Just earlier today I was daydreaming about going to Japan to see the cherry blossoms, then I received a certain press release in my inbox. I normally don’t post these things but I thought I’d go ahead and share since it combines two of my all-time favorite things: Japan + Star Wars!
ANA, Japan’s largest airline, was at a lot of the conventions last year with a model of their special BB-8 Jet. Well, i’s now time for the real, full-sized thing to take flight! It was announced over the weekend the inaugural flight of the last of it’s three special Star Wars-themed aircraft. After it’s March 27th unveiling ceremony, the BB-8 ANA JET will depart from Haneda, Japan to Los Angeles on March 29th.
Besides a super awesome exterior design, what else does the BB-8 JET have in store for passengers? There are specially-designed BB-8 paper cups and headrest covers and attendants will wear BB-8 aprons – cute!
I have no idea how much an airline ticket for it will cost, but going to Japan is one of my top bucket list items and I can’t think of a more “me” way to cross that item off my list than to fly over on a Star Wars themed jet! What’s also kind of neat is that while ANA has two other Star Wars-themed aircraft, this is the only one with flights to the US (current routes are Haneda to LA and Narita, Japan to New York, Houston, Chicago, Washington DC and Singapore). The R2-D2 JET is currently only international flights (Haneda to Beijing, Paris, Sydney, Munich, Jakarta) and the STAR WARS JET is only domestic Japan flights.
If you’re like me and hope to fly on this adorable jet one day, your dream might come true! ANA is hosting a sweepstakes where one lucky winner and a friend will get a pair of round-trip tickets from Los Angeles to Tokyo on the first outbound flight! To enter and for more details, visit https://www.ana-sw.com/news/. If you’re wondering, yes, I’ve already entered xD Full press release after the cut.
What themed aircraft would you like to see next?
Los Angeles, March 4, 2016 – ANA, Japan’s largest airline, announced today the inaugural flight of the final of three aircraft decorated with special Star Wars livery. Part of the previously announced ANA STAR WARS™ Project the last aircraft, the BB-8™ ANA JET (Boeing 777-300), featuring the new character from the movie Star Wars: The Force Awakens, will roll out on March 27 and commence international routes.
After unveiling the aircraft in a ceremony on March 27 at Osaka’s Itami Airport, where the special livery was applied, the aircraft will make a one-off domestic flight as ANA22 from Itami to Haneda, before departing the airport at five minutes past midnight on the following day (March 29) as flight ANA106 to Los Angeles, marking the start of the aircraft’s international service. The aircraft is then scheduled to fly various international routes, principally routes linking Haneda, Narita and US – Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Washington D.C., and Houston.
Passengers on the BB-8™ ANA JET will experience the world of Star Wars with specially-designed BB-8 paper cups and headrest covers and cabin attendants will wear BB-8 aprons. On the R2-D2™ ANA JET, which is already in service (Boeing 787-9 flying international routes), cabin attendants wear R2-D2 aprons.
One lucky winner and a friend will be among the first to experience the BB-8™ ANA JET with a pair of round-trip economy class tickets from Los Angeles to Tokyo on the first outbound flight through the BB-8™ ANA JET SWEEPSTAKES. 50 other winners will receive a special BB-8™ ANA JET model plane. Fans can enter to win now. For more details, visit https://www.ana-sw.com/news/.
