ANA Holdings has signed a purchase agreement with Airbus covering the firm order of three A380s. With this milestone order for Airbus, ANA Group has joined the customer base for the world's largest passenger aircraft and will become the first Japanese airline to operate the type.

ANA Group will take delivery of the aircraft from 2019. ANA Group has selected Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines to power its new A380 fleet.

"We are extremely proud to welcome ANA Group as a new customer for the A380," said Fabrice Brégier, Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer. "As one of the world's most prestigious airlines, ANA Group will be able to benefit from the A380's proven operating economics and unrivalled passenger appeal. We are confident that the A380 will play an important role in the success of ANA HD's new business strategy. The A380 will help ANA Group overcome capacity constraints at Tokyo's busy airports, transporting more passengers, more efficiently and in greater comfort - all at lower cost."

ANA Holdings' new order follows a recent order placed in 2014 and 2015 for 37 A320 Family single aisle aircraft.

Designed for the challenges of the 21st century aviation industry, the A380's unique size allows airlines to maximize their revenue potential through an optimized cabin - boosting their contribution to profit by up to 65 percent per flight compared to its nearest competitor. Its unbeatable passenger experience leads to higher load factors and more revenue, for higher profitability. The A380 carries 544 passengers in a typical comfortable four class configuration on routes up to 8,200nm/15,200km. From Tokyo this enables non-stop service to the U.S. as well as to destinations across Europe.

Including the ANA Holdings' order, Airbus has now received a total of 319 firm orders for the A380 from 19 airlines worldwide, of which 179 A380s have been delivered to 13 world class airlines. Currently, A380 is operated on over 100 routes to 50 destinations.

Contributed by Airbus S.A.S.