HappyLifestyleJournal
There is a new item on the to-do list of every die-hard Star Wars fan: fly in the new Star Wars themed plane. For this special experience just go to Japanese ANA Airways and book the next flight in the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner – the very first flight is scheduled for fall 2015. This aircraft is inspired by R2-D2 and made to resemble it, with the Star Wars signature spanning the length behind the wings.
This is the first time that a character from this most famous space franchise appears on a commercial airplane, but it is said to be just “the beginning of a five-year ANA Star Wars project”. To see what this work of art looks like, check out this YouTube video.
This newest arrangement between ANA Airways and Star Wars isn’t the only one. There are plenty of others who decided that the best way to advertise is to put it in the sky. Here are some of the most interesting airplanes up there…
Ed Force One
This one has an interesting story behind it: while taking a time-out with his band (Iron Maiden), Bruce Dickinson gained a commercial pilot’s license and became a captain for the British airline Astraeus. Even though he cannot be a full-time captain, now that he is back on his regular job with Iron Maiden, this Boeing 757-200 is now there to remind passengers of this famous band.
The name of the plane was chosen by Iron Maiden fans on their official website – Ed Force One won the contest. During their Somewhere Back in Time World Tour in 2008 and 2009, it was used as one of the band’s touring airplanes, and therefore painted the way it looks today. The airline kept the look after the positive feedback they got from their passengers. That’s why the plane still has the Iron Maiden logo on the side and Eddie (from their Powerslave era) on the tail. To see what this airplane looks like, watch the documentary about the Iron Maiden 2008-09 World Tour – Iron Maiden: Flight 666.
SeaWorld
This one isn’t available anymore, but it sure looked pretty impressive! An actual whale in the sky – amazing, isn’t it?
This airplane was the result of cooperation between Southwest Airlines and SeaWorld Entertainment. The airline company had several of their planes painted with logos of SeaWorld, while, in return, they were advertised in all their amusement parks. The cooperation was ended in 2014, though, because of the pressure from animal rights groups over the treatment of captive whales in SeaWorld parks. Too bad, it must have been pretty cool flying inside a killer whale, don’t you think?
Hello Kitty
Well, this had to happen, right? Hello Kitty has spread their wings everywhere, literally. Now, their fans all around the globe can even fly without lacking the special Hello Kitty atmosphere. They just have to book a flight with the Taiwanese airline EVA Airways.
This airplane isn’t just painted with the Hello Kitty characters on the outside – they have gone farther than that. If you were to find yourself inside, you would probably be a bit overwhelmed by all the kitty-ness. You would be served a “Hello Kitty-inspired meal”, and that is not all. The airline company went all the way trying to bring you closer to this character, putting it on everything, including headrest covers, safety cards, flight attendant uniforms and even on toilet paper. Well… De gustibus non est disputandum (Lat. “In matters of taste, there can be no disputes”), right?
The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit
Yes, they use airplanes. Well, not literally, but they are ON them.
If you fly with Air New Zealand, you may end up in a Lord of the Rings or Hobbit-themed airplane. This sure attracts a lot of passengers for this airline company. The planes are decorated with the most familiar characters of J. R. Tolkien’s stories – or, rather, the cast of the movies inspired by them. Legolas, Aragorn and Bilbo will be looking upon you during every trip. And, while on the plain, you will be presented a Middle-Earth themed safety video.
If you don’t plan to fly with Air New Zealand anytime soon, you can entertain yourself by watching the safety video anyway. Enjoy!
