This year marks 70th anniversary of ANA. Some key events of ANA are:

1953 (Dec. 15): First scheduled flight by Nihon Helicopter Transport (日本ヘリコプター輸送). Postal freight flight between Tokyo and Osaka by de Havilland DH.104 Dove.

1954 (Feb. 1): First scheduled passenger flight. Tokyo - Nagoya - Osaka by de Havilland DH.104 Dove.

1955 (Nov. 15): First flight with flight attendants on board DC-3 on Tokyo - Nagoya - Osaka.

1958 (March): Merger of Nihon Helicopter Transport and Far East Airlines (極東航空). The merged airline is named All Nippon Airways (全日本空輸株式会社).

1960 (Sept. 20): Inagular issue of the in-flight magazine Tsubasa - Global Wing (翼の王国).

1964 (May 25): Inagular flight of the jet aircraft. 727-100 Tokyo-Sapporo.

1971 (Feb. 21): First international charter flight. 727-100 Tokyo-Hong Kong.

1974 (March 10): First wide-body aircraft. L1011 Tokyo-Naha (Okinawa).

1979 (Jan. 25): Inagular flight of 747-100SR (528 seats). Tokyo-Fukuoka/Sapporo.

1984 (Aug. 24): 1000000 passengers carried by international charter flights.

1985 (Nov. 1): Introduction of Super Seat (current Premium Class) in domestic flights.

1986
March 3: First international scheduled flight. L1011 (single class service) NRT-GUM.
June 16: Inagulation of NRT-LAX. 747-200 with three class service. Start of international first and business class service.
June 26: Inagulation of NRT-IAD. 747-200 three class service.

1989 (Jan. 1): Joins IATA (International Air Transport Association)

1993 (Nov. 1): Starts FFP (frequent flyer program) on international flights, Program A.

1999 (Oct. 31): Joins Star Alliance.

Another interesting piece of information. In 1986 when ANA started scheduled international flights, ANA signed a partnership agreement with American Airlines. ANA got help from American Airlines to gain know-how of international operation, and ANA 747-200 pilots sat on an observer seat on the flight deck of American Airlines LAX/IAD flights to gain airport familiarization prior to the inauguration of NRT-LAX/IAD flights. For an introduction of international first and business class service in 1986, ANA worked with Cathay Pacific.