ANA and United To Expand Code-Share Operations

All Nippon Airways (ANA) and United Airlines (United) have agreed to expand their code-share operations to strength ANA's U.S. east coast routes.

Responding to the growing business traveller demands, ANA filed an application to the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport today for the approval of new code-share operations on U.S. domestic routes with United. These flights will connect major northern cities on the American east coast as well as northern Florida with Dulles International Airport at Washington D.C. via a hub system.

Called "United Express," these code-share flights will be operated by Atlantic Coast Airlines (ACA), supporting United in local operations on the U.S. east coast with a fleet consisting mainly of 50-seater Bombardier CRJ's.

ANA will start accepting reservations as of January 20th on the total of 33 United Express routes (each route served by one roundtrip flight daily), 231 roundtrip flights per week, connected to ANA's Tokyo - Washington D.C. code-share flights for January 25th and beyond.

ANA and United started mutual code-share operations in October 1998 with the aim of strengthening their networks. At present, a total of 137 roundtrip flights per week on 17 international routes, 56 roundtrip flights per week on 7 Japanese domestic routes and approximately 280 roundtrip flights per week on 37 U.S. domestic routes are operated by the two companies on a code-share basis.

With over 170 major companies (approximately one-third of the U.S. top 500 companies) located in the states served by the new code-share operations, ANA is planning to provide higher added value to those business customers who can now enjoy greater access to ANA flights.