A new Pokemon-themed jet has been announced by China Airlines. It joins a growing list of themed airplanes across several airlines in Asia. Pokemon airplanes are some of the most common and most popular flying domestically in Japan and abroad, and this is the latest in that line.
China Airlines made the announcement at a conference in Taipei on July 27th. The reveal of the new airplane design was made not just by China Airlines staff, but by Pikachu itself dressed in a pilot uniform. China Airlines said that they wanted to create an airplane that would welcome people back to the skies after a few years of not traveling due to COVID, and excite everyone about the prospect of traveling again.
The China Airlines jet is part of their "Pokemon Air Adventures" series, and this latest airplane is named the "Pikachu Jet CI." The CI is the code used by China Airlines flights. The airplane is painted to look like the dawn sky, with stripes of light purple, pink, and yellow.
Of course, the airplane is also decorated with Pokemon. Pikachu, Jigglypuff, Snorlax, and more are on the outside of the jet, along with fun balloons, sparkling stars, and flowers. No photos of the inside of the airplane have been revealed yet, but it likely will follow the Pokemon theme as well. Other themed airplanes usually have decorated seats, along with cups, and even merchandise that match the theme on the outside.
In addition to this latest Pikachu Jet CI, the Pikachu Jet C1 and C2 are already in the sky flying for Skymark Airlines, mostly domestically between Okinawa and other areas of Japan. Japanese airline ANA also has both Demon Slayer and Star Wars airplanes currently operating domestically in Japan as well. All of these airplanes are themed inside and out, and their flight numbers are available on the airlines official websites so that fans can try their best to book the special jets.
The Pikachu Jet CI should take to the sky sometime this autumn, mostly servicing the route between Tokyo and Taipei for now. Closer to when the jet actually launches, more information should become available. The Pokemon Sky Adventures initiative also says that there will be more Pikachu Jets coming soon with other airlines, so this is only the beginning.
In the past, some Asian airlines like ANA have serviced the United States and Europe as well with their themed jets, so hopefully, fans outside of Asia will have a chance to experience them soon, too. Hopefully, more flight routes will be announced soon, especially as travel continues to open up again globally and people are starting to fly again more than ever.
Source: Flying Pikachu