Life

You Could Fly in an R2-D2 Plane!

by Emma Cueto

Attention Star Wars fans! Allow me to momentarily direct your attention away from the upcoming movie to another marvelous phenomenon: the coming of an actual Star Wars R2-D2 plane from All Nippon Airways as part of their "Star Wars Project." And I know I am not the only one dying to fly in this thing.

Just to reiterate, this is a real, live, B787-9 plane that is painted to look like R2-D2. This is not a drill or a hoax. It is definitely a publicity stunt, but it is one I fully support. The Japanese airline company behind it, All Nippon Airways, says they plan to start using the R2-D2 plane on international flights this fall, just ahead of the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens (aka Star Wars: Episode VII ) in December. But the plane will continue to be in service for five years, until the year 2020.

In other words, you have five years to schedule your next trip to Japan. Because if ever there was a reason to go anywhere, it is the promise of getting to ride in a plane painted to look like R2-D2. As a child who grew up on Star Wars movies and books and toys and just about everything else I could get my hands on, my inner child (an not so inner geek) is freaking out so much right now. I mean, look at this thing:

It is painted to look like R2-D2!

You could fly in an R2-D2 plane!

Do you not want to fly in an R2-D2 plane? Of course you want to fly in an R2-D2 plane! R2-D2 is the best. He's tiny and adorable and gets stuff done like nobody's business and routinely saves everyone's life. R2-D2 is a boss. The only way this could be better is if R2-D2 were actually flying the plane himself. But I get that he's probably busy saving everyone in the new movie.

So it's only fitting he gets a plane to honor all that he's accomplished. And that we can get to fly in.

(And just for effect, I highly recommend watching the video with the Star Wars theme playing, too. You're welcome.)