ANA to Enhance Airport Communication Services with New Interactive Translator “POCKETALK“

All Nippon Airways (ANA), is bringing the advanced interactive translator POCKETALK® produced by SOURCENEXT to Japanese airports in order to help ANA ground staff and international passengers better communicate. The first POCKETALK® devices will be featured at the lobby and boarding gates of Osaka International Itami Airport starting on December 18, and a total of 200 devices will be featured across all 50 domestic Japanese airports. The introduction of POCKETALK® is the latest effort by ANA to stay at the cutting edge of technological innovation.

The real-time translator will be implemented at all 50 airports in Japan ANA serves, to enable ground staff to communicate in up to 74 languages.

40 years of Japanese video game history on ANA

Japan’s largest 5-Star airline, All Nippon Airways, will launch new content, “IS JAPAN COOL? GAME CHRONICLE,” that focuses on Japanese game culture and seeks to increase awareness of Japan’s contributions to this growing industry. 

The content will be part of IS JAPAN COOL? website that is designed to promote international tourism in Japan. With the number of game-centric visitors to Japan on the rise, this website is a vital tool in planning travel itineraries.

ANA to expand self-driving wheelchair tests!

Japan's largest 5-star airline, All Nippon Airways has confirmed it will expand an innovative test of self-driving wheelchairs at Tokyo-Narita International Airport. These wheelchairs initially debuted in May for a series of successful tests, and ANA is now ready to take the next step in having the passengers experience the latest technology. ANA plans to conduct the test from October 9, until November 28. Current plans call for these models to be fully implemented at Narita Airport after 2020.

“ANA has always prioritized making our services accessible, and we strive to set the standard for both technological innovation and accessibility so these tests will go a long way towards making sure that the full benefits of Narita Airport are open to all passengers,” said Juichi Hirasawa, Senior Vice President of ANA. “The self-driving wheelchairs integrate the latest smart technology to help those that are unfamiliar with Narita Airport reach their gates on time. ANA aims to simplify all aspects of the travel experience and these self-driving wheelchairs will help take some of the stress out of making connections at the airport.”

ANA partners with CNN to sponsor “Open Court” on TV and digital

All Nippon Airways (ANA), Japan’s largest 5-Star airline for seven consecutive years, is partnering with CNN International Commercial (CNNIC) for a cross-platform sponsorship of CNN’s Open Court. This partnership is being established at a highly relevant time as CNN continues its commitment to sports coverage, particularly ahead of Japan taking center stage for key sporting events such as Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympic Games.

ANA gets its second A380

All Nippon Airways (ANA), Japan's largest airline received the second of three Airbus A380 FLYING HONU on May 15th, 2019.

While offering the same high standard of performance, comfort and safety as ANA's other A380 which the airline received in March, this second FLYING HONU plane also has a unique livery. Inspired by the crystal-clear water of the ocean surrounding Hawaii, the green livery depicts the face of a Hawaiian Honu (turtle) with a welcoming smile.

"We are excited to welcome the second A380 into our world-class fleet of aircraft," said Yutaka Ito, Executive Vice President of ANA. "With its visually distinct livery that evokes the folklore and traditions of Hawaii, and the outstanding features of the A380, the beautiful Emerald Green FLYING HONU lives up to the ANA standard of excellence. We are ready to welcome the plane to Narita Airport so that we can begin operations."

Starting from May 24th, FLYING HONU will begin serving three roundtrips per week on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday departure from Tokyo Narita to Honolulu. From July 1, the Honolulu route frequency increases to ten roundtrips per week serviced by the FLYING HONU.

A wonderful taste of Japan comes to the UK 

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ANA complete A380 test flight to Honolulu

Photo Tadayuki Yoshikawa / Aviation Wire

All Nippon Airways - ANA completed a test flight of its new aircraft, the giant Airbus A380 to Hawaii earlier this week.

The Japanese airline completed the first of two tests between  Tokyo’s Narita International Airport and Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu on Wednesday, April 17th ahead of putting the double-decker on the route.

The test flight was completed with two pilots, three ANA staff and three representatives from Japan's Civil Aviation Bureau and is another step towards the carrier's goal of doubling the number of seats between Hawaii and Japan by 2020. ANA operates three flights a day at present using the Boeing 787 aircraft. 

Japan’s largest airline introduces fresh podcast “Aoki ‘N Air” that celebrates the spirit of Japan and explores Japanese culture with host Steve Aoki

Steve Aoki                         Photo Business Wire

All Nippon Airways (ANA) unveils a vibrant, engaging and informative podcast “Aoki ‘N Air” featuring longtime partner, two-time Grammy-nominated DJ and producer Steve Aoki. The five-episode podcast explores Japanese culture in an original and authentic way, discussing the topics of travel, art, food, music and fashion. In each episode, Aoki sits down with his long-time manager Dougie Bohay to dive deep into Aoki’s personal perspective on what makes Japanese culture so enticing and unlike any other place. The episodes launch weekly beginning March 21, 2019, and will be available to listen via Spotify.

All Nippon Airways takes delivery of its first A380

Wednesday 20th March was a major date in the history of ANA - All Nippon Airways - as the carrier took delivery of its first Airbus A380 super jumbo aircraft. 

Yes, it has taken a while, yet this week  Japan's largest and 5-star airline for six consecutive years has taken delivery of its first A380 at a special ceremony in Toulouse, becoming the 15th operator of the world’s largest passenger aircraft. The delivery ceremony was attended by ANA Holdings President and CEO Shinya Katanozaka and hosted by Airbus CEO Tom Enders.

ANA has ordered three A380s and will operate the aircraft on the popular route between Tokyo Narita and Honolulu from May 24th. Each ANA A380 will feature a special livery depicting the Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle, also known as the Honu. The livery on the first aircraft is painted in blue, while the second will be green and the third orange.

ANA upgrade inflight offering to enhance passenger satisfaction and comfort

All Nippon Airways (ANA), Japan's largest and 5-star airline for six consecutive years, will be undergoing a series of comprehensive enhancements designed to improve passenger comfort and satisfaction on all international routes.

"At ANA, we strive to bring the best of Japan to the world while providing top-tier service that goes beyond even the loftiest expectations," said Yutaka Ito, Executive Vice President of ANA. "We want to ensure that travellers, especially on long-haul flights arrive at their destination refreshed and ready to achieve their goals, whether they are travelling for business or pleasure. We will take whatever steps are necessary to keep ANA at the forefront of comfort and convenience for international travellers."

Modernized In-flight Dining Experience

ANA will modernize in-flight dining by expanding options for passengers to select meals prior to departure. Until now, only ANA Mileage Club members travelling on Business Class were able to pre-order their meals, and their choices were limited to options from Japanese cuisine or international cuisine. Starting from March 1, all Business Class passengers will be able to select their meals on the ANA website up to 24 hours before departure. Travellers will be able to choose from several international cuisine options as well as a selection of Japanese cuisine.

ANA to expand fleet with orders for 48 narrow body aircraft

Japan's 5 star airline, ANA has indicated the latest in a series of expansion moves will be the order of 48 narrow body aircraft, which includes 30 Boeing 737 MAX 8 and 18 Airbus A320neo. 

The new aircraft are schedule to be delivered between 2021 and 2025 as demand in the Asian aviation market and inbound tourist demand has increased dramatically.  ANA and Peach Aviation each selected its own optimum aircraft to fit its strategy to grow even further in future. The specific markets that will be served by the new order have not been finalised.

ANA invests $95 million in Philippine Airlines

All Nippon Airways has announced it is further enhancing its investment portfolio by taking a small chunk of Philippine Airlines (PAL) the group confirmed this week. Japan's largest and highly regarded full service carrier says it will invest $95 million US dollars in PAL Holdings 

The major investment by ANA heralds the dawn of a new era of growth for PAL, which has already embarked on a mass full-scale expansion programme that has seen its fleet and network grow to almost 100 aircraft serving 80 destinations in four continents. This period of growth has coincided with an emphasis on updating and enhancing its product,both in-flight and on the ground. That programme of improvements has already proved successful as PAL was recently recognised as the World's Most Improved Airline for 2019.

Shinya Katanozaka, President and CEO of ANA HOLDINGS INC., said: "Asia is a key growth market and we believe Philippine Airlines is in an excellent operational position to capitalize on both the strong uptick in air traffic growth as well as the vibrant, expanding Philippine economy. We look forward to expanding our business relationship with Philippine Airlines so we can continue to serve our passengers even better."

ANA to test autonomous bus at Haneda Airport

All Nippon Airways (ANA), Japan's largest and 5-star airline for six consecutive years, is beginning the second stage of testing for an autonomous, driverless bus at Tokyo's Haneda Airport.

ANA is conducting these trials with Aichi Steel, SB Drive Corp., Advanced Smart Mobility Co., Ltd., NIPPO CORPORATION, and NEC Corporation. Together, these companies will begin testing the autonomous bus today in a series of trials running through Jan. 25, 2019. The test will be conducted with an autonomous driving technique equivalent to Level 3*1 and will be limited to the restricted area of Haneda Airport where aircraft and cargo vehicles are located. If these trials are successful, ANA aims to implement the driverless bus technology into the airport by 2020. 

*1 Level 3 means that the autonomous system is operating, but when the system is unable to respond correctly, a human driver in the vehicle can take over the driving.

"At ANA, we are constantly striving to move the industry forward," Shigeru Hattori, Senior Vice President of ANA. "This autonomous bus will help ease the flow of traffic in the airport and help enhance the traveling experience for passengers. In addition to boosting convenience, the autonomous bus will also allow for safer travel within the airport and we will continue the tests until the technology reaches our high safety grade."

The first phase of testing was conducted in February 2018 in partnership with SB Drive Corp. In addition to ANA’s trials at Haneda this time, testing will also take place at Narita, Sendai, and Nagoya airports by other companies.

ANA to Begin Direct Flights Connecting Tokyo and Perth

All Nippon Airways (ANA), Japan's largest and 5-star airline for six consecutive years, will begin offering services between Tokyo and Perth, Australia in September 2019. The flight will be based out of Narita International Airport and offer direct services to Perth, Australia's fourth largest city. This makes ANA the first Japanese carrier to fly to Perth from Japan on a regular basis.

Japan has been an attractive destination for people in Australia and will attract even more visitors with the upcoming Rugby World Cup in Japan next year. Furthermore, its location in the northern hemisphere gives it a different seasonal pattern from Australia, boosting tourism appeal for travellers looking to escape winter blues or the summer heat. The flight also will appeal to business travellers as economic ties are on the rise between Japan and Australia. ANA expects business travel will be on the uptick in years to come.

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"We are excited to add Perth to our list of world-class destinations, and are happy to be collaborating with Tourism Western Australia, Perth Airport and Tourism Australia," said Seiichi Takahashi, Senior Vice President of ANA. "The city is celebrated worldwide as a tourist destination and economic hub, and we look forward to making it easier to travel between Tokyo and Perth."

The announcement of this new route comes as ANA is preparing to extend services to Vienna, Austria in February 2019. As ANA continues seeking to better serve consumers worldwide, it will do everything possible to expand its network to so far un-served destinations and make travelling as safe, pleasant and convenient as possible. 

ANA releases its Airbus A380 schedule and configurations

Japan's largest and 5-star airline for six consecutive years, All Nippon Airways (ANA), has announced the schedule for the first Japanese-operated Airbus A380, which will fly between Narita and Honolulu starting May 24, 2019. Sales for this flight will begin on Jan. 10, 2019 for the newly introduced First Class and ANA COUCHii in Economy Class. To celebrate this route and provide even more value for its passengers, ANA is running special campaigns for those flying Premium Economy, Economy Class and ANA COUCHii from May 24 until July 11, 2019.

ANA currently has two flights departing from Narita to Honolulu. Starting May 24, the earlier flight will be serviced by its first A380 on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Then, starting on July 1, the second A380 will start operating, and the A380 will begin servicing the earlier flight on a daily basis. The A380 will service the later flight on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays*1. This will result in a total of ten roundtrips per week serviced by the A380, all other Narita-Honolulu flights will be operated on a Boeing 787-9.

First flight for ANA's first Airbus A380

 First ANA A380 takes to the skies

The skies around Toulouse saw another jolly green giant take to the air yesterday as the first A380 for All Nippon Airways successfully completed its maiden flight.

The double-decked passenger jet rolled off the final assembly line (FAL) in Toulouse, France and departed the city for a flight to Hamburg, Germany. The aircraft is now being prepared for cabin installation and painting in the airline’s special A380 livery.

ANA placed a firm order for three A380s in 2016, becoming the first customer for the superjumbo in Japan.  The first delivery is scheduled early 2019, and the A380 will initially be operated on the popular Tokyo-Honolulu route.

The Top Ten Airlines In The World - 2018

Skytrax held its 2018 World Airline Awards on Tuesday 17th July at The Langham Hotel, London and has published the results of a 10 month long survey period in which travellers from around the world rated airlines on a number of key areas. There were some surprises in the complete listings, for example British Airways didn't even make the top thirty and Ryanair being rated above United.

Here are the top ten 'World's Best Airlines' 

1.  Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines has long been one of the most respected travel brands around the world, therefore it is perhaps no surprise that it makes it to the top of the list in this years Skytrax awards. Singapore Airlines seems to be pleasing passengers with its impressive service, flying one of the youngest aircraft fleets in the world to destinations spanning a network spread over six continents. Of course, the Singapore Girl is an internationally-recognisable icon providing the high standards of care and service that customers have come to expect of Singapore Airlines.

2.  Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways has rapidly grown to serve more than 140 destinations worldwide, offering levels of service excellence that helped the award-winning carrier to become the best in the world. Qatar Airways network spans business and leisure destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, North America and South America. Qatar Airways is a member of oneworld global airline alliance. Despite recent difficulties with its near neighbours and sexist remarks from its CEO, the airline is still rated highly on all levels by its passengers.

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Mitsubishi Aircraft's MRJ90 arrives at Farnborough

The MRJ90 from Mitsubishi Aircraft has arrived in Farnborough ahead of the air show resplendent in the livery of ANA All Nippon Airways, 

The flight test aircraft will be making its flying display debut at the show on later on Monday. The aircraft had flown in from is flight testing base in Moses Lake in the USA via Bangor, Maine and Reykjavik, Iceland. 

Mitsubishi Aircraft is keen to show off the new aircraft and are hoping to get it into service with ANA in early 2020 and are hoping for interest from other carriers. It's believed the aircraft will also take part in the flying programme each day of the air show.

ANA HOLDINGS and Honda Aircraft Company Announce a Strategic Partnership to Expand the Business Jet Market

ANA HOLDINGS INC. and Honda Aircraft Company announced this week that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a strategic partnership supporting the expansion of the business jet market around the globe by using Honda Aircraft's technologically advanced HondaJet.

ANA, ANA HOLDINGS' flagship carrier and the largest airline in Japan, which currently operates about 260 commercial aeroplanes throughout the world, will introduce current business jet users and its commercial flight customers to the HondaJet by maximizing the utilization of the aircraft. ANA will use the HondaJet for its charter and feeder flights connecting them to the existing broad network at major travel hubs in North America and Europe.

Boeing, All Nippon Airways Finalize Order for Two 777 Freighters

Boeing and All Nippon Airways (ANA) announced the Japanese carrier has placed a new order for two 777 Freighters valued at $678 million according to list prices.

While ANA is a major operator of the 777 passenger jet, it has grown its cargo operation with the medium-sized 767 Freighter. In adding the 777 Freighter – the world's largest and longest range twin-engine cargo jet – ANA is expanding its cargo capabilities just as the air freight market keeps growing at historically high rates.

Juneyao Airlines and ANA Launch Codeshare and Frequent Flyer Partnership

Juneyao Airlines, one of the leading private-owned airlines in mainland China and the first "Connecting Partner" of Star Alliance, will launch codeshare cooperation starting from March 25, 2018 with ANA, one of the premier airlines in Japan focused on delivering excellent customer service. The codeshare cooperation mainly involves Sino-Japan trunk routes as well as beyond flights. Therefore Juneyao Airlines will benefit from the fruitful cooperation and is likely to further perfect its network in Asia, receiving opportunities to expand Japanese market and boost its internationalization, and passengers will have more choices travelling between the two neighbouring countries