use the feedback from our customers to think about what to do next, so it's very rewarding. This is a service that is supported by many staff members behind the scenes, from planning to logistics and installation."
On your next flight, be sure to take a look at the lineup at JAL SHOP. All of the products have been carefully selected and planned by a dedicated team within JAL. Whether you're looking for a souvenir for a loved one or a treat for yourself, there's a wide variety of options to choose from.
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The contents published are accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.
