ANA Holdings Inks Deal With Honda Aircraft To Expand Japan’s Business Jet Market

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Honda Aircraft Company’s HondaJet uses an over-the-wing engine mount design meant to produce “unrivaled speed” while reducing cabin and ground-detected noise. (Photo courtesy of Honda.)

Founded in 1952 with two helicopters, All Nippon Airways has since grown into a key Japanese airline, serving Asia and other global destinations with 85 international routes and 116 domestic ones. In late March, the airline’s parent company, ANA Holdings, signed a memorandum of understanding with Honda Aircraft Company, an American Honda Motor Company subsidiary, to forge a strategic partnership designed to grow the private jet market in Japan and beyond using the HondaJet, Honda’s first commercial aircraft.

Creating A Framework

ANA and Honda Aircraft say the partnership will see Honda supporting aspects of ANA’s feeder and charter flights by working with global charter operators to provide ANA customers coverage. Honda will also create a framework for ground support functions and various transit locations for ANA, which currently operates about 260 commercial airplanes globally. ANA will use the HondaJet “for its charter and feeder flights, connecting them to the existing broad network at major travel hubs in North America and Europe.”

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ANA Holdings, parent company of All Nippon Airways, recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Honda Aircraft Company to form a strategic partnership aimed at expanding the private jet market in Japan using HondaJet aircraft. (Photo courtesy of Honda.)

While the companies didn’t specify leasing or sales agreements for HondaJet aircraft, they did note that the global dealer and authorized sales network Honda Aircraft has established spans North American, Latin American, European, and Asian territories.

“Meet & Exceed”

Michimasa Fujino, Honda Aircraft president and CEO, says he’s confident that ANA “will meet and exceed” its customers’ expectations, pointing to the HondaJet’s “unrivaled speed, efficiency, luxurious features, and comfort.” The aircraft features an OTWEM (over-the-wing engine mount) design aimed at reducing drag to enhance performance and fuel efficiency. The aircraft integrates a customized Garmin G3000 glass flight deck, seats four passengers in a typical configuration, and provides a 1,223-nautical mile (2,265-kilometer) range and 43,000-foot (13,106-meter) maximum cruise altitude.

Also in late March, ANA Holdings announced a deal with Sojitz to establish a new company called ANA Business Jet that will provide private jet charter flights, including direct flights from Japan and flights connecting to scheduled ANA services primarily bound for North America and Europe. The Japanese conglomerate Sojitz represents Bombardier Business Aircraft and Boeing BBJ in Japan and offers Bombardier Global and Gulfstream aircraft for charter. ANA touts itself as the largest operator of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner.

Controller.com has new and pre-owned HondaJets for sale, as well as Challenger, Learjet, and Global aircraft, and Boeing 727s, 737s, 747s, 757s, 777s, and Boeing BBJ business jets for sale.

Source: Honda

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