on the same day, ANA will be the first airline to operate international flights at the new airport, with NH flight 155 (departing Kansai at 10:00, arriving Shanghai 11:30) and NH flight 156 (departing Shanghai at 12:35, arriving Kansai 15:25).

"We are very pleased to be the first company to operate international flights out of this impressive new facility", said Kichisaburo Nomura, ANA President and Chief Executive Officer. ANA has the strongest network to China of any Japanese airline and I feel that this "first flight" represents our commitment to the region. As we join Star Alliance, we look forward to working with our alliance partners to further expand our China network."

on October 31, ANA will become the ninth member of Star Alliance, the world�s foremost global airline alliance. As a reflection of this, ANA's check-in and ticket counters, as well as lounges at the new Shanghai airport, will be shared with other Star Alliance members. ANA seeks to achieve improved efficiency in customer service and reduced costs through such joint use of resources.

Shanghai Pudong International Airport was built to coincide with the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Peoples Republic of China. Domestic flight operations out of the airport began from October 1. As the new gateway of Shanghai, the airport is expected to handle about 20,000,000 passengers a year.