ANA - All Nippon to deploy B787-9 ahead of Air New Zealand

ANA - All Nippon Airways is set to pip Air New Zealand in the race to become the first carrier to deploy the B787-9 into revenue service. The Japanese airline, which is due to take delivery of its first B787-9 from Boeing on July 29, plans to deploy the aircraft equipped with 377 seats in Economy and 18 in Premium Class on domestic flights with effect from next month. Long-term plans will see the type entering the international sector in April 2015.

ANA is an existing operator of the B787 Family with twenty-eight B787-8s currently in active service.

While it took delivery of its first, and the world's first, commercial B787-9 jet earlier this month, Air New Zealand is only scheduled to deploy the aircraft into revenue service on flights to Perth Int'l on October 15 followed by Shanghai Pudong and Tokyo Narita