Japan Airlines Corp. should restructure itself into an airline that can consistently make an operating profit of at least 100 billion yen so it can survive in volatile business conditions, the troubled carrier's incoming president said in an interview with The Japan Times.
"By securing an operating profit of that amount, we'll be able to absorb any (negative) impact, whatever happens," including wars, epidemics and rising fuel prices, said JAL Senior Vice President Haruka Nishimatsu, who was picked earlier this month to replace Chief Executive Officer Toshiyuki Shinmachi.
The nation's largest carrier has pledged to return to profitability in fiscal 2006, but Nishimatsu, 58, said JAL shouldn't focus strictly on short-term goals. "We must have a long-term vision to sustain our development," he said.