On June 4th, the first flight will take off.
Excited passengers have been waiting impatiently for the flight schedules since last month’s announcement of the introduction of the sixth Pokémon-themed aircraft in Asia, the “Pikachu Jet NH.” And fortunately for these travelers, the wait is now over when All Nippon Airways (ANA) made the information of the inaugural trip public.
traveling to Bangkok
On June 4th, the ‘Pikachu Jet NH,’ a specially painted, nearly six-year-old Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner registered JA894A, will launch its first roundtrip non-stop journey between Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport and Tokyo Haneda International Airport.The ‘Pikachu Jet NH’, operating as flight NH 847, is expected to leave Tokyo-Haneda at roughly 10:50 and arrive in Bangkok at about 15:30. The aircraft will fly as flight NH 850 for the return trip; it will depart Bangkok at 21:35 and land at Tokyo-Haneda at roughly 05:50 the following morning.
To add even more flair to the inaugural flight, the operating cabin staff will wear aprons that are part of a limited edition design. The widebody aircraft’s paper cups, napkins, and headrest covers will all have the same patterns. Additionally, ANA promises to greet travelers with gifts of note and boarding music that brings the Pokémon universe to life.
As stated by Junko Yazawa, Executive Vice President, Customer Experience Management & Planning: “Passengers are eager to book their flights with the ‘Pikachu Jet NH,’ and ANA is equally thrilled to welcome passengers onboard the aircraft soon.”
The first Pikachu Jet NH flight is a tribute to our dedication to pursuing all viable options in order to provide our guests with unforgettable experiences as part of our mission to unite the world in wonder. The maiden flight on this specially painted airplane will be a one-of-a-kind adventure that brings the world of Pokémon to life, and we are eager to welcome passengers with limited edition designs.
returning after seven years
The uniquely painted Boeing 787-9 also represents the 11th Pokémon-themed aircraft delivered by ANA after a seven-year absence. The ‘Pikachu Jet NH’ is the sixth Pokémon-themed aircraft in Asia. With the introduction of the Pokémon Jet in 1998, the Star Alliance member became the first airline to fly aircraft with a Pokémon motif.
Pokémon Jet from Generation I, 1998
The three airplanes that got it all began were two ANA Boeing 767-300s with the registrations JA8578 and JA8569, then a Boeing 747-400 with the registration JA8965. From 1998 until 2003, these three aircraft, dubbed as the “Pocket Monsters,” had the original iteration of Pokémon-themed liveries and were only used on a few domestic routes within Japan.
ANA also provided a Pokémon-themed international airplane that went to cities like London and Paris as the game’s popularity spread outside of Japan. Another Boeing 747-400, this one with the registration JA8962, flew the ‘Pokémon Jet International’ special livery from 1999 until 2006 before getting the company’s standard livery.
Pokémon Jet, second generation, 1999
Due to the previous generation’s appealing popularity, ANA debuted the second generation of Pokémon-themed aircraft in 1999 on three Boeing 747-400s, the third of which was registered JA8964, and two further Boeing 767-300s, the last two of which were registered JA8357 and JA8288.
In contrast to the first generation, the second generation’s livery designs were created by kids rather than ANA. The Pokémon livery would continue to be used on the Boeing 747 until 2006, while the livery was used on the two Boeing 767s until 2001 for JA8357 and 2007 for JA8288.Pokémon Jumbo from Generation III
Then, in 2004, ANA unveiled its third generation of Pokémon aircraft, which featured two brightly painted Boeing 747-400s with the registrations JA8957 and JA8956. The previous widebody’s ‘Pikachu Jumbo’ livery, which it wore when it first went into service in May, featured a bright yellow base and was mostly used on domestic flights connecting Tokyo with other key airports in Japan.Up until 2013, the airplane will still sport its charming livery. The later widebody, JA8956, went into service in December with the “Ohana Jumbo” livery and a blue base. Similar to its special-livery predecessor, the aircraft flew more frequently within Japan on domestic routes, although only until 2012.
Peace Jet, a fourth-generation Pokémon
The last Pokémon-themed airplane from ANA was a Boeing 777-300 with the registration JA754A. It was the lone aircraft of the fourth generation. Yes, the fourth generation was significantly different from the first three because it was the only one to have an aircraft that wasn’t a Boeing 747 or 767.The original plan for this aircraft was for the general public to choose which of three livery patterns they preferred. However, in 2011, just a few days before the start of the general election, Japan experienced the Great East Japan Earthquake.
Due to the catastrophe and its effects, ANA canceled the poll and decided to use the ‘Peace Jet’ livery, in which each and every Pokémon that was displayed on the plane made the peace sign with its endearing hands.The contract between the airline and The Pokémon Company terminated in March, therefore even though the aircraft eventually went into service in July, onboard services were no longer centered on Pokémon.
And despite the fact that the aircraft was scheduled to fly its final flight in that particular livery on April 15, 2016, ANA allowed it to continue flying for an additional day in order to provide the necessary air transportation after some bullet trains were rendered inoperable due to the Kumamoto Earthquake.
To sum up
The ‘Pikachu Jet NH’ marks ANA’s comeback to flying a Pokémon-themed aircraft, and it will operate for five years. Additionally, since the airline is the last carrier involved, the Pokémon Air Adventures project will have completed a full circle. This indicates that devotees will finally be able to catch them all once “Pikachu Jet NH” begins operations in June.
