ANA sees November 787 delivery, January EIS, March international debut

787 launch customer All Nippon Airways disclosed this morning in Tokyo that it plans to take delivery of ZA100 (JA801A), the first production standard aircraft, in November or December. The airline will begin Japanese domestic service for pilot training starting in January, with international routes to begin at the end of March. Neither the initial domestic nor the international routes were disclosed, however ANA says that Beijing, Shanghai, San Francisco, Paris, Munich or London are on the shortlist for the aircraft.

Even before Airplane Seven arrives in ANA’s fleet, one of the 787 test aircraft will visit Japan for maintenance and pilot training in advance of November’s first delivery. The carrier expects to take delivery of eight 787s in the first fiscal quarter of 2011 ending on March 31, which is dictated by the latest Z19 program schedule. Those aircraft are likely to be numbered 7-9 and 11-15.

What is yet unclear is whether or not ANA’s first international route will be the first for a 787, with RAM potentially launching the first overseas service with the new twin. LAN says it won’t take delivery until the second quarter of 2011, which begins in April. While RAM, whose first 787 is Airplane 17, has yet to disclosed a delivery date. However, Ethiopian Airlines, taking Airplane 44 in 2011, has always maintained that it would be the first in Africa to fly the 787.

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