ANA Airlines to Offer Women-Only Lavatories

Beginning March 1st, Japan-Based All Nippon Airlines (ANA) will offer women-only lavatories aboard most of its fleet. ANA says this change stems from numerous requests from passengers for this type of service. However, the airline will permit men to use the women's restroom in certain circumstances, such as an ill-feeling passenger. Read more.

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Today's posts:

• Air New Zealand 10% off code: BIGBREAK10; valid for #travel U.S. to New Zealand now through September 30th. #flyairnz
• 1,000 #Amtrak Points (enough for a free one-way ticket on the Capitol Corridor) with each Enterprise Car Rental.http://tinyurl.com/yjz78d3
• A peak into ANA's First Class lounge at Tokyo-Narita Airport - opening February 20th. WOW! http://tinyurl.com/ycazy2p#allnipponairusa

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Travel Tool for Star Alliance Members Booking Award Travel

By Mike Grasso

If you accrue miles with a Star Alliance carrier such as United or U.S. Airways, you probably have a goal at some point to cash in those miles. Today I'd like to recommend an amazing resource (hat off to the Flyertalk forums) I've used for quite some time enabling a quick and easy search for award seats.

First, a good reminder that you are not limited to redeeming with the airline you bank your miles with. Generally you can redeem with others within the alliance. For example, you have a mountain of miles with United Airlines which can be used on Singapore, Lufthansa, and Continental, to name a few. But how do you know award availability on these partner airlines? Often, your "sponsoring" carrier may have website limitations showing award availability of Star Alliance partners. So here's the workaround (other than just calling the airline):

-Join ANA's Mileage Club (free).

-Visit the award availability page.

-After logging in, select the "Use Star Alliance Members" button

From here, you can search award availability for most Star Alliance members worldwide. This is particularly useful when trying to build a complicated itinerary, or one in which you desire some creative routing's. This tool is good preparation, homework if you will, before contacting the airline directly to book your award ticket. Too often phone reps don't take the time to search all possible options (ie: something as simple as routing from Oakland, if no seats are available from San Francisco).

A word of caution though: Although results showing availability are generally accurate, there may be a few instances when they are not bookable. For an interesting, long discussion on this problem, read this Flyertalk forum on StarNet blocking. In sum, use the ANA award availability page as a tool in your award search, but realize occasionally availability and bookability may be slightly off from each other.

Full URL for award availability tool linked above:

https://aswbe-i.ana.co.jp/p_per/sky_ip_per_en/preAwdSearchLogin.do

Boeing 787 'Dreamliner' Takes First Flight

After more than two years of delays, Boeing officially took its 787 'Dreamliner' into the skies today. Today's four hour flight around the Washington state area will allow a two member crew to perform basic tests and system checks of the aircraft. Japan's All Nippon Airlines is expected to take delivery of the first Boeing 787 later next year. Complete coverage from MSNBC.

Boeing Readies Dreamliner for First Flight

From the Agence France-Presse comes word Boeing is readying its 787 Dreamliner aircraft for its first-ever test flight in the coming days. The current schedule calls for the maiden flight on June 30th, and delivery of the first plane to All Nippon Airlines (ANA) by the first quarter of 2010.

First Boeing 787 'Dreamliner' To Arrive August 2009

Japan's All Nippon Airways said it has agreed to Boeing's anticipated delays in delivering the first Boeing 787 'Dreamliner' aircraft. According to Boeing, the first plane is now expected to arrive to ANA in August 2009, more than a year behind schedule. Supply chain glitches, and a strike at Boeing halting production, is blamed for the delays.

Tokyo-based All Nippon Airlines is scheduled to be the first customer of the 787.