JAL and ANA focused on fleet upgrade efforts, with more orders likely

Japan's major airlines are looking ahead to the next phase of their fleet growth and replacement needs, thanks to new orders placed recently and forthcoming acquisition moves under consideration.

Japan Airlines (JAL) has been very active on this front. Widebody orders announced in Mar-2024 will play a large role in the airline's ambitious plans to boost its international fleet and capacity.

Its next objective is the renewal of its regional fleet, as it assesses its options for turboprop and regional jet orders.

All Nippon Airways' (ANA) order plans are less clear, but the airline appears likely to make further widebody and narrowbody deals in the medium term to bolster its already extensive order backlog.

In the shorter term, ANA is attempting to overcome capacity constraints caused by the grounding of many of its Airbus narrowbodies due to engine availability issues.

Another issue facing both Japanese airlines is the slow recovery of Japan's outbound travel demand, as detailed in this analysis. However, their fleet moves show that they believe in the potential for the country's international market beyond the immediate challenges.

JAL and ANA senior executives discussed their fleet strategies with Aviation Week Network on the sidelines of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) annual general meeting in Dubai on 2-4-Jun-2024.