EVA Air Hello Kitty Jet makes first flight to the US

LOS ANGELES – EVA Air has introduced its popular Hello Kitty Jets to US travelers. EVA Chairman and airline Captain K.W. Chang piloted the first long-range edition of the cheerfully painted aircraft from Taipei, Taiwan on its first flight to Los Angeles. The Boeing 777-300ER Hello Kitty Hand-in-Hand Jet will be used on three of EVA’s 17 regular weekly flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Taoyuan International Airport in Taipei, Taiwan. 

EVA and the Sanrio Company took a different approach to creating the livery for this Hello Kitty Jet. The always charming Hello Kitty gives travelers a warm welcome, hand-in-hand with family and friends of different shapes and sizes on both sides of the fuselage. The colorful display of 19 Sanrio characters, joining hands the entire length of the aircraft, has been designed to bridge cultural barriers and invite new friendships from around the world. This is the first time Sanrio has featured characters with the familiar Hello Kitty that are not typically depicted among her family and friends.  Along with Hello Kitty and Dear Daniel, characters on the plane include My Melody, Kuromi, Little Twin Stars, Cinnamoroll, Pompom Purin and Bad Badtz-Maru.

EVA and Sanrio worked together to launch the first generation of Hello Kitty Jets in 2005 and 2006. Starting in 2011, the two companies began developing this second generation of EVA Hello Kitty Jets. EVA operates five shorter-range versions of the aircraft on regional flights from Taiwan to Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Mainland China and Guam. Each with its own unique theme, the specially painted aircraft include the EVA Hello Kitty Magic, Apple, Global, Happy Music and Speed Puff Jets.

Conceived by the airline’s chairman to make flying fun, EVA’s Hello Kitty Jets have proven to be popular among travelers worldwide.  EVA chose Los Angeles as its first long-range Hello Kitty Jet route to not only attract more passengers from the United States but also to demonstrate the importance of the route.

The Hello Kitty Jet experience begins with check-in at the airport with Hello Kitty boarding passes and baggage stickers. Onboard, the cabin crew wears pink aprons that have Hello Kitty designs and passengers use more than 100 in-flight service items decorated with the irresistible characters. Items include Hello Kitty headrest covers, pillows, tissue, hand cream, hand-washing liquid, napkins, paper cups, utensils, snacks and meals. Especially for the Hello Kitty Hand-in-Hand Jet, EVA has developed new inflight service item designs and created a new selection of limited-edition Hello Kitty duty-free products that fans can buy during flights.

EVA’s 312-seat Boeing 777 Hello Kitty Jet is configured with three cabins, Royal Laurel, Elite and Economy Classes. Deployment of this aircraft marks EVA’s successful completion of 777 business cabin upgrades that it began introducing in June 2012.

Though the premier Hello Kitty Jet flight on Sept. 18 operated as BR12 and the departure in the early morning of Sept. 19 as BR01, the regular schedule is different.  Effective Sept. 20, EVA’s trans-Pacific Hello Kitty Jet schedule will be BR15 LAX – TPE on Monday, Thursday and Saturday and BR16 TPE – LAX on Sunday, Wednesday and Friday.  EVA offers a total of 17 weekly flights from Los Angeles to Taipei.

The newest member of Star Alliance, EVA links an international network of major destinations worldwide, including dozens of cities in China and throughout Asia. From Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, San Francisco, Toronto and Vancouver, it offers more trans-Pacific flights from North America to Taipei where, with one easy stop, it offers passengers onward connections to more major business and leisure centers than any other airline.

Sourced: TravelDailyNews