Pokemon characters certainly don’t seem scared of flying, after all, there have been multiple themed aircraft from the franchise over the years. The latest – and first to grace Taiwan – can be found on China Airlines aptly named “Pikachu Jet CI”. The design is fairly complex, and took no less than 21 days to apply to the fuselage. But it’s not just the bright exterior – true to form, Pikachu and his merry band are basically everywhere onboard too.
The China Airlines “Pikachu Jet CI” painting process utilized 36 different types of paint. The fuselage was painted with progressive hues of pastel orange, pink and violet. These complement both the China Airlines corporate colours and the plum blossom logo on the tailfin, giving the impression of a starry night sky with dawn approaching. For those not wanting to count, there are no less than eleven Pokémon characters, including Pikachu flying through the sky with Shaymin, Swablu, Togekiss, Munna, Jigglypuff, Snorlax, Slowpoke, and Teddiursa. A hidden egg with Pikachu and Shaymin appears above the cockpit window, greeting the world as if they were pilots.
China Airlines Chairman Su-Chien Hsieh thanked the Pokémon Company for choosing China Airlines to become a partner in this very meaningful charity initiative. The A321neo aircraft chosen for the livery is the latest next-generation passenger aircraft to be introduced by China Airlines. Painting the livery was a transnational effort involving the best engineers at China Airlines Maintenance Division and Japanese painting experts who traveled all the way to Taiwan. In the spirit of the “Pokémon Air Adventures”, China Airlines invited healthcare workers who were on the front-lines of epidemic prevention and members of the travel industry to witness the birth of “Pikachu Jet CI.”
Exclusive Boarding Passes, Name Tags and Themed Pillows
Heaven forbid you don’t like Pokemon, after all, travellers flying aboard the “Pikachu Jet CI” will be joined by Pokémons upon check-in through exclusive board passes and name tags. The passenger cabins and meals will feature Pikachu Jet CI – themed pillows, traymats, paper cups, and mixed snacks. Flight attendants will wear aprons featuring Pikachu in flight. The entertainment system will include 10 hand-picked Pokémon animations so that travelers can immerse themselves in Pokémon fun at all times.
In addition to the aircraft amenities, peripheral merchandise is now being jointly developed by China Airlines and the Pokémon Company. Four items include China Airlines “Pikachu Jet CI” model aircraft, mixed snack gift box, tote bag and flight attendant apron will be progressively released before the first quarter of next year. Travellers on Asia, Palau and Guam flights will be able to order Pokémon merchandise exclusive to China Airlines online before departure.
A “Pikachu Jet CI” section has been added to the China Airlines website. The aviation-themed website will feature an introduction to the Pokémon Air Adventures program, pictures and videos of the liveried aircraft, event albums, in-flight supplies, peripheral merchandise, and flight information.
TheDesignAir 