ANA’s Last Airbus A380 Departs Toulouse For Its New Tokyo Home

The third and final Airbus A380 of All Nippon Airways (ANA) is finally being handed over to its operator. The widebody is now on its way to Tokyo from the manufacturer’s facility in Toulouse, France to join the Japanese carrier’s fleet.

With honu being Hawaiian word for sea turtle and the planes flying missions to Hawaii, “FLYING HONU” is the name that ANA has given the liveries of its three Airbus A380 aircraft. Photo: Airbus

The final addition

ANA proudly promotes the deployment of the superjumbo on flights between Tokyo Narita and Honolulu. The first A380 joined the company in March 2019, sporting a blue livery to represent the Hawaiian blue sky.

The airline’s second unit was also delivered just two months later, rocking an emerald green coating. This design symbolizes the crystal clear waters that surround the Hawaiian islands.

Two units have sat in ANA’s fleet for over two years. Yet, it has only been until now for the third one to be delivered.

Notably, the pandemic shook up airline operations across the globe, especially long-haul services. The Airbus A380 was one of the biggest fleet casualties of the crisis, with several airlines grounding their units. As a result, in the spring of 2020, ANA asked Airbus to delay the delivery of its final A380 by at least six months.

Alas, the final FLYING HONU is now entering the fold. The plane is flying with a lively orange livery based on the vibrant Hawaiian sunset.

ANA’s newest A380, registration JA383A is currently performing flight ANA9398, flying near Leningrad Oblast, Russia, on the way to the capital of Japan after leaving Toulouse at 18:10 CEST. Photo: RadarBox.com

Making use of the fleet

While passenger services were rocked amid the stringent restrictions set by governments during the pandemic, ANA deployed its A380s on special flights. For instance, the A380 conducted the 20th “Hatsuhinode Flight” or “First Sunrise Flight” to mark the beginning of the new year.

This service followed ANA A380 scenic flights to nowhere in 2020. Moreover, last month, ANA launched a tour to the Japanese island of Okinawa with the A380.

ANA was excited to deploy the three Airbus A380s together in 2020 until the global health crisis took its toll on the market. Photo: Getty Images

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Looking ahead

Interestingly, ANA’s pilots will soon be able to fly both the type and the A320 as part of Airbus’ “Mixed Fleet Flying” (MFF) initiative. The airline is the first carrier in the world to introduce MFF between the two models.

There are 520 seats across the two decks of ANA’s A380s. Passengers can choose between eight first class, 56 business class, 74 premium economy, and 383 economy seats. Overall, ANA will undoubtedly be looking forward to flying all three FLYING HONUs above the Pacific Ocean as 2022 arrives.

Altogether, what are your thoughts about All Nippon Airways’ final Airbus A380 being delivered? Are you looking forward to flying on these superjumbos with the airline? Let us know what you think of the type and its prospects in the market in the comment section.

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