ANA to be first commercial operator of 787-9

Macau, July 29^th
 
All Nippon Airways is set to become first operator of the boeing 787-9 aircraft. ANA has taken delivery of the first Boeing 787-9 on July 27 at Boeing's Everett Factory and the aircraft is now being flown to Tokyo, arriving on the 29^th of July.
 
 
 
 The delivery of the  787-9  means that ANA will be the chief operator of the 787 series, having 29 in their fleet, more than any other airline in the world.
 
ANA, which was also the launch customer of the -8 in 2011, has orderered a total of 80 787s, including 36 787-8s (28 already operational) and 44 of the 787-9 series.
 
"The 787 Dreamliner is a key element in our growth strategy and we are proud to be the first airline to fly both models of the 787 family," said Osamu Shinobe, ANA president and CEO.
 
 "The new 787-9 will build on the exceptional efficiency of the 787-8 and will allow us to meet growing demand that is anticipated ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics. Our customers have expressed their pleasure with the comfort of the 787's innovative cabin features and we are excited to introduce the new 787 variant into our fleet."
 
"This milestone delivery adds yet another chapter in our long and successful relationship with ANA," said John Wojick, senior vice president of Global Sales and Marketing, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "ANA continues to demonstrate the market-leading efficiency and comfort of the 787 family."
 
Although ANA has not specified which route the new  787-9 will be flying, it will initialy be deployed in the domestic market. The aircraft, in ANA's domestic seating configuration, offers 395 seats; 18 in business class and 377 in Economy class. This means that the  787-9 offers 60 more seats when compared to the  787-8 series currently in use by ANA
 

 
ANA adds that the 787-9’s fuel economy is superior to that of the -8, and 23% better than the 767-300ER. This, coupled with 20% more seating and better cargo capacity, will help cut operating costs.
 
 
F.C. Brun
Mr. Brun is a Resident Research Fellow and Executive Council Member