Discover Flying with ANA

Planning a Japan holiday? Consider flying with Star Alliance Member ANA – All Nippon Airways for an authentic experience that offers a warm, comfortable service and heaps of hospitality. The airline’s flagship Boeing 777-300ER has recently been redesigned to offer a greater level of space, comfort and style, particularly in First and Business Class, making the 12-hour flight to Japan an experience you can truly look forward to.

The Lounge

If you’ve booked a First Class, Business or Premium Economy ticket with ANA, on arrival at London Heathrow airport you’ll get access to the United Airlines lounge in Terminal 2 (or, where available, Singapore Airlines lounge). Upon entering, you’ll notice plenty of seating, including cosy swivel chairs and breakfast bars with stools, as well as charging sockets for phones and laptops, so there’s more than enough space to chill out and watch a movie or catch up on some work pre-flight. There’s even a reading room if you just fancy flicking through the papers in peace and quiet. If you’re in need of freshening up pre-flight, there are even several showers available.

Then, there’s the food and drink. Help yourself to a hot buffet of meat and veggie dishes like lasagne, gnocchi, fresh fruit and utterly indulgent cocktails, including the ‘Meet Me Halfway’ – Champagne, limoncello and lemon sorbet – and the ‘New Yorker No 1’, a mix of bourbon, muddled orange, lemon and rosemary. You’ll be feeling relaxed and ready to settle into your flight in no time!

If you’re making use of the United Airlines lounge before your flight, you’ll be pleased to know the gate is handily located just opposite, and of course, if you’re flying First, Business or Premium, you’ll be able to enjoy priority boarding too.

Onboard the Boeing 777-300ER

Designed by British design company Acumen under the supervision of Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, the aircraft’s interior perfectly fuses minimal, stylish design with clever functionalities that Japan is known for. In Business and First Class, you can enjoy a private room-style seat – a first for any Japanese airline. Close the door and cocoon yourself away in your seat ready to read, watch a movie, eat or sleep on the fully flat-lie beds. If you’re in Business Class, otherwise known as The Room, you can even share your double-width seat with your friend or partner while you dine or watch TV.

If you’re treating yourself to First – referred to as ‘The Suite’ – you can sit back and relax in front of your own supremely generous 43-inch 4K monitor to enjoy super definition viewing across a wide range of entertainment. Once you’ve worked up an appetite, you can tuck into a delicious array of Japanese or international fare from the onboard a la carte menu, crafted by culinary experts. Sample Japanese cuisine like seared tuna sashimi and poached squid, followed by simmered yellowtail in a light soy sauce, or a classic steak with truffle sauce. At any given time, you’re also able to order a selection of sandwiches, cheese, bread or petits fours, and will have access to the bar counter, so you can help yourself to a drink whenever you’re in the mood.

If you opt to fly Business Class, you’ll get to enjoy a generously roomy seat, 37.5 inches in width, converting into a flat-lie bed at 80.6 inches long. Indulge in a carefully-crafted three-course dining menu, and of course have access to a wide range of entertainment. Even in Premium Economy you’ll have plenty of extra space, with a 38-inch seat pitch and 17% more space than Economy. If you do opt for Economy though, be safe in the knowledge that we've tried-and-tested the seats, and I can confirm that they too felt exceptionally spacious, with more than enough legroom, and decent-sized entertainment screens.

The Service and Style

With ANA, you can expect some unique and personal cultural touches, from the cuisine, to the crew, to the safety video. As you take off, no matter where you’re seated, you’ll notice the safety video is in Kabuki, a form of traditional Japanese theatre.

The types of service style in Japanese and British cultures are vastly different, and during our tour of the aircraft, the staff explained to us the unique intricacies of eastern vs western culture. For instance, for Japanese travellers, service is a lot more formal, with bowing the norm.

As ANA increasingly cater to British customers, they have strategically adapted the service they provide their guests. The airline even had to greatly increase their onboard gin offering – a much-loved, and often requested tipple by us Brits! Service is always friendly and personalised, with staff addressing customers in First and Business Class by name and tending to their every need throughout the flight.

Another touch from ANA that showcases your Japan holiday experience starts even before you land on the other side.