CEO ANA, Shinya Katanozaka/ Picture by the Belgian Monarchy.
Tokyo-Brussels, 25 October 2015 – ANA, Japan’s leading and only 5-star airline, has today inaugurated its new daily non-stop service from Tokyo’s Narita Airport to Brussels, in the presence of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Employment, Kris Peeters, Federal Minister for Mobility Jacqueline Galant, Brussels Airport Company CEO Arnaud Feist and the President and CEO of ANA Holdings Shinya Katanozaka.
This marked the first time ever that ANA flew to the Belgian capital, its sixth destination in Europe and third new destination in 2015. This new flight is the only non-stop service from Japan to Belgium, playing an important role in ANA’s strategy to expand its international route network and enhance the airline’s brand awareness in Europe.
Operating a daily service with its Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, with 46 seats in Business Class, 21 seats in Premium Economy, and 102 seats in Economy Class, ANA aims to provide added convenience to passengers flying to and from Brussels Airport. The schedule of the flight has been planned to optimize connections with ANA’s joint venture partners (Lufthansa, Swiss International Airlines and Austrian Airlines), as well as Brussels Airlines, a Star Alliance member. Beyond Europe, ANA serves 50 destinations throughout Japan, as well as 23 destinations across Asia.
Shinya Katanozaka, President and CEO of ANA Holdings, said: “With our new service, we expect to carry around 90.000 passengers on an annual basis, driven by a robust business demand to and from Belgium, home to many international and European organisations. With Japan becoming increasingly popular among international leisure travelers and with Belgium being a preferred European destination among Japanese travelers, ANA is privileged to bring these two nations closer together.”
Arnaud Feist, CEO of Brussels Airport Company, commented: “We are really pleased to see that there is once again a non-stop flight between Brussels and the capital of Japan. Brussels Airport has become an important European hub and this new connection reinforces our role in supporting economic development and encouraging investments and tourism between our two countries, thereby creating more jobs in Belgium. As a Star Alliance hub, Brussels Airport provides ANA with excellent connections to a wide network of European and African destinations operated by Brussels Airlines.”
Belgian Deputy Prime Ministerand Minister of Economy and Employment, Kris Peeters added: “This new flight is great news for Belgium and the business community of both countries, now directly linked. Japan is a key partner for us: the second largest direct investor after the United-States, excluding the EU. This highlights the importance of the long-standing trade relations between Japan and our country, for which we will celebrate the 150thanniversary in 2016.”
Geert Bourgeois, Minister-President of the Government of Flanders, also added: “Flanders means business. Flanders is happy to be the European home base for so many Japanese companies. The direct flight between Brussels and Tokyo by ANA is a new boost for the excellent economic and commercial relations between Japan and Flanders. That’s why we have chosen Japan as guest country for the ‘Floraliën’ flower festival in the city of Ghent next year, for example, among other 2016 festivities in Flanders.”
Claire Tillekaerts, CEO, Flanders Investment & Trade, concluded: “This expanded service at Brussels Airport should bring new investments, plus direct and indirect jobs. The airport houses an international cargo airport that is consistently at the top of the charts. And Flanders, the northern part of Belgium, is a prime business region. It is strategically located right in the center of the most prosperous part of Europe. Over 60% of the European purchasing power is situated within a tight 500 kilometer radius around Flanders.”
The line opening comes as Belgium and Japan are fêting 150 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Ambassador Masafumi Ishii was at hand during the inauguration and the day before ANA Holdings’ CEO Shinya Katanozaka was even granted at audience with HM The King of the Belgians.
It is expected that out of pragmatism the new line Brussels-Tokyo shall also serve travellers from the neighbouring countries, particularly The Netherlands and Luxembourg.
For more information:
ANA: http://www.ana.co.jp/asw/wws/be/e/
Embassy of Japan to Belgium (HE Ambassador Masafumi ISHII): www.be.emb-japan.go.jp/english/
Embassy of Japan to The Netherlands(HE Ambassador Masaru TSUJI): http://www.nl.emb-japan.go.jp
Embassy of Japan to Luxembourg (HE Ambassador Atsuko NISHIMURA): www.lu.emb-japan.go.jp
