Taiwan-based airline EVA Air is again with a “candy and joyful” custom — and one of many extra attention-grabbing inflight experiences you will ever see.
The provider this week debuted its newest plane adorned in Howdy Kitty livery. The decked-out Boeing 777-300ER touched down Wednesday night time at Chicago’s O’Hare Worldwide Airport (ORD), and will probably be making three weekly appearances on the hub going ahead.
This freshly painted 777 is EVA’s fourth Howdy Kitty-themed plane, and this one is nicknamed the “Besties Jet.” Like prior generations of the cartoon-centric aircraft, this wide-body options a number of well-known Sanrio characters, from Howdy Kitty herself to My Melody and Kuromi.
Not like among the different eccentric liveries you will see on the exteriors of economic planes, the Howdy Kitty theme runs a lot deeper than a paint job. It reveals up in nearly each facet of the inflight service.
Howdy Kitty jet’s O’Hare arrival
Fittingly, the jet arrived to vital fanfare in Chicago on Wednesday night time. It began with a water salute because the plane pulled as much as the gate, and there have been excited gasps from vacationers and followers as they acquired their first glimpse of the jet.
However that was solely the start of the celebration.
Inside O’Hare’s Terminal 5, shades of pink, shiny lights, music and meals made the event unmistakable.
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This was not your common inaugural flight gateside celebration.
EVA Air, identified for its high-end inflight meal service, provided passengers a style of its culinary staff’s expertise with a mouthwatering array of hors d’oeuvres.
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EVA’s catering staff provided dishes like savory scallops with celeriac mousseline, purple cauliflower with romesco sauce, bresaola and asparagus with creme fraiche, and savory lobster with leek mousseline. To not point out, there was a delicious array of elaborate desserts.
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What to anticipate on EVA Air’s Howdy Kitty flight
Then there was the Howdy Kitty stuff … a number of it.
The provider confirmed off the complimentary and duty-free objects obtainable on these themed flights, together with Howdy Kitty headrest covers and slippers for passengers in every cabin. (The black ones are for enterprise class.)
Customized-designed place settings are used for the meal service, and particular Howdy Kitty packing containers are even obtainable for the youngsters’s meals. Throughout gateside remarks, EVA President Clay Solar — who traveled to Chicago for the occasion — stated these are a selected favourite.
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“I feel through the years, passengers get pleasure from using on EVA’s Howdy Kitty jet very a lot. They’ve been captivated by the design and onboard facilities — particularly the charming kids’s meals,” Solar stated.
He let the viewers in on an “inner secret.”
“A few of the adults, once they make a reserving, they are saying, ‘Oh, I would like the kid’s meal,'” Solar stated. “They are saying, ‘Nicely, as a result of it’s totally, very cute.'”
3 weekly flights from Chicago
EVA’s first Besties Jet flight from Chicago took off from O’Hare at simply after midnight Thursday.
The 777 will fly the Chicago-to-Taipei route on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at some point of the airline’s summer season schedule. It is going to shift to Monday, Wednesday and Friday operations in the course of the winter months.
The airline stated that on days when EVA flies a extra traditional-looking jet to Chicago, passengers from O’Hare will nonetheless get the complete complement of onboard facilities.
Can you employ factors to ebook the EVA Air Howdy Kitty aircraft?
If you happen to’re hoping to ebook a seat on the EVA Air Howdy Kitty jet, utilizing factors is an effective way to save cash.
To do that, one choice is to switch versatile bank card rewards to the EVA Air Infinity MileageLands program. You’ll be able to switch Citi ThankYou Rewards factors to this system at a 1:1 ratio. You can too switch Capital One miles to EVA, however at a diminished 4:3 ratio.
Discover Star Alliance award house
There’s an alternative choice in case you’re not a Capital One or Citi ThankYou member: Discover award house on considered one of EVA’s companions within the world Star Alliance. It features a host of carriers, from United Airways and Air Canada in North America to different fashionable airline applications like Avianca LifeMiles and Singapore Airways KrisFlyer.
With only a fast search, I discovered economy-class redemptions on the EVA Howdy Kitty flight by Air Canada Aeroplan beginning as little as 50,000 factors, one-way.
I additionally discovered one-way economic system redemptions beginning at simply 47,000 miles by Avianca LifeMiles.
From American Specific Membership Rewards to Chase Final Rewards and Bilt Rewards, there are tons of choices for tranferring bank card rewards to main Star Alliance carriers.
Plus, proper now, there are some profitable bank card welcome gives that would assist offer you a leg up together with your redemption, together with Chase’s Ink Enterprise Most well-liked® Credit score Card. Between now and Sept. 5, new cardholders can earn as much as 120,000 Chase Final Rewards factors after spending $8,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Learn extra: Ink Enterprise Most well-liked Credit score Card overview: A fantastic all-around enterprise card
EVA Air’s Howdy Kitty flights
EVA Air’s 777 is specified by a three-cabin configuration that includes lie-flat business-class pods, premium economic system recliners and effectively over 200 seats in the principle cabin.
Present variations of the Howdy Kitty-themed plane embody the “Dangerous Badtz-Maru Journey Enjoyable” plane flying on EVA’s route from Taipei to Clark within the Philippines. Its “Celebration Flight” and “Joyful Dream” plane alternate service on the Bali and Cebu, Philippines, routes.
Need to double-check that you simply’re really reserving a flight on the Howdy Kitty aircraft? The airline gives extra particulars on that on this web page.
Wherever the Howdy Kitty plane flies, it attracts world curiosity from followers and vacationers, Andrew Su, govt vice chairman of EVA Air and head of the provider’s North America operations, stated.
“It is rather profitable to attract consideration from the general public,” Su advised TPG. “There’s lots of people, particularly mother and father with their kids, they attempt to discover the Kitty jet, touring particularly in summer season, within the winter, and are so excited to get on the plane.”
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