Japan Airlines Form Partnership With KFC

Just in time for Kentucky Fried Chicken’s most lucrative holiday in Japan, Japan Airlines plans to take KFC to a whole new level … on board U.S. and Europe bound flights.

According to ABC News, the fast food chain and JAL are teaming up to offer packaged fried chicken meals between December 1 and February 28.

The “Air Kentucky” trays will consist of a fried drumstick, a boneless breast filet, flat bread and cole slaw. It will be similar to a two-piece chicken meal at a KFC restaurant.

The KFC trays will be served as a second meal to premium-economy and economy class customers that are on board flights from Narita Airport to New York, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Paris, Frankfurt and London.

The partnership between Japan Airlines and Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) has been formed to coincide with KFC’s most popular holiday in Japan, Christmas.

KFC has used various marketing strategies to establish fried chicken meals as a holiday tradition in Japan. KFC is incredibly popular during Christmas. So popular that customers begin placing orders months in advance, to secure their festive feast.

KFC is the latest in a long list of fast food chains Japan Airlines has partnered with to offer special meals on board their flights. They are offering these various meals as part of their “Air Series.”

In March, the carrier teamed up with restaurant chain Yoshinoya to serve their famous beef bowls on board international flights.

A few months after teaming up with Yoshinoya, JAL teamed with the popular hamburger chain MOS Burger to offer in-flight rice burgers, which included steamed rice patties with carrots, and oyster mushrooms, among other vegetables.

Mister Donuts, the Chinese pork buns and donuts chain, has also been featured in meals.