TOKYO — All Nippon Airways Co. is studying buying about five Airbus superjumbo A380s or other aircraft for long-haul routes, the Japanese carrier said last week.

The nation's No. 2 airline set up a panel Thursday to decide which jets to buy, ANA spokeswoman Nana Kon said.

"We have several options including the A380, from which we plan to choose the optimal equipment," Kon said.

The airline also is considering Boeing aircraft such as the 787 and 747, she said.

If the airline selects the A380, it would need about five jets for long-haul routes such as round-trip flights between Tokyo and New York, she said.

All purchases will be for long-distance flights to the United States and Europe, in time for a planned runway expansion at Tokyo's Narita International Airport set for 2010, Kon said.