For more than half a century, the JAL Group has been supported by and has grown together with its customers. Our aim is to see our work from the standpoint of our customers, come up with new ideas to satisfy their needs and expectations, and thereby provide better service. With the UN Decade of Disabled Persons (1983-1992) as a turning point, the JAL Group launched focused efforts to provide safety and comfort in air travel for the elderly and the disabled.
Our efforts bore such fruits as the establishment of the Service Committee, the introduction of the internal term, "Priority Guest," which means serving passengers with disabilities and those with illness or injury with precedence over other customers, the publication of a service handbook titled "May I Help You?" and the opening of the Priority Guest Center in 1994.
Universal Design is the central concept of our efforts in developing and providing products and service. We have introduced this concept in airport facilities and aircraft cabin specifications. The basic idea is to offer a helping hand to all our customers, and to make products and services safe and easy for all customers to understand and use.
To contribute to creating a barrier free environment, we will strengthen our measures regarding hardware such as various facilities in the cabin and improve services for customers with disabilities so that as many persons can move about freely as possible.
Handling based on Air Carriers Access Act (USDOT PART382)
For flights bound for/from U.S., We provide various services to passengers with disabilities based on the Air Carrier Access Act(ACAA). If you encounter problems traveling with us, feel free to ask our airport personnel for a Complaint Resolutions Official (CRO). Our CRO have been trained specially regarding relevant regulations enforced in U.S.
For more information, please visit the web at 
http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov or You may also contact by followings;
(U.S. only)
Toll Free Hotline For Air Travelers With Disabilities
1-800-778-4838 (TTY1-800-455-9880)
By Telephone to the Aviation Consumer Protection Division
202-366-2220 (TTY202-366-0511)
By Mail to the Air Consumer Protection Division
C-75, U.S Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, West Building, Room W96-432, Washington, DC 20590
Becoming Care-Fitters
In an effort to promote Universal Design, JAL staff at all domestic airports began working towards acquiring a care-fitter qualification* in January 2006. In the future, we plan to use these qualified staff as key persons in systematizing high-level care-fitter training in the company.
- * "Care-fitter" is a concept that originated in Japan. It refers to acquiring particular skills for serving senior citizens and people with disabilities. A care-fitter qualification is awarded by the Nippon Care-Fit Service Association, an NPO.
Supporting the Sports for the Disabled
The JAL Group is proud and honored to announce its official partnership with Japan Sports Association for the Disabled (JSAD) and Japan Paralympic Committee (JPC) for both the Torino Paralympic Winter Games and the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games. We will play a major role in sports for the disabled.
Medical Tourism
We receive many cases of medical repatriation of customers falling seriously ill or getting injured abroad, or medical transportation of customers requiring travel overseas for surgery or medical treatment. We welcome passengers with specific medical air transport needs. For medical transportation of patients receiving heart transplants overseas, we need to make preparations such as expanding the seat pitch to fit medical equipment, or supply electric power during the flight. Since the first heart transplant case to Los Angeles in 1994, we have carried about 100 cases up until 2006.
JAL Smile Support Carefree Journeys
The JAL Group has established the Smile Support Desk for domestic flights to help passengers with special needs, such as expectant mothers, passengers with babies, children traveling alone and elderly passengers. Full details are listed in our timetable, the JAL website and in pamphlets at airports.
- Service for expectant mothers and passengers with babies
Priority seating/Mama & Baby Odekake Guide (only in Japanese)/Loan of strollers/Priority boarding - Support for children traveling alone and elderly passengers
Priority seating/escort to the arrival lounge on landing/original JAL toys for children
JAL Smile Support Desk
0120-25-0001* Toll-free Open daily 7:00-20:00
*The content of conversation with the customer may be recorded or monitored to ensure quality service.
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