ANA Celebrates 25 Years of Service to Hawaii

Thursday, October 19, 2023

All Nippon Airways (ANA), Japan’s largest 5-Star airline for ten consecutive years, is celebrating in October its 25-year legacy of facilitating connections between travelers and the vibrant destinations of Japan and Honolulu. Since its inaugural flight in 1998, ANA has proudly served millions of passengers on thousands of flights along this route.

“ANA deeply values the privilege of furthering an enduring connection between Japan and Hawaii. Air travel serves as a catalyst in uniting individuals and fostering cultural exchange. ANA remains resolutely committed to continuing to build a robust partnership with Hawaii, ensuring mutual growth and prosperity for the next 25 years and beyond,” stated Toshio Nomura, ANA The Americas, Executive Vice President.

In response to the recovering passenger demand for flights to Hawaii, ANA will bring a third Airbus A380 aircraft into service between Tokyo and Honolulu. The aircraft, known as the “FLYING HONU” because of its colorful liveries resembling the Hawaiian sea turtle, or Honu, has a capacity of 520 seats. ANA’s inaugural “FLYING HONU” arrived in Honolulu in 2019, and now has two such aircraft in service to Honolulu.

The inaugural Honolulu-bound flight for the third “FLYING HONU” is scheduled to arrive on October 20 and return to Narita, Tokyo, the same day. This addition underscores ANA’s commitment to meeting the evolving needs of its passengers while continuing to offer safety, comfort, and best-in-class service.

Starting December 6, ANA will increase the number of daily flights between Tokyo and Honolulu from two to three (one to Haneda, Tokyo, and two to Narita, Tokyo). This enhancement sets a new record for seat capacity on this route at 18,004, surpassing pre-COVID levels and providing three daily flights, equivalent to 42 weekly flights.

To commemorate the achievement of serving Hawaii for 25 years, the arrival of the third “FLYING HONU”, and as a token of gratitude for the unwavering support ANA has garnered from the Hawaii community, we will introduce a special sweepstakes: “Journey with FLYING HONU”. This contest offers a glimpse into the genuine experiences shared by Hawaii residents during their visits to Japan, providing sweepstakes participants with an opportunity to contemplate their potential journeys of discovering and exploring the country.

• • To enter the contest, U.S. residents, 18 years and older, will:
  • • Select the travel journey that best aligns with the preferences from the categories:
    • • “Heritage”
    • • “Foodie”
    • • “Culture”
    • • “Nature”
    • • “FLYING HONU”

• • The campaign offers appealing prizes, including:
  • • Grand prize:
    • • A pair of roundtrip business-class tickets from Honolulu to Tokyo.
  • • Second-place winner:
    • • Three roundtrip economy-class tickets.
  • • Special bonus prizes for three winners:
    • • A collectible Airbus A380 “FLYING HONU” model plane (1:200 scale).
  • • One additional winner will receive:
    • • A set of three “FLYING HONU” plush toys, featuring blue, green, and orange Hawaiian sea turtles.
• • The campaign runs from October 18th to November 19th, 2023.
• • Winners will be announced by November 26, 2023.

Another component of the celebration is the eagerly awaited ANA AHA Mele, November 16 – 19, 2023, a sequel to the ANA Honolulu Music Week, which debuted in 2019 and helped promote Hawaii’s cultural heritage and environment. Renamed ANA AHA Mele last year, this event represents a collaborative endeavor involving ANA, environmentalists, contributors, and others. Using music as a medium, the event will emphasize the significance of Hawaii’s natural resources. For more information: ANA ʻAha Mele 2023|ANAblank.

The ANA Group extends its heartfelt condolences to those who have tragically lost their lives and its deepest and most sincere sympathies to all of those who have been profoundly affected by the recent disaster in Maui. The airline stands united with the people of Maui offering support and heartfelt wishes for a swift recovery and resilience among of Maui’s residents.

In response to the disaster, ANA Group appealed to ANA Mileage Club members to donate miles for disaster relief efforts and to support affected communities through the Hawaii Community Foundation Maui Strong Fund, and other reputable relief organizations. For further information on how to donate miles and assist the victims of this disaster, please visit: Accepting Hawaii Maui Wildfire Mileage Donations to Support Hawaii Maui Wildfire Relief|ANA Mileage Clubblank.

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