ANA, as All Nippon is also known, expects to receive its first 787 in November and will use it first on local routes, Executive Vice President Katsumi Nakamura said in an interview in Tokyo yesterday. The Japanese carrier is considering flights to Los Angeles, San Francisco, London, Paris, Frankfurt and Munich as well as China with the Dreamliner, he said.

The new aircraft and the opening of a fourth runway in Tokyo’s Haneda airport will enable ANA to boost overseas flights as JAL restructures under government-backed bankruptcy protection. Boeing is more than two years behind schedule on producing the plane and is still struggling with faulty parts from suppliers.

“ANA will be able to be more dominant in the international market as JAL is still in trouble,” said Jay Ryu, a Hong Kong- based analyst at Mirae Asset Securities Co. “China is an untapped market so it’s got to improve. One option is to expand into China so can they carry Chinese people to the U.S.”

Tokyo-based ANA is the biggest airline customer for the 787, with 55 of the planes on order. The aircraft will be 20 percent more fuel efficient compared with similar-sized planes, according to the aircraft’s maker.

ANA is forecasting a return to profit this fiscal year as it boosts international flights 15 percent. The 787s will replace Boeing 767 aircraft in the company’s fleet.

Strengthening Brackets

“It’s indispensible; without the 787 we wouldn’t be able to go ahead with our plans,” said Nakamura, who flew on a test flight last month. “Boeing seems very confident in being able to deliver the plane this year.”

All Nippon gained 0.7 percent to close at 278 yen in Tokyo today, extending its gain for the year to 10 percent. The Nikkei 225 Stock Average has declined 6.1 percent this year.

Boeing said last month it’s strengthening brackets attaching sections of the fuselage after discovering a former supplier’s design flaw. The planemaker has said it will deliver the plane to ANA in the fourth quarter of this year.

ANA became the first airline to fly the 787 last month in a test flight. The carrier plans to start training pilots to fly the plane from September, Nakamura said.

“It was exciting,” said Masayuki Ishii, one of two ANA pilots who flew the plane. “It was easy to handle.”

ANA boosted its 787 order to 55 planes from an initial agreement for 50 in 2004, worth about $6 billion at list prices, it said in 2008. Japan Airlines has also ordered 35 of the aircraft.

Source: Bloomberg