ANA Announces Hawaii Route With New Airbus

(Source: Travel Weekly)

All Nippon Airways (ANA) will run a Tokyo-Honolulu route using the new Airbus A380 starting in 2019.

The new double-decker aircraft can carry more than 500 passengers, and is the largest aircraft of its kind. The planes for the route will get special detailing, painted in a pattern and color reflecting a green sea turtle, a symbol of good luck and prosperity. The design by Tokyo artist Chihiro Masuoka was selected from more than 2,000 submissions from around the world.

ANA Holdings, the airline's parent company, purchased three A380s early last year, positioning them to be the first Japanese airline to use the aircraft when they are scheduled to be ready in spring 2019.

In February, Malaysian carrier AirAsia X announced it will begin a service between Honolulu and Osaka, Japan, in June.

Japan is Hawaii's largest international tourism market, with nearly 1.5 million visitors coming from the country and spending $2.1 billion in 2016.

Currently, ANA offers two daily flights to Honolulu from Narita International Airport and one from Haneda International Airport. The flights are currently operated with the Boeing 767.