Hinching

In commemoration of 20 years of flying to China, and 35 years of friendly relations between China and Japan, Japan’s 2nd largest aircraft carrier All Nippon Airways (ANA) has decorated one of its aircraft what seems to be a large flying panda.According to JapanCorp.net, the name “Fly! Panda” was conceived in a naming competition held among elementary school children across Japan. Fly! Panda is unique in ANA’s fleet, and comprises 267 seats divided into business and economy classes. To complete the picture, a panda motif adorns cabin crew uniforms, cups, snack wrappers, napkins, headrest covers and pillows. Dishes served in both classes feature a signature ‘panda’ desserts, with a panda designed choux a la creme with custard cream and vanilla beans being served in Economy class.”With its eye-catching exterior and panda themed interior, meals and cabin crew uniforms, we hope to capture the imagination of customers flying to China and make them as excited as we are about flying to our next door neighbour - especially the younger ones as we move into the summer holiday season,” said Shinichiro Ito, ANA’s executive vice president, marketing and sales. “We are proud of our 20 year history of linking the peoples of our two countries and look forward to next year’s Beijing Olympics as a high point in travel between Japan and China. We imagine seats on Fly! Panda will be in big demand.”The Fly! Panda uniform itself was designed by 副田 高行 Takayuki Soeda, of Soeda Design Seikakusho in Tokyo. His many awards include the Asahi Advertising Award (1976), the Tokyo ADC Award (1981, 1983, 1984), the TCC Special Selection Award (1984), the Mainichi Advertising Design Grand Prize (1985), the Yomiuri Advertising Grand Prize (1987), Creator’s Prize of the Fuji-Sankei Group Advertising Award(1998), the Nikkei Advertising Award (1998), the Japan Advertising Award Yamana Prize (2006), and the Tokyo ADC Members’ Award (1991, 1993, 1997, 1999, 2005, 2006).Why were pandas used for the aircraft motif? Back in the 1970s, Giant Pandas were used as diplomatic gifts to other countries. By 1984, however, pandas were no longer used as agents of diplomacy. Instead, China began to offer pandas to other nations only on 10-year loans. This practice has been termed “Panda Diplomacy” (Source: Wikipedia).