Japan Airlines' fleet of Boeing 747s are generating a buzz at Haneda airport in Tokyo as the downsized carrier prepares to phase out the venerable jumbos in March.
Sales of "bento" (boxed lunches) and commemorative goods associated with the jumbo jet, which JAL started using in 1970 on its Haneda-Honolulu route, are picking up at the airport as the retirement date approaches, according to JALUX, the carrier's group retailing unit.
The ¥800 Jumbo Fried Shrimp Box places shrimp on a bed of rice to represent flying B-747s, while the ¥450 Quad Jumbo Sushi Rolls feature four of the cylindrical slices to remind people of the aircraft's four engines, JALUX officials said, adding that sales have already exceeded their targets.
The bento include commemorative stickers bearing the image of the retiring aircraft, they said.
Japan's former flagship carrier, which is undergoing corporate rehabilitation after going bankrupt early last year, used to fly as many as 100 747s in its prime.
