Hello Kitty

Hello Kitty jets celebrate Chinese New Year

EVA HelloKit Hand in Hand Jet runway_CourtesyEVAAIR

Eva Air’s Hello Kitty Jets not only have Hello Kitty characters painted on the outside of the plane, just about every item inside the plane – from the headrest covers to the meals – has a Hello Kitty theme as well.

Right now the Hello Kitty jets are ready for the Chinese New Year. And to welcome in the Year of the Goat, the headrest covers, placemats and a variety of inflight service items now feature Hello Kitty wearing a set of goat horns.

Hello-Kitty- CHinese New year

EVA AIR Hello-Kitty-Chinese New Year

Here, kitty: Hello Kitty plane goes to Paris

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Eva Air’s Hello Kitty Hand-in-Hand jet is on the move again.

This time, with a beret and a baguette.

Part of a fleet of Hello Kitty-themed jets, this Boeing 777-300ER is the airline’s first long-range Hello Kitty-themed aircraft and has a collage of 19 Sanrio characters joining hands the entire length of the aircraft.

On board, it’s all about Hello Kitty, starting with the boarding passes and baggage stickers. Inside the plane, the cabin crew wears pink aprons with Hello Kitty designs and there are more than 100 in-flight service items with Hello Kitty themes – including the headrest covers, pillows, napkins, paper cups, utensils, snacks and meals.

Hello Kitty economy meal

Want to ride on this plane? EVA operates the Hello Kitty Hand-in-Hand Jet on three of its four weekly Paris flights as BR88 from Paris’ Charles de Gaulle (CDG) to Taiwan’s Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) on Monday, Thursday and Saturday. Return flight BR87 flies TPE – CDG on Sunday, Wednesday and Friday.

Hello Kitty plane saying bye-bye to LAX

EVA HelloKit Hand in Hand Jet runway_CourtesyEVAAIR

Eva Air’s Hello Kitty “Hand-in-Hand” jet that has been flying between Taipei and Los Angeles since 2013 will change routes at the end of October and fly instead between Taipei and Paris.

Eva Airways said the charmingly liveried plane starts the new route  October 29, 2014.

The airline operates a total of four weekly flights between Taipei and Paris and in late October will add the Hello Kitty Hand-in-Hand Jet to the regular schedule as BR87 from Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) to Paris’ Charles de Gaulle (CDG) on Sunday, Wednesday and Friday. On the return, it will fly as BR88, CDG-TPE on Monday, Thursday and Saturday.

The Hand-in-Hand Hello Kitty jet, which is painted in a livery that features Sanrio characters holding hands along the length of the airplane, and EVA Air’s five Airbus 330 Hello Kitty-themed jets. which fly within Asia, will also be getting some new themed service items , including new some new Hello Kitty-themed meals.

EVA AIR NEW KIDS MEAL - coming this fall

Hello Kitty economy meal

Japanese Toys on exhibit at SFO Airport

Here’s a great reason to schedule a long layover at San Francisco International Airport: a new exhibit of Japanese Toys.

JAPANESE TOYS HEADER

Here’s a sampling.

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SFO JAPANEST Toys4

SFO JAPANEST Toys5

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The exhibit, post-security in Terminal 3, is officially titled Japanese Toys! From Kokeshi to Kaiju and it’s not only, as “a feast for the eyes and the imagination,” it’s an exploration of the incredible history and craft of Japanese toys and includes everything from Kokeshi dolls and menko playing cards to battery-operated robots, celluloid figures and this dress made entirely of plush Hello Kitty dolls.

SFO Japanese Toys hello kitty

The exhibit: Japanese Toys! From Kokeshi to Kaiju runs from November 2013 through April 2014 in SFO’s Terminal 3, post-security in Departures Level 2.

Can’t make it to the airport? Here’s a link to more information about the history of Japanese toys and a great slide show of some of the items on display.

(All photos from the exhibit courtesy of the SFO Museum)

Souvenir Sunday at LAX

It’s Souvenir Sunday – the day we take a look at some of the fun and inexpensive things you can buy when you’re stuck at the airport. This week’s treasures come from the new Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT) at Los Angeles International Airport.

LAX TBIT CLOCK TOWER

While flights are now arriving and departing from the swanky new terminal and the duty free shops selling cosmetics and liquor are open, many other retail and dining outlets won’t open till later in October.

LAX TBIT DUTY FREE COSMETICS

One shop that is open: Sanrio Surprises. So no one has to go home without some Hello Kitty-related items.

LAX TBIT HELLO KITTY KEY CHAIN

LAX TBIT SANRIO