Good heavens, R2! You’re flying!

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R2-D2 graces the outside of  this Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner that will fly this fall for All Nippon Airways. Photo: All Nippon Airways.
R2-D2 graces the outside of this Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner that will fly this fall for All Nippon Airways. Photo: All Nippon Airways.

Luke Skywalker does his best flying with R2-D2. Now customers of Japan’s All Nippon Airways can fly with the beloved Star Wars droid, thankfully without taking fire from TIE fighters.

On the same day the second trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens was released, the Japanese airline posted a trailer of its own on YouTube, showing a new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner painted to look like the iconic character.

The R2-D2 jet flies internationally this fall, with the nose of the plane painted in blue, silver and white to look like the head of the astromech droid.

The R2-D2 jet will fly international routes with plans to avoid the Death Star. Photo: All Nippon Airways
The R2-D2 jet will fly international routes, with plans to avoid the Death Star. Photo: All Nippon Airways

“In the long adventurous journey, R2-D2 reached a unique personality,” says a promotional statement on All Nippon Airways website. “Highly loyal and whenever he faces a challenge, he comes up with an original idea to succeed the mission.”

The airline does not say whether the inside of the Dreamliner will feature R2-D2’s characteristic digital chirps, beeps and whistles or if the in-flight movie will be a hologram projection.

While All Nippon Airways says the R2-D2 jet is part of a five-year plan of new “initiatives,” it does not offer any hints on whether other Star Wars characters will grace the outside of its passenger jets.

R2-D2 might have the perfect personality for air travel. C-3PO’s nervous energy would not make for a relaxing flight.

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