All Nippon Airways Co., due to receive the first Boeing Co. 787 next month, said the aircraft may allow it to add as many as three European routes that wouldn't support larger planes.

The 787 presents us with a big opportunity, President Shinichiro Ito said in an interview in Tokyo on Aug. 1. The carrier aims to start Dreamliner flights to Europe from Tokyo's Haneda Airport in February, he said. He declined to elaborate on the possible destinations.

Boeing rolled out the first 787 painted in ANA's livery on Aug. 6 at its plant in Everett, Washington as it prepares to begin deliveries of the aircraft following more than three years of delays. The planes may allow ANA to add new routes in Europe and North America as they can fly further than aircraft of a similar size and are about 20 percent more fuel efficient.

ANA, which has ordered 55 Dreamliners, is due to get 12 of the planes by the end of March. Another eight will be handed over in the subsequent 12 months.

Tokyo-based ANA last year began flights to Munich, its fourth destination in Europe after London, Paris and Frankfurt. It is also due to begin a venture on European routes with Deutsche Lufthansa AG (LHA) in October.

Overseas Expansion

ANA is bolstering its overseas network following increases in capacity at Tokyo's Haneda and Narita airports, and cuts made by Japan Airlines Co. as part of a restructuring plan. Its international flights will expand 16 percent in the year started April 1, compared with a 2 percent expansion for domestic services, according to its website. New routes in Asia this year include Manila and Jakarta.

The carrier started a venture with United Continental Holdings Inc. in April and is also considering adding routes to North America with the 787, according to Mitsuo Morimoto, an executive vice president at the carrier

Personally, I'd like to open a route between Seattle and Kobe, Morimoto said at Boeing's plant in Everett, Washington, on Aug. 6. They're sister cities and the 787 was born here.

The carrier's first commercial Dreamliner flight will be a one-off charter service to Hong Kong from Narita. After that, the 787s will initially be used for scheduled domestic services.

Won't Compete

ANA fell 1.2 percent to 243 yen at the 3 p.m. close in Tokyo, while the Nikkei 225 Stock Average declined 1.7 percent. The stock has slumped 20 percent this year as Japan's record earthquake and ensuing nuclear crisis cut demand for travel.

ANA, which had 229 planes in its fleet at the end of June, is also investing in two low-cost carriers amid rising competition from overseas budget airlines including Shanghai- based Spring Airlines and Qantas Airways Ltd.'s Jetstar.

AirAsia Japan Co. and Peach Aviation Ltd. won't clash as they will operate from different bases and target different markets, Ito said.

The airlines won't be competing against each other, he said.

Peach, formed by ANA and Hong Kong-based First Eastern Investment Group, will start domestic flights from Osaka's Kansai airport by March. The airline will lease 10 Airbus SAS A320 aircraft and it aims to carry 6 million passengers within five years.

AirAsia Japan, a venture with AirAsia Bhd. , Asia's biggest discount carrier, will begin flights in August next year from a hub at Narita. It will operate on both domestic and international routes.