Japanese carrier All Nippon Airways (ANA), the launch customer for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, has revealed that its aircraft will return to their homeland from fiscal year 2012 when they will be used to introduce new flights between Tokyo Narita and the US West Coast cities of Seattle and San Jose. The Tokyo Narita – Seattle route is already served by Delta Air Lines and United Airlines on a daily basis with an estimated 137,000 O&D passengers travelling on the route in the past year.
“We are very pleased to announce the launch of further international Dreamliner services to these two new destinations on the west coast of the United States,” said Shinichiro Ito, President and Chief Executive Officer of ANA Group, adding that ANA’s relationship with its Star Alliance partners United and Continental Airlines will help support the new services.
“Seattle is an important international business hub and home to companies such as Microsoft, Amazon and, of course, Boeing itself while San Jose is in the heart of Silicon Valley. Passenger demand to fly to both destinations is high, not only from Japan but from many Asian cities,” added Ito.
Meanwhile, ANA has confirmed it has been forced to reschedule the launch of international services with the Dreamliner due to further delays with the delivery of aircraft. “ANA regrets to take the precaution of amending international flight plans,” it said in a statement last week.
Under its original plan, ANA had intended to launch flights between Tokyo Haneda and Beijing in December but will not now inaugurate the service until January 14, 2012. Meanwhile, on the new Tokyo Haneda – Frankfurt route, the 787 will still be introduced from January 21, 2012 but the ramp up to a daily schedule will be delayed until February 29, 2012 with 777-200ERs being used on some of the flights in the interim period.
Fellow Japanese carrier Japan Airlines (JAL) has also recently confirmed its operational plans for its initial 787s. The carrier will launch flights with the type on a new link between Tokyo Narita and Boston from April 22, 2012 but will also use the aircraft on flights from the Japanese capital to Delhi and Moscow, replacing larger 777-200ERs on four and three flights per week, respectively.
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