All Nippon Airways Tokyo Haneda to Sydney

All Nippon Airways has returned to Australia with the launch on 11 December of a daily service between Tokyo Haneda (HND) and Sydney (SYD). The 7,812-kilometre route will be flown by the Star Alliance member’s 787-9s. Direct competition is provided by Qantas which already operates the airport pair with a daily service, while indirect competition comes from Japan Airlines’ daily service between Tokyo Narita and Sydney. The inaugural flight was operated by a 787-9 in a Star Wars R2-D2 livery. Kerrie Mather, MD & CEO, Sydney Airport, said: “We’re excited to welcome ANA to Sydney Airport and Australia, offering an excellent product for Australians and Japanese alike. We’re also thrilled to showcase the aircraft’s unique R2-D2 livery for passengers and fans in Sydney and for the first time in Oceania.

The arrival of ANA is great news for tourism and trade, bringing an additional 36,000 Japanese visitors to Sydney each year and contributing an anticipated $74 million in additional annual visitor expenditure to NSW. Japan has been Sydney’s fastest growing outbound destination over the last three years. It’s increasingly popular with business and leisure travellers, who will benefit from increased choice with the direct service to Tokyo and convenient links to ANA’s international and domestic routes.” Osamu Shinobe, President and CEO, All Nippon Airways, said: “Today’s launch of services to Sydney marks the opening of our fourth international destination in 2015.

The first round-trip flight was fully booked, and we are happy to report that reservations are strong. We are also excited by the prospect of bringing more Australian travellers to Japan and vice versa. The route links Sydney with Haneda Airport for fast access to central Tokyo. An early morning arrival also lets passengers conveniently connect with our domestic flights to more than 40 airports throughout Japan or fly on to Europe the same day on our Kangaroo Route. Business Class passengers can spend their transit time relaxing in comfort in the Haneda ANA Lounge, which we completely refurbished this year.” All Nippon Airways has served Australia in the past, with flights from Tokyo Narita to Sydney ending in June 1998, while Osaka to Sydney services were terminated in April 1999.

Surprisingly, Kerrie Mather (MD & CEO, Sydney Airport) and Ryo Sadayuki (VP & GM, Oceania Region, ANA) used a traditional knife rather than a light sabre to cut the celebratory cake at Sydney Airport to welcome the return of All Nippon Airways to Australia on 12 December. The inaugural flight from Tokyo Haneda was operated by the airline’s Star Wars liveried 787-9. Direct competition is provided by Qantas, while Japan Airlines offers daily flights from Sydney to Tokyo Narita.
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