ANA - All Nippon Airways (NH, Tokyo Haneda) is reportedly close to making a decision regarding an order for twenty-five long-haul jets, set to pit Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) against Boeing (BOE, Washington National) in a hotly contested race. The Japanese airline has noted in the past that it plans to retire "around 40" of its older Boeing 777 aircraft from 2019 onwards, with the A350-1000, the 787-10 and the 777-9X being considered as replacements. However, analysts note that the scales are currently tipped in Boeing's favour, given their long ties with Japanese carriers as well as the pervasiveness of their widebody products in the fleets of both ANA - All Nippon and rival JAL - Japan Airlines (JL, Tokyo Haneda). “It’s getting close to the time we need to make a decision,” President Shinichiro Ito said an interview in Tokyo, where Japan’s biggest airline is based. He declined to elaborate on when the order will be made. “The key will be what plane matches our needs best.” So far, only Skymark Airlines (BC, Tokyo Haneda) has committed to any Airbus long-haul offerings with an order for thirteen A330-300s and six A380-800s due for delivery from 2014 onwards.