Golden Week shaping up
nicely for JAL and ANA

Overseas bookings on
the two carriers are up,
except for China destinations

Japan Airlines Corp. and All Nippon Airways Co., Japan's two largest carriers, said reservations for overseas travel increased during the country's Golden Week holiday, helped by demand for travel to the U.S. and Europe.

The number of passengers who have booked overseas trips for Japan Airlines' flights between April 28 and May 8 rose 6.5 percent to 212,479 from a year earlier, the carrier said. All Nippon said international reservations gained 6.7 percent to a record 127,113 in the same period.

More Japanese are planning long-haul travel to the United States and Europe, the companies said, because three holidays fall in the week of May 2 this year. Demand for destinations in China slowed, following the spread of demonstrations against Japan.

"We're concerned about the impression created by anti-Japan protests," Japan Airlines spokesman Tatsuo Yoshimura said.

Reservations for flights to China rose 4.2 percent from a year earlier to 22,087 during the holiday period, slower than the 18 percent gain for flights to the United States and the 12 percent rise for European flights, Japan Airlines said.

A total of 1,700 people canceled reservations between April 9 and April 20 for flights to Chinese destinations during the holiday period, Japan Airlines said. All Nippon said about 3,500 passengers have canceled reservations since April 11 for departing and returning flights.

Tensions increased between the two nations after anti-Japan demonstrations in China since April 2.

Demonstrations were sparked off by textbooks that critics say gloss over atrocities committed during Japan's 1931-45 occupation of China. Protesters also opposed Japan's bid for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council and its decision to allow drilling in a disputed area in the East China Sea.