Air Nippon

Air Nippon (エアーニッポン株式会社, Eā Nippon Kabushiki-gaisha^?), is a regional airline based in Tokyo, Japan. A fully-owned subsidiary of All Nippon Airways (ANA), it mainly operates short routes and flights to isolated islands in support of ANA's domestic services. Its main base is Tokyo International Airport^[1].

Code data

In April 2004, Air Nippon adopted ANA flight codes and numbers for all domestic services, but its previous codes remain in use on Taiwan flights only :

• IATA Code: EL
• ICAO Code: ANK
• Callsign: Ank Air ^[2]

History

The company was founded by ANA, Japan Air Lines and TOA Domestic as Nippon Kinkyori Kōkū (日本近距離航空, Nippon Kinkyori Kōkū^? lit. Japan Short-Distance Airline) in March 1974 and started operations on 10 October 1974. The name Air Nippon was adopted in 1987, and the abbreviation ANK comes from the full, somewhat redundant name Air Nippon Kabushiki kaisha (lit. Air Nippon corp. ltd.). As part of ANA's reorganisation, Air Nippon's domestic operations are being consolidated into the main airline. ANA and Air Nippon used different liveries and IATA codes on domestic flights until April 2004, when Air Nippon adopted ANA livery and ANA flight numbers. As an ANA subsidiary, it is considered a full Star Alliance member. However, on Taiwan flights Air Nippon's IATA code EL is still used due to political reasons and these flights are not considered being Star Alliance flights. The airline employs 1,686 staff (at March 2007) and wholly owns subsidiary airline Air Nippon Network which operates feeder services^[1].

Destinations

In addition to domestic services, Air Nippon has a single international scheduled service to Taipei-Taoyuan this may end from 2008 as ANA plan to serve Taiwan on their own pending approval from Taiwan.

Fleet

The Air Nippon fleet consists of the following aircraft (at March 2007)^[1] :

• 17 Boeing 737-500
• 8 Boeing 737-700
• 1 Boeing 737-700ER (Boeing Business Jet)

Previously operated

• Airbus A320-200
• Boeing 737-400

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "Directory: World Airlines", Flight International, 2007-03-27, p. 64. 
2. ^ Airline Codes

External links

• Air Nippon
• Air Nippon Fleet Detail

•  • e Airlines of Japan
Low Cost Domestic	Air Japan · Air Next · Air Do · JAL Express · Skymark Airlines · StarFlyer
Domestic	JAL: (Hokkaido Air System · J-Air · Japan Air Commuter · Japan Transocean Air · Ryukyu Air Commuter ) ANA: (Air Central  · Air Japan  · Air Nippon  · Air Nippon Network)  · airtransse · Amakusa Airlines · Ibex Airlines · Kyokushin Air · New Central Airlines · Oriental Air Bridge · Skynet Asia Airways
Int'l and Domestic	All Nippon Airways · JAL: (Japan Airlines · Japan Asia Airways · JALways)
Cargo Only	ANA & JP Express · Galaxy Airlines · Nippon Cargo Airlines
Defunct/Dissolved	Air Hokkaido · Japan Airlines Domestic