Themed aircraft have been around for a while, and they seem to be gaining in popularity, particularly in Asia, where the Pokemon Planes are almost a destination in their own right. Now it is Chicago O’Hare Airport’s time to get in the swing of things, put out the decorations and have some fun following the launch of the Hello Kitty Besties Jet operated by EVA Air.
The cats out of the bag
This week, EVA Air, Taiwan’s first privately owned international airline, proudly announced the launch of its newest Hello Kitty Besties Jet, a Boeing 777 with a special Hello Kitty-themed livery. The aircraft flew from Taipei to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) on Wednesday evening and will now regularly operate the Chicago—Taipei service.
Photo: EVA Air
As befitting an aircraft of this stature, a special ceremony was held at Chicago O’Hare International to welcome the Hello Kitty Besties Jet. The ceremony included a traditional water salute followed by a reception with live music. The 2015 Boeing 777-300ER, registration B-16722 and MSN 42107, departed ORD on Thursday at 00:49 and arrived in Taiwan’s Taipei Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) at 04:27 after a 14:38-hour flight.
The 777-300ER will continue to operate this service every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday during the summer schedule and switch to Monday, Wednesday and Friday for the winter schedule. EVA Air President Clay Sun said Chicago is a vital leisure and commercial hub in the United States, and the airline is excited to launch its Hello Kitty Besties Jet on the Chicago-Taipei route.
“Our Hello Kitty Jets have earned a range of awards and accolades, and we look forward to continuing to deliver the exceptional care and high standards our passengers have come to expect when flying with EVA Air.”
Photo: EVA Air
This latest launch from Chicago means that EVA Air (EVA) now has four routes featuring Hello Kitty Jets. The Hello Kitty Besties Jet will fly the Chicago route, BAD BADTZ-MARU Travel Fun the Clark (Philippines) route, and Celebration Flight and Joyful Dream will alternate on the Bali (Indonesia) and Cebu (Philippines) services.
It’s a Hello Kitty World
The Hello Kitty Besties Jet will feature interior and exterior designs of beloved Sanrio characters, including Hello Kitty, My Melody and the popular character Kuromi. Specially designed headsets and custom-designed place settings during meal service will also be available, all designed to immerse passengers “in a sweet and joyful atmosphere, surrounded by Hello Kitty elements throughout the cabin.”
Photo: EVA Air
The Hello Kitty Besties Jet design is crafted with the vision that every passenger can embark on a journey with their loved ones, exploring the world together and creating unforgettable memories along the way. Eva has not forgotten passengers who travel on the other days of the week. The in-cabin amenities will remain the same Hello Kitty theme, so they can have a Hello Kitty experience onboard a standard EVA aircraft.
Photo: EVA Air
EVA Air operates 87 weekly flights on its North American routes to gateways in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto and Vancouver, making it one of the leading trans-Pacific carriers. Its fleet of more than 80 Airbus and Boeing aircraft operate to more than 60 international destinations throughout Asia, Oceania, Europe and North America.