ANA, Japan’s largest airline, will spend copy4.5 billion to buy 77 aircraft from Boeing, Airbus and Embraer in a rare simultaneous deal with the world’s top three commercial planemakers.
The procurement plan includes at least 18 widebody 787-9 Dreamliners and 12 737-8 Max single-aisle jets from Boeing, All Nippon Airways Co Ltd said on Tuesday. The carrier will also add 27 Airbus A321neo jets, including three of the XLR longest-range single-aisle planes, and 20 E190-E2 regional jets from Brazil’s Embraer, it said.
The airline exercised options for a further 10 737-8 Max jets and five 787-9 widebodies — planes ordered in 2019 and 2020, respectively, and costing about copy.9 billion — taking the overall order to 92 aircraft. Airlines typically receive large discounts for substantial purchases.
“This order will be the catalyst for improving the profitability of domestic flights and the expansion of international flights which is an area of future growth of our airline business,” ANA chief executive officer Koji Shibata said in a statement.
The jets are set to be delivered between 2028 and 2032. The deal includes firm orders and some options.
The purchase underscores ANA’s ambitions to exceed its pre-pandemic fleet size by 2030 and capitalise on the boom in global air travel demand. Shinichi Inoue, chief executive officer of the group’s flagship airline ANA, said last year that the carrier was considering further purchases of large aircraft as planemakers run out of slots to build jets into the end of the decade.
The carrier is also looking to replace its fleet of older Boeing 767s, a midsize widebody no longer being made for passenger use, and its remaining 737s.
ANA’s order gives a much-needed boost for Boeing from one of its best customers as the planemaker tries to shake off a tumultuous period that’s included management upheaval and delivery delays after a near-catastrophic 737 Max door blowout triggered regulatory scrutiny.
Boeing has also been on the back foot in Asia, where it has come second place in a series of key sales campaigns including for Cathay Pacific Airways, Japan Airlines and Eva Airways. However it has recently picked up momentum, securing deals with China Airlines and Thai Airways International.
But the simultaneous purchase of Airbus and Embraer jets as well signals ANA’s need to expand its procurement at a time when planemakers are in high demand — and it is unusual for an airline to purchase from the three aircraft manufacturers at the same time.
ANA was the launch customer of the Boeing 787 and is the largest global operator, with 86 of the type in fleet and a further 10 on order. ANA also has 18 777-9s and 20 737 Max single-aisle jets yet to be delivered.
The carrier has a fleet of around 240 mostly Boeing-made aircraft and controls the budget carrier Peach Aviation, which has an all-Airbus fleet of 37 single-aisle jets.–BANGKOKPOST
