R2-D2

Sneak peek at ANA’s Star Wars plane

Courtesy Boeing

With R2-D2, C-3PO and the Star Wars Stormtroopers on hand, on Saturday Boeing and Japan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA) showed off the carrier’s R2-D2-themed jet at the Boeing Everett Factory north of Seattle.

Courtesy Boeing

Courtesy Boeing.

courtesy Boeing

Courtesy Boeing

The cool design features aren’t just on the outside. Inside the plane there will be Star Wars-themed service items as well, including paper cups and headrest covers.

ANA Star Wars paper cup

ANA Headrest cover

ANA introduces two new Star Wars planes

ANA NEW 1

What fun!

Japan’s ANA airlines will soon have two new Star Wars planes, decorated with BB-8, a brand new character from Star Wars: The Force Awakens and with our old friend, R2-D2. The new designs are part of an agreement with The Walt Disney Company (Japan) and will be in addition to the previously announced R2-D2 ANA Jet, which is scheduled to go into service on October 18, 2015.

The new BB-8 ANA Jet, will be a Boeing 777-300ER. The new Star Wars ANA Jet, which will be decorated with both BB-8 and R2-D2 on the outside, is a Boeing 767-300. The previously announced R2-D2 jet is a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.

The decorations won’t just be on the outside. Like EVA Air’s Hello Kitty jets, ANA’s Star War-themed jets will have headrest covers, paper napkins and cups, and no doubt other in-flight service item (Star Wars toilet paper, please…) featuring Star Wars characters.

ANA Star War image

The airline also announcing that it will now offer all six of the currently released Star Wars films as part of the in-flight entertainment options on international routes.

All three Star Wars Jets will fly international and domestic routes. The R2-D2 ANA Jet is scheduled to go into service on international routes on October 18, starting as flight NH116 between Tokyo and Vancouver, and then fly between Japan and other cities, including Seattle and San Jose, Munich, Paris and Brussels, Sydney, Beijing and Jakarta.

In November, the Star Wars ANA Jet will begin flying domestic Japanese routes, with the BB-8 jet starting international routes, between Japan and North America in March 2016.

Here’s a link to ANA’s fun website site with all things Star Wars and a video of the jets “in action”:

Star Wars fave R2-D2 will become Dreamliner livery

ANA Star War image

Move over Hello Kitty, R2-D2 is coming to the skies.

All Nippon Airways (ANA) announced that the adorable rolling Star Wars robot character will be painted on a new 787-9 Dreamliner as part of a five year agreement with the Walt Disney Company. You’ll need to wait until next fall to see the livery flying on international flights, but here’s a short video of what it should look like.

Can’t wait for Star Wars: The Force Awakens to hit the theaters? There’s a preview here.