ANA will be the first to operate the new stretched version of the Boeing Dreamliner in August with the 787-9 variant of the aircraft ahead of the launch customer Air New Zealand which will operate the aircraft in October this year. Deliveries of the 787-9 to ANA will begin on 27 July 2014 and the first aircraft will arrive in Tokyo on 29 July 2014.
ANA will operate a special commemorative chartered flight for the Dreamliner on 4 August 2014. It will fly Japanese and American elementary school children living in Japan on a flight for the next generation of air passengers from Haneda Airport over Mount Fuji. The TOMODACHI logo will be displayed on the new aircraft, in support of the initiative to strengthen Japanese-US ties.
This aircraft has been configured for ANA’s domestic routes with 395 seats which is 60 more than its domestic version of the 787-8. It will be flown on domestic routes from August onwards. It will introduce the new aircraft on international routes from April next year.
ANA was the launch customer for the Dreamliner and is the world’s largest operator of 787s. It has ordered a total of 80 aircraft including 36 787-8s with 28 already delivered and 44 787-9s.
