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Tokyo August 27, 2013 – The ANA Group, Japan’s largest airline group, today announces that it
will acquire a 49 per cent stake in the Myanmar-based airline Asian Wings Airways (AWA). ANA
Group will invest $25 million (2.5 billion yen) for AWA as part of its stated strategy of expanding
into new international markets.
As part of the investment, ANA will also work with AWA to improve its operational and on-time
performance and support its expansion into markets outside Myanmar. AWA is a profitable airline
currently operating only domestic services. However, it plans to inaugurate international routes
from October this year and intends to expand its aircraft fleet with a goal of operating ten A320
aircraft by 2018. For the fiscal year ending March, 2013, AWA reported revenue of US$17.8
million.
The investment in AWA is in line with ANA’s group corporate strategy for FY2013-2015 which
involves diversification into new growth areas, centered primarily around airline-related
businesses particularly in the Asian area. The acquisition of the stake in AWA represents the first
investment in a Myanmar-based commercial carrier by a foreign airline. ANA intends to capture
an increasing share of the fast-growing Asian airline market and this investment in AWA will
support that strategic goal.
In addition, on September 30 (Monday), ANA will increase the number of flights between
Tokyo-Narita and Yangon from three per week to seven and also intends to introduce larger
aircraft onto the route. As ANA works to boost transport capacity between Japan and Myanmar,
it will also improve connectivity with onward flights (operated by AWA) to key cities in Myanmar,
which is expected to contribute to ANA’s own route network.
*Note that completion of this equity tie-up is conditional upon obtaining the required permits and
approvals from the authorities in Myanmar, and the signing of a final equity tie-up agreement with AWA
and its shareholders.
