Hello Kitty has branded everything from toastmakers to televisions, but the company's biggest endeavor is reaching new heights in the form of a themed jet by Taiwan EVA Air, a 777 that recently touched down in Los Angeles and included costume character performances for onlookers, USA Today reports.
EVA Air told NBC News that the Hello Kitty-themed jet was "designed to bridge cultural barriers and invite new friendships from around the world." The jet will be used on three of the carrier's 17 weekly flights between Taipei and L.A. An EVA Air chairman told the news station that he originally developed the idea to "make flying fun" and attract more passengers, as well as to "demonstrate the importance of the route" between Taiwan and California.
The experience of the Hello Kitty jet, however, goes beyond simply riding in a colorful plane. Cabin crew members will wear pink aprons with Hello Kitty designs, and passengers will receive Hello Kitty stickers and boarding passes before their trip. Everything from headrests to napkins, paper cups, hand-washing liquid and meals inside the jet will also be appropriately Hello Kitty-themed. Passengers will even get to watch a Hello Kitty-themed safety video before takeoff.
"You either love it or hate it," Raymond Kollau of Airlinetrends.com told NBC News. "EVA Air has tapped into this cultural phenomenon in a clever way in order to get noticed." As an added bonus, "many parents looking to book a ticket will be happy to book a flight on the Hello Kitty express as it will keep the kids occupied during the flight."
When the jet touched down at LAX, 19 Hello Kitty characters marketed by the Sanrio company performed a song and dance to celebrate the new plane. The jet is similar to EVA Air's other themed shortbus aircrafts that fly between Asia and Guam, each of which has its own theme like Hello Kitty Magic, Apple and Speed Puff. Because the new 777 flies at much higher altitudes, it took a team of 35 engineers two weeks to paint the massive mural of characters on the aircraft livery.
Click here to see photos detailing the Hello Kitty-themed plane, with everything inside totally Kitty-fied, and click here to see photos from the Sanrio characters' arrival performance.
