On June 4th, the first flight will leave.
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, “Pikachu Jet NH.” And fortunately for these travelers, the wait is now over when All Nippon Airways (ANA) revealed the specifics of the maiden trip.
headed for 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 Tokyo Haneda International Airport and Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi 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, departing Bangkok at 21:35 and landing at Tokyo-Haneda at roughly 05:50 the following morning.
To further liven up the debut flight, the operating cabin crew will wear special edition themed aprons. The widebody aircraft’s paper cups, napkins, and headrest covers will all have matching patterns. Additionally, ANA promises to greet passengers with gifts of note and boarding music that brings the Pokémon universe to life.
While travelers are eager to reserve seats on the “Pikachu Jet NH,” ANA is also excited to welcome travelers onboard the aircraft soon, as stated by Junko Yazawa, Executive Vice President, Customer Experience Management & Planning:
The maiden Pikachu Jet NH flight is a tribute to our dedication to pursuing all viable options in order to provide our passengers 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 Pokémon world to life, and we are eager to welcome passengers with limited edition designs.
a return after seven years
The uniquely painted Boeing 787-9 also represents the eleventh Pokémon-themed aircraft delivered by ANA after a seven-year break. 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 an aircraft with a Pokémon motif.
Pokémon Jet from the first generation, released in 1998
The three aircraft that got it all started were two ANA Boeing 767-300s with the registrations JA8578 and JA8569, followed by a Boeing 747-400 with the registration JA8965. From 1998 to 2003, these three aircraft, known as the “Pocket Monsters,” were only used on a limited number of domestic routes within Japan and wore the first generation of Pokémon-themed liveries.
And as Pokémon started to become well-known outside of Japan, ANA started to provide a Pokémon-themed international flight that went to places like London and Paris, among others. Another Boeing 747-400, this one with the registration JA8962, flew the ‘Pokémon Jet International’ special livery from 1999 to 2006 before being repainted in the company’s usual livery.
Pokémon Jet from the second generation, released in 1999.
Due to the previous generation’s appealing popularity, ANA introduced 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 children rather than ANA. The Pokémon livery was used on the Boeing 747 until 2006 while it was used on the two Boeing 767s until 2001 for JA8357 and 2007 for JA8288.Pokémon Jumbo from Generation Three
Then, in 2004, ANA unveiled the third generation of its Pokémon aircraft, which featured two brightly painted Boeing 747-400s with the registration numbers JA8957 and JA8956. The former widebody was largely used on domestic flights connecting Tokyo with other major airports in Japan when it first entered service in May.
It was outfitted with a bright yellow base in what was known as the “Pikachu Jumbo” livery.The airplane would retain the charming livery until 2013. The later widebody, JA8956, went into service in December and had a “Ohana Jumbo” livery with a blue base. Similar to its special-livery predecessor, the aircraft was used more frequently for domestic flights within Japan, although only until 2012.
Pokémon Peace Jet from the fourth generation
The last Pokémon-themed airplane from ANA was a Boeing 777-300 with the registration JA754A. It was the sole fourth-generation aircraft. Yes, the fourth generation was very 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 vote on which of three livery patterns they preferred. But in 2011, just a few days before the start of the general election, Japan experienced the Great East Japan Earthquake.
Due to the disaster and its effects, ANA canceled the poll and decided to use the ‘Peace Jet’ livery, in which all of the lovely Pokémon who were depicted on the plane made the peace sign with their adorable hands.Although the aircraft eventually went into service in July, the onboard services were no longer Pokémon-themed because the contract between the airline and The Pokémon Company expired in March. Although 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 by the Kumamoto Earthquake.
In summary
The ‘Pikachu Jet NH’ marks ANA’s comeback to flying Pokémon-themed aircraft, and it will operate for five years. Additionally, because the airline is the last carrier involved, the Pokémon Air Adventures project will have completed a full circle. This implies that devotees will finally be able to catch them all once “Pikachu Jet NH” begins operations in June.
