All Nippon Airways (ANA) is preparing to receive its first Boeing 737 MAX 8 in December, more than five years after deliveries of the new narrowbody jet were originally expected to begin.
ANA announced its selection of the 737 MAX 8 in January 2019, initially planning to introduce the aircraft between fiscal years 2021 and 2025. The decision came shortly before the worldwide grounding of the MAX following the crashes of Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302.
The Japanese airline eventually formalized an order for 20 aircraft in 2022, after the MAX had returned to service. The delivery schedule continued to change in subsequent years amid production constraints and quality problems at Boeing.
ANA had more recently expected its first aircraft in May 2025 and then in June 2026. The current schedule calls for deliveries to start in December, according to Nikkei Asia.
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The airline has expanded its commitment during the long wait. ANA now has 38 737 MAX 8s on firm order and options for another four aircraft.
First ANA MAX already flying
Production of the first aircraft is now well underway at Boeing’s Renton plant in Washington state.
The first MAX 8 intended for ANA, expected to receive the Japanese registration JA030A, made its maiden flight on August 29. A second aircraft, JA031A, had completed final assembly by late September, while a third, JA032A, was progressing through the production line.
ANA personnel have been conducting on-site inspections during production. The airline told Nikkei Asia that its inspectors monitor specific stages of assembly and check whether Boeing’s manufacturing work complies with contractual requirements.
The inspections extend to ground and flight testing before delivery. ANA personnel can also request additional checks when production records identify a nonconformity.
The process comes as Boeing continues efforts to improve manufacturing quality following increased regulatory scrutiny of its 737 production system. ANA’s inspections, however, are part of the airline’s aircraft acceptance process and do not indicate that problems have been identified with its first MAX aircraft.
737 MAX will replace older jets
The 737 MAX 8s will be used primarily on ANA’s domestic network and will gradually replace older 737-800s.
ANA Wings, the regional subsidiary of ANA Holdings, is expected to operate the aircraft. Introducing 38 MAX 8s will give the group a substantial new-generation narrowbody fleet for domestic routes.
ANA’s original 2019 commitment covered 20 aircraft with ten options. The airline subsequently increased its firm order through additional purchases and the conversion of options, bringing the total to 38 aircraft, with another four options remaining.
ANA will not be the first Japanese airline to operate the 737 MAX despite having been the first in the country to announce an order for the type.
Skymark Airlines received its first 737 MAX 8, JA738A, in April 2026 and introduced it on commercial services on May 28, initially between Tokyo Haneda and Fukuoka. The carrier plans to operate 13 MAX 8s and seven MAX 10s.
If the latest schedule is maintained, ANA’s first delivery in December will come almost eight years after the airline announced its MAX selection and more than five years after the beginning of its original delivery window.
