Formation All Nippon Airways

boeing 737-200 in ana s late 1960s-1983 mohican livery

nh began helicopter services in february 1953. on 15 december 1953, operated first cargo flight between osaka , tokyo using de havilland dove, ja5008. first scheduled flight flown japanese pilot in postwar japan. passenger service on same route began on 1 february 1954, , upgraded de havilland heron in march. in 1955, douglas dc-3s began flying nh well, time airline s route network extended northern kyūshū sapporo. in december 1957 nippon helicopter changed name nippon airways company.

ana s other ancestor far east airlines (極東航空, kyokutō kōkū). although founded on 26 december 1952, 1 day before nippon helicopter, did not begin operations until 20 january 1954, when began night cargo runs between osaka , tokyo, using de havilland dove. adopted dc-3 in 1957, point route network extended through southern japan tokyo kagoshima.

far east airlines merged newly named nippon airways in march 1958. combined companies had total market capitalization of 600 million yen, , result of merger japan s largest private airline. merged airline received new japanese name (全日本空輸 zen nippon kūyu; japan air transport). company logo of larger nh selected logo of new combined airline, , new carrier operated route network combined 2 predecessors.