As part of the validation, ANA pilots, together with Boeing, flew the 787 Dreamliner on routes from Seattle to Tokyo and Tokyo to four airports across Japan. ANA maintenance and ground crews also gained experience with the aircraft in the simulated operational environment.

Launch customer ANA's first scheduled service with the 787 will be either the Tokyo Haneda-Okayama or Tokyo Haneda-Hiroshima route when deliveries begin later this year. ANA has 55 Dreamliners on order.

"Giving our team a chance to work with the airplane prior to entry into service was very valuable," said Katsunori Shimazaki, ANA corporate planning senior manager and the airline's leader of the validation. "Our crews are excited to begin operating the first 787 revenue flights later this year."

Teams from ANA and Boeing validated more than a hundred procedures, including towing the aircraft, conducting fit checks of ground support equipment, staging electronic flight bag data and completing maintenance actions.

Around 50% of the primary structure of the B787 Dreamliner (including the fuselage and wing) will be made of composite materials.

Boeing plans to deliver the first 787 to ANA around August-September this year.