On October 18th, All Nippon Airways [NH/ANA] put its first Star Wars-themed aircraft Boeing 787-9 JA873A R2-D2 ANA JET (ANA unveils Star Wars Boeing 787 R2-D2 ANA JET.) in revenue service as flight NH116 from Tokyo/Haneda [HND/RJTT] to Vancouver [YVR/CYVR]. It departed from Spot 110 at 2148 JST, two minutes ahead of schedule.
ANA has configured the aircraft with 215 seats in a three-class layout; 48 business (staggered 1-2-1), 21 premium economy (2-3-2), and 146 economy (3-3-3) (ANA's international Boeing 787-9 debuts.). Cabin LEDs feature green, blue, and red to represent the epic space opera and John Williams' famous Star Wars music is turned on from departure to taxi and takeoff. Headrest covers along with paper napkins and cups also feature the iconic robot character of the movie.
The aircraft had carried its first passengers on the previous day serving a scenic charter flight (ANA's Star Wars Boeing 787 flies first passenger flight.). R2-D2 ANA JET will also be deployed on limited scheduled domestic routes on a one-off basis; Haneda to Hakodate [HKD/RJCH] and Miyazaki [KMI/RJFM] on October 20th, to Hiroshima [HIJ/RJOA] and Matsuyama [MYJ/RJOM] on October 22nd, and to Kagoshima [KOJ/RJFK] and Osaka/Itami [ITM/RJOO] on October 31st.
R2-D2 ANA JET Domestic Flight Schedule:
Haneda – Miyazaki one-time on October 20th.
NH603 HND 0840 – 1025 KMI 789 Oct/20
NH608 KMI 1110 – 1245 HND 789 Oct/20
Haneda – Hakodate one-time on October 20th.
NH555 HND 1340 – 1500 HKD 789 Oct/20
NH556 HKD 1550 – 1715 HND 789 Oct/20
Haneda – Matsuyama one-time on October 22nd.
NH583 HND 0725 – 0855 MYJ 789 Oct/22 *CANCELED AS OF OCT/20.
NH584 MYJ 0950 – 1115 HND 789 Oct/22 *CANCELED AS OF OCT/20.
Haneda – Hiroshima one-time on October 22nd.
NH679 HND 1315 – 1435 HIJ 789 Oct/22 *CANCELED AS OF OCT/20.
NH680 HIJ 1520 – 1645 HND 789 Oct/22 *CANCELED AS OF OCT/20.
Haneda – Kagoshima one-time on October 31st.
NH619 HND 0655 – 0850 KOJ 789 Oct/31
NH622 KOJ 0945 – 1120 HND 789 Oct/31
Haneda – Itami one-time on October 31st.
NH027 HND 1400 – 1505 ITM 789 Oct/31
NH032 ITM 1600 – 1710 HND 789 Oct/31
After Vancouver, it will mostly fly Tokyo/Narita [NRT/RJAA] – San Jose [SJC/KSJC] from mid-October to late November, Narita – Seattle-Tacoma [SEA/KSEA] at the beginning of December, and Haneda – Sydney/Kingsford Smith [SYD/YSSY] (ANA announces Haneda – Sydney.) from mid-December. It will later be assigned to Beijing/Capital [PEK/ZBAA], Jakarta/Soekarno-Hatta [CGK/WIII], Munich [MUC/EDDM], and Paris/Charles de Gaulle [CDG/LFPG] as well.
The five-year Star Wars Project agreement with The Walt Disney Company (Japan) (ANA reveals Star Wars Project.) will take advantage of the release of The Force Awakens, the series' latest episode and the first of the next trilogy, to bolster ANA's brand-awareness in the international arena. Due to overwhelming popularity, ANA has decided to paint two more aircraft in the Star Wars theme (ANA announces Boeing 777 and 767 Star Wars Jets.); one 767-300 is planned for November and a 777-300ER for March 2016.
Source: Aviation Wire, 2015 October 18th. (in Japanese)
*Last edited/updated on 2015 October 26th.
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| Boeing 787-9 JA873A R2-D2 ANA JET is being pushed back at Tokyo's Haneda Airport for its inaugural revenue flight to Vancouver. (Photo: Aviation Wire) |
ANA has configured the aircraft with 215 seats in a three-class layout; 48 business (staggered 1-2-1), 21 premium economy (2-3-2), and 146 economy (3-3-3) (ANA's international Boeing 787-9 debuts.). Cabin LEDs feature green, blue, and red to represent the epic space opera and John Williams' famous Star Wars music is turned on from departure to taxi and takeoff. Headrest covers along with paper napkins and cups also feature the iconic robot character of the movie.
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| The economy class cabin of R2-D2 ANA JET. (Photo: Aviation Wire) |
The aircraft had carried its first passengers on the previous day serving a scenic charter flight (ANA's Star Wars Boeing 787 flies first passenger flight.). R2-D2 ANA JET will also be deployed on limited scheduled domestic routes on a one-off basis; Haneda to Hakodate [HKD/RJCH] and Miyazaki [KMI/RJFM] on October 20th, to Hiroshima [HIJ/RJOA] and Matsuyama [MYJ/RJOM] on October 22nd, and to Kagoshima [KOJ/RJFK] and Osaka/Itami [ITM/RJOO] on October 31st.
R2-D2 ANA JET Domestic Flight Schedule:
Haneda – Miyazaki one-time on October 20th.
NH603 HND 0840 – 1025 KMI 789 Oct/20
NH608 KMI 1110 – 1245 HND 789 Oct/20
Haneda – Hakodate one-time on October 20th.
NH555 HND 1340 – 1500 HKD 789 Oct/20
NH556 HKD 1550 – 1715 HND 789 Oct/20
Haneda – Matsuyama one-time on October 22nd.
NH583 HND 0725 – 0855 MYJ 789 Oct/22 *CANCELED AS OF OCT/20.
NH584 MYJ 0950 – 1115 HND 789 Oct/22 *CANCELED AS OF OCT/20.
Haneda – Hiroshima one-time on October 22nd.
NH679 HND 1315 – 1435 HIJ 789 Oct/22 *CANCELED AS OF OCT/20.
NH680 HIJ 1520 – 1645 HND 789 Oct/22 *CANCELED AS OF OCT/20.
Haneda – Kagoshima one-time on October 31st.
NH619 HND 0655 – 0850 KOJ 789 Oct/31
NH622 KOJ 0945 – 1120 HND 789 Oct/31
Haneda – Itami one-time on October 31st.
NH027 HND 1400 – 1505 ITM 789 Oct/31
NH032 ITM 1600 – 1710 HND 789 Oct/31
After Vancouver, it will mostly fly Tokyo/Narita [NRT/RJAA] – San Jose [SJC/KSJC] from mid-October to late November, Narita – Seattle-Tacoma [SEA/KSEA] at the beginning of December, and Haneda – Sydney/Kingsford Smith [SYD/YSSY] (ANA announces Haneda – Sydney.) from mid-December. It will later be assigned to Beijing/Capital [PEK/ZBAA], Jakarta/Soekarno-Hatta [CGK/WIII], Munich [MUC/EDDM], and Paris/Charles de Gaulle [CDG/LFPG] as well.
 |
| Paper napkins and cups also feature R2-D2. (Photo: ANA) |
The five-year Star Wars Project agreement with The Walt Disney Company (Japan) (ANA reveals Star Wars Project.) will take advantage of the release of The Force Awakens, the series' latest episode and the first of the next trilogy, to bolster ANA's brand-awareness in the international arena. Due to overwhelming popularity, ANA has decided to paint two more aircraft in the Star Wars theme (ANA announces Boeing 777 and 767 Star Wars Jets.); one 767-300 is planned for November and a 777-300ER for March 2016.
Source: Aviation Wire, 2015 October 18th. (in Japanese)
*Last edited/updated on 2015 October 26th.
