Japanese airline brings a little Star Wars to the skies

TOKYO, Japan – Maybe it’s no Millennium Falcon, but Japanese airline All Nippon Airways will bring a little Star Wars to the skies by draping a new Boeing Dreamliner aircraft in R2D2 robot livery.

The airline said it will introduce an “R2D2 jet,” a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner painted in white and blue stripes like the trusty, chirping Star Wars droid, with the Star Wars logo in black on the aircraft’s fuselage.

The airline didn’t say what route the aircraft would fly, saying only “the jet is scheduled to fly on international routes this autumn.”

The airline apparently appreciates the droid, saying on its website that R2D2 is “highly loyal and whenever he faces challenge he comes up with an original idea to succeed the mission.”

The latest movie in the beloved science-fiction series will debut in December, and All Nippon says it wants to be associated with the “good service” the robot character is known for.

The new aircraft are part of ANA’s strategy to “enhance its international presence”.

“Although it’s a lofty goal, we hope that like Star Wars, ANA will become well known and loved across all borders and generations,” Takashi Shiki, an ANA executive vice president, said.

Film representatives also took a global view.

“We’re proud of the innovative R2-D2 design, and we look forward to witnessing the first-ever flight of a passenger aircraft featuring a Star Wars character,” said Kayleen Walters, Vice President, Marketing for Lucasfilm Ltd.

“We’re confident that Star Wars fans around the world will absolutely love this design.”

All Nippon also has co-branded planes with the Pokémon franchise. Other carriers that have done so include Alaska Airlines, with Disney characters such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Donald Duck; Air New Zealand, with a Hobbit theme celebrating the J.R.R. Tolkien movie series; and Finn Air, with Angry Birds, of the online app fame.

ANA is the largest operator of Boeing Dreamliners.