It's hard to imagine what the Japanese aviation industry would look like without ANA. Today, an ALL NIP, founded in 1952, has become the largest airline in Japan with a fleet of nearly 70 years of development. As of October 2021, the All Nippon Airways fleet size reached 220 aircraft, including 76 Boeing 787s. In addition, ANA has an order for 60 aircraft.
However, looking back at the history of the development of ANA, we can find that ANA came from a humble background. Two years after the Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Forces in Japan lifted the ban on Japanese private airlines, the predecessor of All Nippon Airways, the Japan Helicopter Transport Corporation, was established on December 27, 1952, which was also Japan's first post-war private air transport company.
The current ANA two-word code NH comes from ANA's original name, Nippon Herikoputā Yusō.
On 15 December 1953, ANA flew a freight route from Osaka to Tokyo using a de Havilland Dove aircraft. It was also the first scheduled flight made by a Japanese pilot in Japan after World War II.
On 1 February 1954, ANA began using passenger services and upgraded the aircraft to the 17-seat de Havilland Heron. In November 1955, ANA took delivery of the first Douglas DC-3 airliner. ANA's route network also extended from northern Kyushu to Sapporo, and flight attendant services were also available.
In December 1957, The Japan Helicopter Company officially changed its name to All Nippon Airways.
Japan Helicopter Transport was not the only predecessor of ANA, Far East Airlines was founded the day before but did not start operations until a year later. Before switching to the DC-3 in 1957, they operated cargo routes using the De Havilland pigeon. Later that year, Nippon Helicopter changed its name to All Nippon Airways.
In March 1958, All Nippon Airways and Far Eastern Airlines merged. With a combined market capitalization of 600 million yen, the company became the largest private airline in Japan.
In 1959, ANA introduced the Convair CV-240 series of airliners, which also allowed them to improve their transportation capacity qualitatively. This allowed ANA airliners to fly directly from Osaka to Tokyo without stopping in Nagoya, shortening the flight time by nearly an hour.
Ana air development progressed greatly in the 1960s, when they introduced the Vickers Vickers Turboprop airliner in the 1960s. In 1961, the Fokker F27 Friendship airliner was introduced. In October 1961, ANA made its debut on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and osaka Stock Exchange. In 1963, it merged with Fujita Airlines, increasing the company's capital to 4.65 billion yen.
In 1965, ANA introduced the Boeing 727 jet on the Tokyo-Sapporo route. At the same time, Japan's first domestic turboprop propeller airliner YS-11 turboprop airliner was introduced, replacing the old Convair 440. In 1969, ANA began to introduce Boeing 737 airliners.
Pictured: All Nippon Airways painted YS-11 turboprop airliner
With the full development of ANA, they began to sign contracts with tour companies across Japan. As part of the deal, these companies are also able to acquire a stake in ANA. Nagoya Railway, for example, maintains a permanent seat on an ANA board of directors. In 1974, ANA had the largest domestic route network in Japan.
The development of ANA international routes is limited by Japanese policy. Japan's Ministry of Transport grants government-owned Japan Airlines (JAL) monopoly on international scheduled flights.
Pictured, An All Nippon Airways painted Lockheed L-1011 Samsung airliner
In November 1971, ANA purchased its first wide-body airliner, six Lockheed L-1011 three-star airliners. Behind it is Lockheed's long sales lobby, which also involves US President Nixon, Japanese Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka and British Prime Minister Edward Heath, and the plane is equipped with an engine produced by The British Rolls-Royce.
In 1974, ANA put a Lockheed Three-Star airliner on the Tokyo-Okinawa route. Later, news broke that Lockheed indirectly bribed Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka, a scandal that also led to the arrest of an ANA and Lockheed Martin's managers for corruption. Since then, An air aviation has also begun to introduce various Airbus and Boeing airliners.
Pictured, ANA subsidiary is still operating helicopters
Since 1986, ANA has been playing a big role in the international market and has surpassed Domestic airlines to develop into an internationally competitive airline. In March 1986, ANA began providing passenger services from Tokyo to Guam, and soon after, it provided services to Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. ANA also signed service agreements with American Airlines.
In the early 1990s, ANA began introducing Airbus' A320 and A321 aircraft. In October 1999, ANA joined Star Alliance. In 2004, ANA surpassed Japan Airlines in profits for the first time. The expansion of Tokyo Airport in Japan began to give up flight schedules, and ANA began to plan to replace large passenger planes with more small passenger aircraft.
In 2004, ANA established a low-cost subsidiary, Air Next, and began operating fukuoka Airport's services. In 2006, ANA and Japan Post, Nippon Express and Mitsui OSK Lines established ANA & JP Express to start operating air cargo.
In July 2011, ANA and AirAsia also established AirAsia Japan, based at Narita Airport in Tokyo, with ANA holding a 51% stake. In January 2019, ANA spent $95 million to acquire a 9.5% stake in Philippine Airlines parent company, PAL Holdings.
It is worth mentioning that after Japan Airlines filed for bankruptcy protection in January 2010, it has not recovered its strength, and NOW ALL NIPP is still the largest airline in Japan.