All Nippon Airways

()(), also known as or ANA, is an airline headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Formerly Japan's largest domestic carrier, it is now the country's second-largest domestic and international carrier, after Japan Airlines (its current main competitor).

ANA's main international hub is at Narita International Airport outside Tokyo. Its alternate international hub is at Kansai International Airport in southern Osaka, Japan and its main domestic hubs at Tokyo International Airport, Osaka International Airport, Chubu International Airport (near Nagoya), and New Chitose Airport (near Sapporo).

ANA's associate companies in Tokyo include Air Nippon, ANA's regional airline, and Air Japan, which handles charter flights for ANA. In 2004 ANA set up a low-cost subsidiary, Air Next, to operate flights from Fukuoka Airport starting in 2005. Also in 2004 ANA became the majority shareholder in Nakanihon Airline Service (NAL) headquartered in Nagoya Airport and in 2005 renamed and relocated it to Air Central headquartered in Chubu Centrair International Airport.

History

The airline was established on 27 December 1952 as Nippon Helicopter and Aeroplane (Call sign NH=Nippon Helicopter). In February 1953 helicopter services were started and passenger charter flights were inaugurated on 15 December 1953. A new and profitable route started in 1955 when an inaugural cargo flight began service to Osaka from Tokyo. That same year the Douglas DC-3 plane began flying for Japan Helicopters and Aeroplane, and in 1957 the airline changed its name to All Nippon Airways (ANA). On 1 December 1957 Far Eastern Airlines, a small competitor, merged with ANA, bringing the airline's total market capitalization to 600 million yen.

The 1960s was a period of slow growth for the company, when they added the Vickers Viscount to the fleet in 1960, and Fokker F27s in 1961. 1961 marked ANA's debut at the Tokyo Stock Exchange as well as the Osaka Securities Exchange. 1963 saw another merger, this one with Fujita Airlines, raising the company's capital to 4 billion yen. In 1965, ANA introduced jet services with Boeing 727s: these were soon joined by YS-11s, and in 1969, ANA introduced Boeing 737 service.

On February 3 of 1971 ANA inaugurated its first international service, a charter flight from Tokyo to Hong Kong. The Lockheed L-1011 was introduced in 1973, Boeing 747s in 1978, and Boeing 767s in 1983.

In 1986 ANA started scheduled international flights with a passenger service from Tokyo to Guam. Soon after cities such as Frankfurt, New York, Los Angeles, London and Paris were added. ANA continued its expansion of services to Asia, North America and Europe during the 1990s. Airbus equipment such as the A320 and A321 was added to the fleet, as was the Boeing 747-481 jet. In 1994 ANA started service to Kansai International Airport and in October 1999 it joined the Star Alliance.

After the September 11 attacks of 2001 an ANA 747 flying from Dulles International Airport in Virginia, near Washington D.C. to Narita, Japan became the first plane to fly in the United States once the grounding of planes in US territory was declared over by President George W. Bush's government.

In 2004, facing a surplus of slots due to the construction of new airports and the expansion of Haneda, ANA announced a fleet renewal plan that would replace some of its large aircraft with a greater number of smaller aircraft. ^*

On July 12 2005 ANA reached a deal with NYK to sell its 27.6% share in Nippon Cargo Airlines, in order to pursue its own cargo division expansion. NYK is the major shareholder of Nippon Cargo Airlines.

The airline employs 12,277 staff (at January 2005).

Incidents and accidents

Since 1971, ANA has had no fatal accidents.

ANA's first crash occurred in 1958, when a Douglas DC-3, registration , crashed.
In 1960, another DC-3, registration , was lost.
In 1966, an ANA Boeing 727 was landing in Tokyo when it crashed into Tokyo Bay, with the loss of all passengers.
An ANA YS-11 crashed shortly afterward in Matsuyama.
On July 30 1971, a Boeing 727, registration , collided with a JASDF F-86 Sabre fighter stationed at Matsushima Air Base.
In 1999, a man hijacked Flight 61 and killed the pilot. He was subdued by other crew members, and nobody else on the airplane was hurt.

Destinations

See full article: All Nippon Airways destinations

Fleet

The ANA fleet consists of the following aircraft (at January 2006):

The average age of All Nippon Airways fleet is 10.3 years in April 2006.

ANA became the launch customer for the new Boeing widebody, the 787, ordering 50 examples with an option for 50 more during April 2004. Deliveries will begin in 2008. ANA has split the order between 30 of the short-range 787-300 and 20 of the long haul 787-800 and during October 2004 announced it had selected Rolls-Royce to supply the engines. This move is part of ANA's continuing plan to become an all-Boeing airline.

On 17 February 2005 ANA signed a contract for a further 4 Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, to add to 6 previously ordered, the first of which was delivered in October 2004. Also ordered are 7 Boeing 777-300 (all delivered), 20 Boeing 777-200 (14 delivered) and 7 Boeing 777-200ER (4 delivered). (ref:Air International April 2005)

ANA has also signed a contract for 3 A320s and 2 leased ones which will be temporary until they have received all Boeing 737-700. The move to replace all Airbuses in the fleet is part of ANA's strategy to become an all-Boeing operator.

On January 31 2006 ANA announced that it has converted 2 of 45 737-700 firm order to 737-700ER. ANA is the launch customer of the longest range 737.

Subsidiaries

Air Nippon
Air Nippon Network (A-net)
Air Next
Air Japan
Air Central (55% shareholding)
ANA Cargo
Air Hokkaido (80% shareholding, ceased operation on March 31, 2006)

Trivia

ANA is the official airline of Universal Studios Japan.

Special painted jets: 4 Pokémon jets (a Boeing 747-481 for international service, and 2 Boeing 747-481D and a Boeing 767-381 for domestic service), 4 Star Alliance jets, and one Woody jet in affiliation with USJ, the Universal Studios theme park in Osaka ^*.

Featured in a Taito flight simulator arcade game called Landing High Japan in 1999.

Also featured in a 2003 Japanese drama called Good Luck!! starring Takuya Kimura and Kou Shibasaki.

In 2006 ANA celebrated 20 years of international flights, having flown its first international route from Tokyo to Guam on March 3, 1986. ^*.

Starting June 2 2006 ANA will move to a new home at Narita International Airport's Terminal 1. ANA, along with its Star Allance partners will now be located together in the South Wing of Terminal 1. ^*

External links

1952 establishments | All Nippon Airways | Companies headquartered in Tokyo