ANA Holdings has selected 30 A320 neo Family aircraft (seven A320neo and 23 A321neo) as part of All Nippon Airways’ fleet renewal strategy. The decision follows a thorough evaluation.

Stephane Ginoux, President of Airbus Japan, said, “We are extremely happy to give a new start to our already prosperous relationship with ANA and are delighted to welcome them as our first NEO customer in Japan. By selecting our newest aircraft, ANA is investing in the best in class, securing excellent cabin comfort as well as operational efficiency for its future.”

Japan has long been at the forefront of commercial aviation and today ranks as the sixth largest country in the world in terms of aircraft fleet in service (in the above 100 seats segment). There are five cities in Japan with each more of a million air passengers per month, underlining how critical air travel is to the country’s transport infrastructure.

The A320neo – for “new engine option” – incorporates Airbus’ latest innovations, including latest generation engines and large Sharklet wing-tip devices, which together deliver 15 percent in fuel savings. The A320neo first flight will take place in Q4 2014 and will enter service in Q4 2015. With a total of more than 2,600 orders received from over 50 customers since its launch in 2010, the A320neo Family has captured some 60 percent of the market, clearly demonstrating its leadership.

With this new order, all members of Airbus’ latest aircraft families are now represented in Japan (A320 neo and ceo, A330, A350, A380). All Airbus commercial aircraft family will be operated by Japanese airlines by 2020.

The A320 Family is the world’s best-selling single aisle product line with more than 10,200 orders to date and over 6,000 aircraft delivered.