Japan Airlines Co. and Japan Air System Co. integrated their operations in full Thursday, solidifying their position as Japan's No. 1 airline for both international and domestic routes.
The merger between the two airlines, controlled by holding company Japan Airlines System Corp., which was formed in October 2002, is aimed at fending off the challenge posed by archrival All Nippon Airways Co.
JAL and JAS were reorganized into Japan Airlines International Co. and Japan Airlines Domestic Co. after the airline group united the two companies' flight services under the JAL brand name.