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All Nippon Airways (ANA, or All Nippon) occupies a niche world aviation, operating a select number of full service long-haul flights (the second largest in Japan after Japanese airlines), and an intense selection of moderate frills domestic flights in Japan, to 49 different destinations. However few international passengers are likely to use All Nippon because it's long haul routes are really only useful for getting to and from Japan: as a result, flights are very Japanese orientated, and (particularly in economy) most announcements, if they are made in English at all, are at best a spartan English after intense Japanese.
The airlines main international hubs are at Narita International Airport (at or outside Tokyo, depending on how far you like to travel) and Kansai International Airport (in Osaka). It also has a domestic hub at Chubu International Airport (near Nagoya), and New Chitose Airport (near Sapporo). From these hubs it flies to 71 destinations using a fleet of 143 planes.
In addition to its mainline operations, ANA has several subsidiaries:
Air Nippon (ANA's regional airline), Air Japan (a charter offshoot), Air Next (a low-cost carrier based at Fukuoka), Air Central (which operates tiny prop planes out of Chubu), and AJV (which does the freight).
ANA has introduced new seating in the 777-300ER that includes seats based on a private-room concept in First Class and flat beds in its Club ANA business class cabin. There is also a new Premium Economy and standard economy cabin. This configuration has the most number of business class seats in ANA's fleet.
 Boeing 777 the economy cabin |
First Class and Premium Economy is only available on some international flights. Domestic business class was re-named "Premium Class" (which is better than the old name of "Super Seat Premium") with enhanced services (and increased seat pitch on selected flights and aircraft).
International business class is now branded as "Club ANA", and the new seat is a delight: called the "Inspiration of Japan" the cabin a fully-lie-flat-bed business class seats: however, it is only available on the newest 777s.
International Premium Economy comes with a 42 inch seat pitch. Economy meanwhile has a whopping 34 inches, which is very good indeed, and much more than most airlines provide.
ANA offers its New Style seating on all North American routes to Tokyo, which includes New York, Washington, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chicago. Passengers in First Class and Club ANA can enjoy á la carte dining with the choice of traditional Japanese cuisine or a gourmet Western menu.
 All Nippon Airways the larger Boeing 777-300 at Tokyo |
ANA likes its special colour schemes. It operates 9 specially painted jets, with 3 Pokémon jets (2 domestic Boeing 747s and a Boeing 767), 4 Star Alliance jets, one Woody jet in affiliation with USJ, the Universal Studios theme park in Osaka, and one Boeing 767 in a special panda themed livery, celebrating the 20th anniversary of flying service between Japan and China.
 Business Class Seat on the 777-200 |
Economy is configured 3-3-3. Row 42 is an emergency exit in the 777-300. In the 777-200 there is also an economy cabin in rows 27 to 31.
In the 777-300 there is the new Premium Economy in a separate cabins, with just three rows 17 to 19 configured 2-4-2. These are over the wing.
 Business Class Seat with the flat beds on the 777-300 |
In the 777-300 with flat-beds in Business Class, these come in three cabins, configured 2-3-2, in rows 3 and 5 (a lovely quiet cabin), rows 6 to 14, and rows 15 and 16. There is a self-service bar just behind row 14. In the 777-200 in international configuration the business class seats are the older style cradle seats with a pitch of just 55", and they do not lie flat. Seats are 2-3-2 in rows 11 to 20. There is another variant of the 777-200 which flies destinations like Singapore, with business class seats in the nose in rows 1 to 7, and 11 to 14.
First Class is in the nose, with just two rows of the "private-room concept", configured 1-2-1 in the 777-300, or 2-2-2 in the 777-200.
 All Nippon Airways Boeing 767 & two 777s at Tokyo |
 Business Class Seat on an inter-Asia ANA 767-300 |
Economy is configured 2-3-2, which is actually quite pleasant, and ideal for couples, where you can get a window and an isle, and exit without stepping over a sleeping stranger. Seats have a 31" pitch. There are two cabins. The foremost cabin (row 15 to 19) is the quietest, followed by the rear (rows 22 to 45). Row 15 and 22 are bulkheads, although this makes sitting quite uncomfortable for a long flight.
Business Class is slightly different depending on if you are in the regional or the inter-asia version. In the regional version, seats are the old-style cradle seat, configured 2-2-2, in rows 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11. Compared to the delights that are on offer on the 777, the 767 looks - and indeed feels - much more crampt, however it isn't as un-comfortable as you would expect. The seats recline a fair way, have a 63" pitch, and there is an OK flip out TV screen of 9 inches width. On the longer haul inter-asia version of the 767, seats are 2-1-2, and this give much more width, which is much more pleasant for a longer flight, although of course there is no AVOD. Nor indeed is there an inflight snack bar, which is annoying as these 767s can be used for flights up to 8 hours long, such as down to Singapore.
 All Nippon Airways Boeing 747 at London Heathrow: LHR now gets a 777 |
 ANA 747 bathroom |
The International version is a full four class plane, with 10 in First, 75 in business, 20 in premium economy, and 182 in the cheap seats at the back. They are now only used from Narita-to Frankfurt and Paris.
The Domestic versions cram 'em in. Known as "cattle pens" in Japan, the 11 left in the fleet are some of the highest-capacity 747s built, which seat an amazing 569 passengers, with 27 in Premium Class (with 38" seats) and 542 in very small economy seats. This is not a very comfortable plane to sit in - or fly in. Avoid if possible.
 Business Class Cabin with the flat beds on the 777-300 |
In Economy it's pretty basic. Long-haul in the 777, service starts at the front, and halfway down the isle. However there is a separate service, which starts first, in the mini cabin (rows 27 to 31) on the 777-200, and in the Premium Economy cabin (rows 17 to 19) in the 777-300. There is a drink service, and then a cart with the meals. You will be left alone for most of the flight, until you wake up for the breakfast service (or the late afternoon snack on the Narita to LHR service).
 Business Class ANA hot towels |
In Business things are a lot better. Before takeoff longhaul you are given a menu and a drinks card. As soon as you are into the cruise, hot towels come around, along with a strange green drink. I have never worked out what this is.
Then there is the first drinks service, with canapés (not on shorter long haul flights, such as to Singapore) and breadsticks. You then have the main meal service, with another drinks run. Mid flight there is the chance of a pot-noodle snack. And then there is the end of flight meal, with service starting two hours before landing.
 Inflight snack bar on Boeing 777-300s in business |
In Business if you get peckish at any time you can visit the inflight snack bar, which is at row 15 on the 777-200, and behind row 20 in the 777-300. Here there are nuts, chocolates, sandwiches, and water. There is a bottle of red wine, but for white and champagne you have to press the call button.
NEWS: ANA has ordered a new AVOD in-flight entertainment system for its latest 777s, with iPod connectivity, in-seat shopping and meal ordering as well as premium cabin touchscreen consoles. It is based on Panasonic's eX2 technology.
 Inflight Entertainment on an ANA Boeing 777-300 in business |
 Inflight Entertainment welcome screen |
There are twelve main films, and 20 shorter TV programmes. These have a heavy US slant, even on routes to Europe, with a couple of cartoons, a National Geographic channel, and two ANA TV programmes (ANA Travel, and ANA Gourmet).
This sounds great - and don't get me wrong, its far better than ANA entertainment of old - but ANA's equipment can be a bit flakey. The main problems seem to be the touchscreens for use with Avod, which often doesn't recognise your touch: a fingernail sometimes gets a better response. It also seems to recognise just about anything brushing against it as touching the screen. So if you pause your film when the meal service comes around, you may suddenly find the film has started playing again.
 Inflight Entertainment the nosewheel camera |
There are quite a lot of games loaded into the AVOD, but they are very primitive, and if several of you on the same seat row play the games at one, the PC slows down and sometimes crashes. There is a nosewheel camera, which provides a stunning view as you come into land.
There are noise reducing headsets in business, while in economy there is a very simple headset with an overhead band, and two 3.5mm jacks.
 Wingspan ANA's inflight magazine, found in the seatbacks |
Wingspan is pretty good. There are the usual travel articles (to ANA destinations), section on shopping, a celebrity interview, and fleet information in the back. If you start reading the magazine from the back, you get it in Japanese, and English from the front.
 Sky Channel ANA's inflight TV magazine |
Sky Channel equally does a good competent job of showing you what films are on. The main programme gets pretty much a page of review. There are instructions for using the AVOD in the front, and CD listings in the back.
 ANA toothbrush |
The slippers are actually pretty good, in blue with a sealed ANA wrapper, however if you want so much as a toothbrush you have to go to the Business Class bathroom where there are very cheap ones, sealed in plastic. Here there is also moisturiser, and strange "Breath Renew" sticks, which are very much an acquired taste.
 ANA Slippers in business |
All Nippon has a pretty standard baggage allowance for each flight.
Cabin Bags: All passengers can take hand luggage of one bag weighing up to 10kg (22 lbs) into the cabin. They must be no larger than 55cmx40cmx23cm (22x16x9 inches). Rules on contents (such as liquids) apply.
Check in luggage: On all routes except to the United States economy class can check in one bag weighing 20kg (44lbs), business class can check in a total weight of 30kg, and First class can check in up to 40kg (88 lbs). Routes to or via the United States have economy with two bag allowed to 23kg each, business / First class with two bags (32kg max each bag).
has details of exactly what you can take onto a flight.
There are ANA flights to Tokyo from London Heathrow daily at 1935 (arrives 1520 the next day) on a 777-300. Paris CDG once a day at 2000 (arrives 1430 the following afternoon) on a 747, and Frankfurt daily at 2045 (arrives 1450) on a 747 (plus a codeshare at 1355 on Lufthansa).
| Airline schedules change regularly. |
| This information is intended as a guide, but for up to the minute timetables, please consult ANA. |
There is a flight to Tokyo from Los Angeles daily at 1255 in a 777 (arrives 1625 the next day), San Francisco once a day at 1210 (arrives 1510 the following afternoon) on a 777, Chicago daily at 1050 in a 777 (arrives 1355 the next day) plus two United codeshares later on, New York once a day at 1230 (arrives 1525 the following afternoon) on a 777, and Washington daily at 1220 in a 777 (arrives 1525 the next day).
Closer by around the far east, there are ANA flights to Tokyo from Bangkok twice a day at 0815 and 2355 on a 777, Hong Kong twice a day at 0945 (on a 767) and 1510 (777), Seoul ICN once a day at 1415 on a single class A320 (plus five other codeshares on larger three class 777s), and Mumbai daily at 2000 on a 737. There are also flights to Beijing, Ho Chi Minh, Honolulu, Guam, Shanghai, and Taipei.
ANA's Frequent Flyer scheme is called the ANA mileage club, and is part of the Star Alliance.
NEWS: You can currently earn a great mileage rate on cheap economy fares. This will end soon. ANA mileage club members in Europe, the Middle East and Africa currently benefit from a special 100% mileage accrual rate of Economy Class fares (Y2/B2 fares, booking class B) departing from the UK. However, this offer will end. Then a 70% mileage accrual rate will be applicable to these fares.
 All Nippon Airways Airbus A320 on a domestic departure at Tokyo |
ANA have a fairly standard mileage system for their Frequent Flier club. In the ANA mileage club you essentially earn 1 mile for each Platinum Point that you accrue (see below) and one mile for actual flight miles multiplied by your Elite Bonus level.
Joining is easy; it's possible to do it online.
ANA's policy is that miles expire within 3 years of posting to the account, with the only means of extending the expiration date being the booking of a ticket in that 3 year period for travel within the next year. Quite simply, if you earn points on ANA, keep them active by flying on an ANA flight once every three years.
 ANA 777 business class seat controls |
Note that if you are aiming to achieve status on ANA, ANA Premium Points have a fixed year - they run from January through December for every member, regardless of your spending habits. Other Star Alliance schemes, such as bmi, which do not have a fixed year, may be better for you if you have an intense period of flying with an aim of achieving status.
 Mileage Club ANA Silver Card |
You get to check in at the business class checkin desks and use lounges in when travelling on ANA domestic flights, at Haneda, Osaka (Itami) and Narita (Lounge for Domestic flights) Airports. "signet" at the Chitose, Sendai, Komatsu, Kansai, Hiroshima, Matsuyama, Fukuoka, Kagoshima and Okinawa Airports. Centrair Airline Lounge at Nagoya (Chubu) Airport.
 All Nippon Airways Boeing 777-300 at London Heathrow |
You get to check in at the business class checkin desks, and you also get lounge access on all economy tickets, on all Star Alliance services, and can invite one guest. You get an extra luggage allowance on some Star Alliance operated flights.
 All Nippon Airways Business Class lounge Satelite 5 at Tokyo Narita |
In London the bmi master Star Alliance lounge in Terminal 1 is used, in Paris there is the ADP VIP lounge in Satellite 3, in Frankfurt the Lufthansa Senator / business Lounge in Level 3 is used, Bangkok has the huge new Thai lounge, New York JFK uses the British Airways Terraces Lounge Chicago has the United Red Carpet Club, LA has a combined Star Alliance lounge (near gate 3F) SanFrancisco has the vast United lounge (by gate G92), while Hong Kong departs from the Star Alliance world by using the Air France lounge (although there are plenty of others, including the United, Singapore and Thai lounges if you fancy a change).
 All Nippon Airways Business Class lounge Satelite 5 at Tokyo Narita |
 Tokyo beer pouring machine |
To get to the lounge take the lift or escalator in the middle of the airport terminal satellite, where there is the long marble reception desk. First is on the right, business class is on left. The lounge is bright, modern and very large, with over 600 seats. It was opened in 2006 as the joint Star Alliance lounge (other airlines closed their lounges to move in together) and as such, can get very busy when the flight to Europe or the US all depart at similar times. There is a very good view of the apron and the active runways.
 Business Class lounge Sake bar in All Nippon Airways Tokyo Narita lounge Satelite 5 |
Once in the lounge there is a large main food bar, then lots of seats, over looking the runway. Left as you come in is a newspaper stand (with just the Herald Tribune and USA today and FT, no English papers). carry on down and there is another bar at the far end with 4 beer pouring machines. There is Poccari Sweat in fridge and Budweiser beer. At the far end, if you go left again, is the hidden delight... the Sake bar. Here there are a dozen bottles of sake you can dry at anytime, complete with tasting notes: just take a glass, and return it to the bar when you have finished. There are even chairs at the bar (of the BA design) if you don't want to move.
There is a large business centre at the far end too, with work pods with 18 fast computers. To get the computer running you need to give it a name, address and Email, however these are not verified. There is also free wifi throughout the lounge, and even a strange mobile phone booth so you don't annoy other people.
 All Nippon Airways Business Class lounge at Tokyo Narita, the bar |
 All Nippon Airways Business Class lounge at Tokyo Narita, the food bar |
This lounge is also used by Lufthansa, SAS and Singapore Airlines. United Airlines have their own lounge complex which is actually larger than ANAs, and is one of the rare cases where United offer better facilities.
 ANA Business Class lounge Satelite 4 at Tokyo Narita |
The ANA lounge in Satellite 4 is much nastier than the bigger lounge in Satellite 5, although it has pretty much the same facilities. For a start it is much smaller, and it is also stuck in a basement, so there is no natural light. To get to the lounge, decend the escalator in the middle of the Satellite, and pass through the glass doors, then to the right of the desk where your boarding pass is checked.
The lounge is basically one long underground rectangle, where you enter in the middle. To the right is a Noodle bar, and the hot noodles here are pretty good. To the left is a bar area, with some sake (a much poorer version of
 ANA Business Class lounge bar at Satelite 4 at Tokyo Narita |
The lounge really isn't very big, and at peak times it can get packed: really rammed to the gills, particularly in the morning.
 All Nippon Airways Business Class lounge at Singapore |
It may seem strange that ANA has one if it's few foreign lounges at Singapore, where there are plenty of Star Alliance facilities, but this is a historical hangover from before ANA joined the Alliance. As such the lounge is pretty old and tired. For ANA's two flights a day it get packed.
 ANA Business Class lounge Singapore |
Finding this place is a bit of hassle. Go up through the old Terminal 1 on the right after security, to the D gate area, then up to where the swimming pool is, then along the deserted corridor. At the far end is a door, with ANA on the left, and EVA on the right (but just one desk check). It is tiny and crampt, with no natural light. Is is basically a rectangular box.
 All Nippon Airways Business Class lounge at Singapore |
There is just one snack bar, with some sandwiches and peanuts. The bar has just two types of beer (Tiger & Carlsberg). There is no champers, and just one bottle of red and one of white.
Other than that there is a TV on wall showing Japan TV, and 2 computers (which are, unlike the lounge, fast, new). There is also free wifi.
 London LHR Star Alliance lounge used by ANA |
The lounge is very large, but rather dull.You can feel rather lonely sitting there as the cleaners hussle you out in time for the evening flight. Food is pretty good, with a hot option available for the ANA flight so you can eat in the lounge before getting on board. Food is often curry, with salads and sandwiches also available.
 London LHR Star Alliance lounge used by ANA |
There is just one type of white, two types of red, and a rose wine. Most of these are pretty cheap and nasty versions. There is a beer pump for Grolsh, and - rare for a lounge - Magners cider in bottles in the fridge, along with bottles of Becks and cans of Guinness.
There are showers in the lounge, and free Wifi, but no computers.
Full details of this lounge are contained in the bmi pages, under the Joint Star Alliance LHR Lounge section.
To start with, make sure you are a frequent flyer, and you do fly frequently: after all, if ANA are going to upgrade anyone, they will upgrade those passengers who fly with them pretty regularly, and hence will enjoy the upgrade enough to put more business ANA's way. Then if the flight is full in economy, and someone needs to be moved up, the check in staff will first look at Diamond ANA members, and then Plantinum level, and then at other Star Alliance members at the equivalent levels (Gold, and then Silver. Another thing that ANA look at is how much you paid for your ticket: it's much more likely to happen with a full fare ticket (although occasionally you can get lucky with a discounted economy ticket).
As always, my advice on dressing properly in the pages on how to get an upgrade applies.
 All Nippon Airways Boeing 777-200 & 777-300 at Tokyo |
ANA grew steadily through the 1960s, introducing jet services with Boeing 727s from Tokyo to Sapporo. It also bought Japan's first homegrown turboprop airliner, the YS-11. ANA was Japan's largest domestic, however, the Ministry of Transportation gave JAL a monopoly on international scheduled flights, which remained intact until 1986.
 All Nippon Airways the larger Boeing 777-300 at Tokyo |
ANA purchased widebody aircraft for the first time in 1972, six Lockheed L-1011s. The carrier had initially ordered McDonnell Douglas DC-10s, but cancelled the order at the last minute and switched to Lockheed. It was later revealed that Lockheed had indirectly bribed Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka to force this switch. Boeing 747s were introduced on the Tokyo-Sapporo and Tokyo-Fukuoka routes in 1978.
ANA started scheduled international flights in March 1986, from Tokyo to Guam, Los Angeles and Washington, then in 1987 to Beijing, Hong Kong and Sydney, in 1989 to London and 1991 to Paris and New York. ANA joined the Star Alliance in October 1999.
By 2004 was in a luxurious position compared to many airlines: it had a surplus of slots due to the construction of new airports, so it started a fleet renewal plan that would replace some of its large aircraft with a greater number of smaller aircraft. As part of that ANA launch ANA Business Jet in 2007 using Boeing 737-700ER aircraft configured with 48 seats in two classes, from Tokyo to Guangzhou and Mumbai.
ANA has been pretty incident free throughout it's life, with the only serious fatal incidents occuring in 1958 and 1960 when Douglas DC-3s crashed, in 1966, when a Boeing 727 landing in Tokyo crashed into Tokyo Bay, with the loss of all passengers, and in 1971 when another Boeing 727 collided with an F-86 fighter. All 162 of those on board the Boeing 727 died.
Japanese version: www.ana.co.jp.com
UK version:
http://www.anaskyweb.com/uk
Entertainment (although you should search from the economy guide, and the timetable on the left).
Guide to economy
ANA hold baggage allowance
One good thing about the website is that if you are ANA Mileage Club members, you can use the ANA redeption checker tool to check all Star Alliance flights to see if there are redemption seats. This is a great tool if you are a member of any Star Alliance scheme, and want to check to see where you can fly - you just have to sign up to be a member, and then search for the free (or rather, free, plus taxes, charges and made up stuff) seats. The tool isn't that intelegent: if there are no direct flights, it will not check all valid connections. Instead you have to look for the connections yourself. Use the timetable on the StarAlliance site, and then check for seats on your longest connection first, then the shorter linking flights.
ANA redepmtion checker.
Note that all reviews and opinions on All Nippon Airways (NH) food, service, seats, planes, upgrades, lounges, the ANA Mileage Club, and the Frequent Flyer scheme is soley at my judgement. No legal liability is accepted if you take my advice.