A decade ago, All Nippon Airways (ANA) embarked on an exciting journey with its Star Wars Project, collaborating with the iconic movie franchise to create a series of special aircraft liveries. Among these, the Boeing 787-9 adorned with the eye-catching R2-D2 design quickly became a fan favorite. Today marks the end of an era as this beloved livery takes its final flight, wrapping up a decade of delighting Star Wars enthusiasts and aviation fans alike. The R2-D2 livery is the second-to-last to retire from ANA’s Star Wars fleet, with the C-3PO design set to bid farewell early next year. The success of these themed liveries even inspired other airlines to jump on the Star Wars bandwagon, sparking a trend of unique aircraft designs across the industry.
The R2-D2 livery has been a standout since it first graced ANA’s Boeing 787-9, registration JA873A, back in September 2015. As the largest operator of the Boeing 787, ANA boasts an impressive fleet of 84 aircraft, with more on the way. The R2-D2 jet was the pioneer of ANA’s Star Wars-themed planes, offering passengers a unique experience with special onboard promotions. With ANA’s agreement with Disney Corporation nearing its end, JA873A is set to return to its standard branding. Before its transformation, the R2-D2 aircraft embarked on a global farewell tour, visiting cities like Paris, Frankfurt, Houston, Vienna, Los Angeles, and Munich. Its final journey in the iconic livery is from Washington Dulles International Airport to Tokyo Haneda Airport, where it will be repainted. Reflecting on this milestone, an ANA spokesperson shared on X (formerly Twitter), “It’s a bittersweet moment for us. The R2-D2 ANA Jet has served us well, but like all droids, it eventually needs to power down. R2’s mission to bring joy to passengers around the world is complete, and it’s earned a well-deserved rest. We truly appreciate how much love you’ve shown for our R2-D2 ANA jet. It’s been an incredible journey bringing smiles to fans around the world.”
The R2-D2 aircraft was just the beginning of ANA’s Star Wars fleet. It was soon joined by a Boeing 777-200 featuring a striking gold C-3PO livery, celebrating the iconic droid duo. This aircraft is one of ten densely-configured 777-200s in ANA’s fleet, each with 392 seats, serving domestic routes within Japan. As we bid farewell to these iconic designs, it’s clear that ANA’s Star Wars Project has left a lasting legacy in the aviation world, proving that a touch of movie magic can truly take flight.
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Originally reported by Simple Flying Read More
