ANA confirms flight schedule for 2HFY2012, San Jose, Seattle and Beijing to receive 787 service

ANA Group confirmed (21-Aug-2012) its flight schedule for 2HFY2012 - see Route Changes Table for more information. The schedule "reflects ANA's focus on strengthening its business model to capture demand for long-haul international flights and transit passengers in order to maximize its position as a network carrier". The carrier said plans to introduce Boeing 787 equipment on a wider range of international and domestic routes to improve competitiveness, while also aiming to optimise aircraft usage to achieve maximum efficiencies. Details include:

• International network: The carrier will expand its international network during 2HFY2012 with the introduction of new routes between Narita and Yangon (three times weekly service from 15-Oct-2012 with 737-700ER equipment), New Delhi (daily from 28-Oct-2012 with 767-300ER aircraft) and San Jose (five times weekly from 11-Jan-2013 with 787-8 equipment) in addition to increased frequency between Narita and New York from daily to twice daily from 28-Oct-2012. Meanwhile, the carrier is cancelling daily Chubu Nagoya-Shanghai and reducing Tokyo Narita-Chengdu frequency, while changing aircraft type on Tokyo Narita-Seattle (from 777-300ER to 787-8), Tokyo Narita-Taipei (from 767-300ER to 777-200ER), Tokyo Haneda-Beijing (from 777-200ER to 787-8) and Tokyo Narita-Hangzhou sectors (from A320 to 737-700 from 01-Nov-2012);
• Domestic network: ANA is strengthening its domestic route network with the launch of four times daily Tokyo Haneda-Iwakuni service, the resumption of daily Kanai Osaka-Ishigaki, daily Chubu Nagoya-Ishigaki, daily Sapporo-Monbetsu, daily Miyako-Ishigaki and daily Hiroshima-Sapporo services. Frequency will be temporarily increased from Haneda to Sapporo and Yongao and from Chubu Nagoya to Okinawa, with a permanent frequency increase on Itami Osaka-Kumamoto sector. Sapporo-Okinawa sector will also be temporarily resumed while the carrier will increase frequency to Ishigaki to take advantage of the opening of New Ishigaki Airport. Meanwhile, daily Tokyo Haneda-Monbetsu service will be suspended from 28-Oct-2012 to 31-Jan-2013. Tokyo Haneda-Hakodate, Haneda-Kobe, Haneda-Hiroshima, Itami-Fukuoka, Chubu Nagoya-Sapporo, Hirsohima-Okinawa, and Okinawa-Ishigaki will see frequency reductions;
• Cargo services: ANA will increase Tokyo Narita/Kansai-Bangkok frequency from three to five times weekly from 28-Oct-2012. [more - original PR]