Unique JAL Aviation Tourism Project - JAL Island Hopping
Generally, travel is aimed at sightseeing destinations, be it cultural landscapes or natural scenery; the aircraft is merely a mode of transport. However, in Japan, there is a special travel project where the sole purpose is simply flying. It offers a two-day itinerary for aviation enthusiasts, making it quite unique.
This travel project is launched by Japan Airlines (JAL) and is called “Island Hopping in the Satsunan Islands by Small Propeller Aircraft 2 Days”. The specific content involves taking a small propeller plane from Tokyo or Osaka, and then constantly flying back and forth between the various small islands in the Satsunan Islands.
Below is the schedule provided by the airline,
The table alone is hard to understand, but if you list every flight as shown in the figure below, you will discover this is a rather grueling arrangement. This is because passengers have to transfer to 16 flights within 2 days, and the interval between most flights is only 20 to 30 minutes. After arriving at an island, there is absolutely no time for sightseeing; you get off the plane and have to line up for the next one. It truly is a tough trip. Perhaps only die-hard aviation enthusiasts would join this kind of project, especially since it costs 1,300 USD.
This image is selected from Shunji Akimoto's "Tales of Aircraft, Sky, and Travel": 16 Flights in 1 Night and 2 Days! I tried just riding planes continuously on "Island Hopping"
Note:
The Satsunan Islands (Japanese: 薩南諸島) is one of Japan’s geographical divisions, roughly corresponding to the part of the Ryukyu Islands (Nansei Islands) that belongs to Kagoshima Prefecture.
The Satsunan Islands include:
Ōsumi Islands (Ōsumi Shotō) and Mishima Village
Tokara Islands (Tokara Retto)
Amami Islands (Amami Shotō)
By the way, the aircraft available for this trip are the 68-seat Canadian Bombardier Dash 8 Q400,
and the 35-seat Swedish Saab 340,
For city dwellers used to jet airliners, riding these small aircraft to enjoy the natural scenery of the subtropical ocean and islands from low altitude is truly a pleasure.
How would an ordinary person guess that this shabby house is also an airport terminal, hehe.
Are there any friends who want to go or have participated in this trip? Please be sure to let me know your thoughts.