ANA Eyes Comprehensive Tie-Up With Shanghai Airlines

Tokyo, May 31 (Jiji Press)–All Nippon Airways Co. plans to conclude a comprehensive tie-up with Shanghai Airlines, a Chinese carrier, President Mineo Yamamoto said Thursday.

Yamamoto’s comments at a press conference come at a time when the major Japanese carrier will launch a flight service between Tokyo and Shanghai by the end of this year.

ANA will consider providing common services in cooperation with Shanghai Airlines and South Korea’s Asiana Airlines, Yamato said. ANA and Asiana have forged a capital and business partnership.

Yamamoto apologized for a computer system glitch that caused ANA to cancel or delay 436 domestic flights on Sunday and Monday, affecting some 70,000 passengers. ANA will make the utmost effort to find the cause of the trouble and prevent a recurrence, he said.

Regarding ANA’s plan to set up a budget airline, Yamamoto said the new company will be based in Bangkok. ANA will work out the details of the firm in 2007 and 2008, he added.END

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