All Nippon Airways becomes world’s first to operate Boeing 787-9

Japan’s leading carrier All Nippon Airways (ANA) has now become the first carrier in the world to operate Boeing Dreamliner’s new stretched version. The airline has now started flying Boeing 787-9 on its domestic routes that will provide seamless connections from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport to Osaka’s Itami airport, Matsuyama and Fukuoka.

The airline said that the stretched version of Boeing 787-9 has the capacity to accommodate 395 passengers. The new aircraft will have nearly 20 percent extra combined cargo and seating capacity when compared to other Boeing 787 aircrafts in the airline’s fleet.
 
All Nippon Airways while revealing its future plans said that it is planning to launch a 215-seat version of Boeing 787 aircraft for operating flights to some international destinations including North America and Europe in 2015.

Presently, the airline is the largest operator of Boeing 787 aircrafts. The airline has an impressive fleet of 28 Boeing 787 aircrafts and more such aircrafts are likely to be included in the fleet in future.

A spokesperson of All Nippon Airways said that the airline is greatly benefiting with the presence of Boeing 787 aircrafts in its fleet. These fuel-efficient aircrafts have helped the airline to cut costs significantly.

Earlier, the airline was forced to ground its Boeing Dreamliner in January 2013. The aircraft had to make an emergency landing at the Takamatsu Airport because of a battery malfunction.

Shinichiro Ito, President of ANA Holdings Inc., said that there has been no battery malfunction ever since All Nippon Airways resumed its regular Boeing Dreamliner service in June 2013.