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All Nippon Airways (ANA) has officially retired the last aircraft in its popular Star Wars fleet. This brings nearly a decade of themed flights to an end. The Boeing 777-300 completed its final domestic service on Thursday as ANA flight NH 270. This followed a three-day farewell tour that included stops in Sapporo’s New Chitose Airport (CTS), Osaka’s Kansai International Airport (KIX), and Okinawa’s Naha Airport (OKA).
C-3PO was unveiled in 2017 as the fourth aircraft in the collaboration between ANA and Lucasfilm. Its retirement follows the phase-out of the R2-D2-themed Boeing 787 in August 2025 and the repainting of the BB-8 design in 2022.
Fans marked the occasion both online and in airports by sharing photos, memories, and emotional farewells across social media platforms. Ground crews at multiple airports sent off the aircraft with formation waves. Passengers on the farewell flights enjoyed themed souvenirs, character-inspired announcements, and cabin touches that recalled the brand’s earlier heyday.
Before its final repaint, C-3PO will operate one last ferry flight to Taipei, where the aircraft will shed its distinctive livery and return to standard ANA colors.
Anthony’s Take: It’s sad to see the Star Wars partnership end. I am a die-hard fan and never got the chance to fly one of the ANA planes. I did get to fly on the United aircraft when it was decked out for the release of one of the films years ago.
(Featured Image Credit: @AaaNisimine via X.)
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
