May the Force Be With You — Star Wars Plane Takes First Flight

Boarding a plane is typically a pretty boring process.

However, when Chewbacca walks down the aisle and places a suitcase in the overhead compartment, things get exponentially more exciting.


After months of anticipation, All Nippon Airways’ first Star Wars Jet Liner has taken flight. On Sunday, the R2-D2 Ana Jet made its debut international journey from Haneda, Japan to Vancouver, Canada.

But before its premiere trip, the 787-9 Dreamliner first hit the skies on Oct. 17 for a fan appreciation flight. Hundreds of Star Wars fans showed up dressed as characters from the original trilogy, and boarded the plane for a quick flight over Haneda.

Related: The Droid You’re Looking for? ANA Announces Star Wars Dreamliner

In addition to Chewbacca, dozens of Storm Troopers boarded the plane, accompanied by a few C-3PO’s, and a couple of eager padawans.

Photos show the R2-D2 theme applies to more than just the outside of the plane. The seatbacks have a R2-D2 covering, and the napkins and cups also don the robot’s famous print.

The R2-D2 jet will make international journey’s and domestic trips in Japan. (Photo:All Nippon Airways)

From mid-October to late-November, the R2-D2 plane’s principal route will be Narita, Japan to San Jose, Calif.

Starting in mid-December, the Star Wars inspired plane will fly from Haneda to Seattle, Sydney, Jakarta, Beijing, Munich, and Paris. There are also a few domestic flights scheduled for October.

ANA’s website credits choosing RD-D2 as its face because the droid “never fails to complete his mission and surprise us with his clever solutions.”