ANA Awarded ‘Airline of the Year,’ Launches its New Cabin Features in DC-Tokyo Route

By Jennie L. Ilustre

Photos: Jennie L. Ilustre

The day after ANA received the 2013 “Airline of the Year” award, it launched its enhanced cabin service and products in its Washington, DC-Narita route starting March 31, operated with the Boeing 777-300ER.
Mock-up displays featuring seats that turn into a bed, wide aisle space and bigger TV screens, including meal displays, were presented on March 27 at the Mayflower Renaissance Hotel, located in the nation’s capital.
The previous evening, Board Chairman Yoji Ohashi received the award on behalf of the ANA group. President and CEO Shinichiro Ito called it a great honor when the award was announced earlier.

Air Transport World (ATW), a top monthly magazine on the global airline industry, announced the award in February. ATW cited the airline’s “exceptional financial performance, fiscal management, customer service and technology leadership that set the bar for the entire global airline industry.”
Vice President and General Manager Yoshiharu Naoki described the new service features in an interview before the program started. He replied that the airline “is not raising any price” because of the new service and products.
Asked for the airline’s strategy when American investors increase its business once Asia is integrated in 2015, he stressed, “We want to continue to be the leading airline” when that takes place.

ANA already has its wings, so to speak, at the door, enjoying a niche market. One of the VIP customers, speaking about a business flight, commented during the presentation, “The flight experience was great, very comfortable, but of course, it’s okay if your company is picking up the tab for the trip.”
Nao Gun, PR for online marketing and communications for America, said the airline group’s thriving business “is also due to connectibility, and because we have more networks.”

New Features
Dubbed the “Inspiration of Japan,” the enhanced service covers the First, Business, Premium Economy and Economy class cabins. The D.C. service is available three to four times a week. As displayed, first-class cabin’s additional features included a large adjustable table and 23-inch LCD wide screen monitor, among other things.
Business class seats have aisle access with staggered seat lay-out. It has a 17-inch LCD screen. Odette Martinez, supervisor of Passenger Sales, explained the staggered seat lay-out in the business class meant “there is no passenger in front of you, so it’s very comfortable.” Maintenance Manager Atsushi Chiba modeled as a passenger to demonstrate “that the seat reclines to 180 degrees to turn into a fully flat bed.”
Premium Economy class has an increased seat width and a touch-panel screen. Economy class has seats with a sliding headrest and adjustable footrest. All seats are also furnished with a personal reading light, universal laptop power port, USB port, and an *2 iPod connector.
About 200 guests, including Japan’s Ambassador to the US Kenichiro Sasae, American company CEOs, travel agency owners, customers and the media attended the launch and the program, with lucky guests winning several prizes, including a round-trip ticket.

Asian Fortune is an English language newspaper for Asian American professionals in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Visit fb.com/asianfortune to stay up to date with our news and what’s going on in the Asian American community.