Airbus, Boeing & Embraer Share 77 Aircraft Order From ANA

All Nippon Airways

(ANA) has announced its intention to finalize a comprehensive aircraft order that includes 68 confirmed orders and nine options for small and medium-sized aircraft, including more than a dozen widebodies.

Tapping Airbus, Boeing, and Embraer

In a statement on February 25, Japan-based ANA announced that, in anticipation of future demand for air travel, it has decided to proactively purchase competitive and technologically advanced aircraft for sustainable growth in the medium-to-long-term future.

In total, ANA intends to order 77 aircraft, split between 68 confirmed orders and nine options. This includes 27 Airbus A321neo

(including three A321XLR), 12 Boeing 737 MAX 8.

18 787-9, and 20 Embraer E190-E2 aircraft.

“[The growth] will be achieved by renewing the fleet that was suspended due to COVID-19 and placing additional orders for new aircraft. The total number of aircraft in the Group’s fleet, including those already ordered and those to be ordered, will be approximately 320 aircraft in FY2030, with approximately 120 Boeing 787 series aircraft.”

In addition to the 77 aircraft it will order, ANA also announced that it had finalized ten options for the 737 MAX 8 (initial order in January 2019) and five for the 787-9 (initial order in February 2020), bringing the total number of new aircraft that would be added to its backlog to 92.

Growth in demand between Asia and North America

ANA explained that the airline will order the 787-9s

in anticipation of strong demand between Asia and North America, as well as further expansion of Tokyo Narita International Airport

(NRT). The carrier noted that compared to FY2023, its international capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), should increase by around 1.5 times in FY2030.

“We will build a foundation for sustainable growth by aggressively introducing new aircraft to international routes, which is the growth area of our business.”

Meanwhile, ANA has become the first Japanese airline to order the E190-E2, doing so to “adapt to future changes in the business environment.” The introduction of the latest engines and technologies will lower its fuel consumption and noise emissions while also reducing operating costs in its pursuit of a “flexible supply-demand balance on domestic routes over the medium to long term.”

In general, this is a significant order for Embraer

as it will further penetrate the Japanese market. According to ch-aviation data, only two airlines in the country have Embraer jets in their fleets: Fuji Dream Airlines and J-Air, the latter being a subsidiary of Japan Airlines

.

The Japanese airline only disclosed that Embraer should begin E190-E2 deliveries in FY2028 without providing the planned delivery dates of the Airbus

and Boeing

aircraft. Still, the E190-E2s could possibly replace ANA’s aging De Havilland Canada Dash 8 Q400s, of which it has 23.

Operated by its regional subsidiary ANA Wings, the turboprops, which seat 74 passengers, will eventually show their age. With De Havilland Canada having yet to resume the production of the aircraft and the only turboprop alternative being the ATR 72-600

, which can welcome up to 76 travelers, responding to the anticipated travel demand by upgauging its regional fleet with the E190-E2s would be sensible.

Doubling down on the switch to GEnx in favor of the Trent 1000

While some will happily take a victory from ANA’s order, others will be forced to go back to the drawing board, including Rolls-Royce

. When the 787-8 finally entered service with the Japanese carrier in 2011, this was the first of many of ANA’s Rolls-Royce Trent 1000-powered 787s.

However, in February 2020, when the airline announced a deal for four 787-9 and 11 787-10s, it switched to the GE Aerospace GEnx

engine for the type. The latest order is another blow to Rolls-Royce, which has been upgrading the Trent 1000 in order to claw back the market share it has lost to GE Aerospace within the 787’s backlog.

In response to ANA’s order, Russell Stokes, the president and chief executive officer (CEO) of GE Aerospace, said that the company was deeply honored that the Japanese carrier selected the GEnx for its additional 787-9s.

“ANA first ordered the GEnx engine in 2020. This deal is a testament to the engine’s performance and our successful relationship.”

Koji Shibata, the president and CEO of ANA, concluded that the aircraft order from the three plane makers would be a catalyst to improve the performance of its domestic flights and expand international capacity, with the latter being the focus area of its growth.