Japan Airlines (JAL) and Mexicana Airlines (MX) have agreed to expand their current code share partnership from December 1st, 2006, increasing the travel options available to passengers traveling from Tokyo to Mexico City.

The new agreement covers JAL's twice-weekly round-trip flights between Tokyo and Mexico City routed via Vancouver, flights departing Tokyo for Vancouver five times a week also operated by JAL, as well as non-stop flights departing Vancouver for Mexico City five times a week operated by Mexicana. The new agreement is subject to government approval. Ticket sales are scheduled to start on December 1st, 2006.

Also, towards the end of March 2007, the airlines intend to start code sharing on flights operated by Mexicana that fly from Mexico City to Vancouver, and on flights departing Vancouver for Tokyo operated by JAL. At that time, JAL will be able to offer passengers traveling via Vancouver a daily round-trip service between Tokyo and Mexico City.

At present, JAL operates its own twice-weekly round-trip service between Tokyo and Mexico City routed via Vancouver, and offers a daily service between Tokyo and Mexico City routed via Los Angeles. JAL also offers services between Tokyo and three other destinations in Mexico: Guadalajara, Los Cabos and Cancun.

JAL and Mexicana first started code sharing in October 2005 on daily flights operated by Mexicana between Los Angeles and Mexico City, Guadalajara, Los Cabos and Cancun; and on daily flights operated by JAL between Los Angeles and Tokyo.