ANA celebrates 40 years of Washington flights

All Nippon Airways (ANA) has marked the 40th anniversary of its services between Tokyo and Washington, with the Japanese carrier having launched the route on 26 July, 1986.

Washington was among ANA’s first long-haul international destinations, with flights commencing just ten days after the airline inaugurated operations to Los Angeles. The Washington service initially ran 3-weekly Tokyo NRT with the Boeing 747 and has since grown to a daily operation between Washington IAD and Tokyo HND.

ANA commemorated the anniversary at Tokyo HND, where a special gate event was held. Decorations recreated elements of those used for the inaugural service in 1986, while passengers received commemorative boarding certificates, stickers and flight tags. The anniversary flight, operated by a Boeing 787-8, carried 176 passengers.

Over the past four decades, ANA has deployed the Boeing 747, 777 and 787 on the route, while services were transferred from Narita to Haneda in March 2023.

Yoshiko Weaver, Traffic Manager for ANA at Washington Dulles, said: “We’ve seen many different types of aircraft from the B747 and B777 to the B787 that currently operates the route. ANA’s entry into Star Alliance had been an important development, improving the airline’s global network and helping increase passenger demand.”

Richard Ide, Vice President of Airport Administration for The Americas, added: “Whereas the start of international flights 40 years ago was a dream fulfilled, the ongoing expansion of international routes is a reflection of customer demand. International flying has evolved from a new adventure in 1986 to essential transportation connecting an increasingly integrated global economy.”