High Expectations for Milan with ANA’s Inaugural Flight Anticipating Surge in Tourism and Cargo Demand

All Nippon Airways (ANA) inaugurated its Tokyo/Haneda to Milan/Malpensa route on December 3rd. The launch was warmly welcomed by many local stakeholders, with heightened expectations for increased tourism and business connections.

The Milan route marks ANA’s return after a 25-year hiatus since the withdrawal of its Osaka/Kansai to Milan route. The connection between Tokyo and Milan had been absent since the former Alitalia-Italian Airlines withdrew during the pandemic.

In terms of visitor numbers by country in August, Italy (34,700 people) led in Europe, surpassing the UK (29,400 people), Germany (24,100 people), and France (31,400 people), with a growth rate of about 50% over the previous year and 2019, highlighting its potential as an emerging market.

The increase in visitors to Japan has resulted in high seat occupancy rates on European routes. The Milan route, starting with three round trips a week, indicates ANA’s proactive approach to eventually offering daily flights. “Business requires daily service. We’re starting with three round trips a week with the goal of daily operations,” said President Shinichi Inoue, emphasizing the importance of adapting to demand.

However, operational challenges are significant due to the inability to fly over Russian airspace, resulting in longer flight times and the need for an additional crew member. The target is to achieve a 90% reservation rate by summer. Despite competition from Chinese carriers offering lower prices, ANA aims to differentiate itself through direct flights and superior quality.

Cargo demand is also high. The inaugural flight from Milan was fully booked, with exports from Japan including semiconductors, automotive parts, machinery, garments, and from Italy, leather goods, brand apparel, pharmaceuticals, aircraft parts, electronic cigarettes, and building materials (marble). Italy ranks second only to Germany in terms of cargo volume, and President Inoue referred to ANA as a combination carrier of passengers and cargo, offering a wide range of options.

Milan/Malpensa is the fourth largest airport, following Paris, London, and Frankfurt, serving 28 airlines. It is the third-largest long-haul market for Milan after China and India, with 200,000 people traveling to Japan annually.

Beyond Milan, 34 countries and 76 cities are accessible through code-share flights. ANA initiated a code-share with ITA Airways in January and partnered with the rail company Trenitalia in July. Despite ANA’s operation to Malpensa, there is high demand for transfers to other cities after visiting Milan, making the options with ITA Airways and the collaborative efforts with the Lufthansa Group expected to enhance connectivity.

ANA will launch Tokyo/Haneda to Stockholm on January 31, 2025, and Tokyo/Haneda to Istanbul on February 12, 2025, operating a total of 49 round trips a week to nine cities in Europe.