SamAirAi
| SamAirAi | |
|---|---|
| SamAirAi (vector logo).svg | |
| Type | Airline |
| First appearance | Cars 2 |
| Latest appearance | Cars 2: The Video Game |
SamAirAi is a Japanese airline. Five planes from the company are visible at Haneda Airport, along with various logos and posters seen throughout the airport. The company is prominently featured on screen when Acer ends up in a SamAirAi Boeing 747-400 and falls into a purge truck.
History
Cars 2
The airline SamAirAi first appears in Cars 2 when Mater arrives at Haneda Airport to return to Radiator Springs. Above the baggage check-in, two posters for the airline are visible, and several logos guide travelers to ticketing and check-in areas. When Mater waits in the security checkpoint line, a SamAirAi plane taxis along the runway, either after landing or before takeoff. When Finn McMissile approaches Mater, he takes him to a waiting area seemingly designated for SamAirAi as the doors feature the brand's wheel-shaped logo. Evading Grem and Acer, Finn and Mater pass beneath a SamAirAi plane, apparently awaiting boarding, while another aircraft is parked farther away. Surprisingly, this aircraft doesn't display the characteristic wheel logo on its livery. As Grem prepares to shoot at the duo, another SamAirAi plane is visible parked in front of a hangar bearing the company's emblem. However, as Finn retaliates with a missile, the plane completely vanishes, then reappears after the explosion. When Acer breaks his steering after Finn's shot, he loses control and crashes into a SamAirAi 747-400 undergoing maintenance, then falls into the purge truck.
Cars 2: The Video Game
The SamAirAi airline reappears in Cars 2: The Video Game with a much larger role. Various aircraft working for this company can be seen as obstacles on the two runways at Haneda airport: Terminal Sprint and Runway Sprint.
Branding
Aircraft livery
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SamAirAi uses a white and red livery, reflecting the colors of the Japanese flag. The underside of the fuselage and the engines are red, while the rest is white in color. The tail of the aircraft features a large red design, and the logo is placed above the windows.
In Cars 2: The Video Game, several SamAirAi planes are seen sporting an almost identical livery, but in a blue color scheme.
Logos
The company SamAirAi uses several variations of its logo. The basic logo features the name "SamAirAi" written in black, with the word "Air" in red, emphasizing the company's commercial aviation aspect. At Haneda Airport, a variant is prominently displayed multiple times, showcasing the letters "SA" in black and red above the original logo. On a poster within the same airport, the logo is enhanced with a red swoosh below it, a design element also found on the tail of the airline's aircraft liveries.
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The SamAirAi logo.
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Variant of the SamAirAi logo.
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Variant of the SamAirAi logo.
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Marketing
The company name, SamAirAi, is a play on the word "Samurai," a warrior during feudal Japan. The addition of the syllable "Air" helps identify the commercial aviation aspect of the business. It's likely that SamAirAi has a partnership with TurboLoft, as when Acer goes through the SamAirAi 747-400, the plane's seats display the TurboLoft flower logo. What's more, the two flight attendants visible on the plane are Daniella Muffler and Shelley Shift, who normally work for Turboloft. Indeed, Daniella can be seen on board Everett, a Turboloft 747, serving Mater and McQueen.
Two posters promoting the SamAirAi airline can be seen at Haneda Airport, above the baggage check-in area. The left one, titled "The wonders of Asia," depicts a quad-engine airplane (likely a Boeing 747) flying over a Torii gate. Below the slogan, there is a Japanese phrase written (ギグギ カコジ). The right one, named "Fly SamAirAi jets and explore your world," showcases a snowy landscape where the mountains form shapes resembling vintage cars. Both these posters are featured in the book The Art of Cars 2 (page 41 for the left poster, page 42 for the right poster), although the left poster is depicted in another version with paler colors.
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The poster "The wonders of Asia", visible in the terminal of Haneda Airport.
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The poster "The wonders of Asia", in its pale color version from The Art of Cars 2.
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The poster "Fly SamAirAi jets", visible in the terminal of Haneda Airport.
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Location of the posters in the airport.
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Fleet
Aircrafts
In total, five SamAirAi planes are visible. The first when Mater is waiting at the security checkpoint, the second when Mater and Finn pass beneath it to escape Grem and Acer, the third parked on the tarmac, the fourth situated in front of a SamAirAi hangar, and the fifth when Acer falls into the purge truck. The first and the fourth planes are quadjets but appear smaller than a 747, having only one deck, resembling an Airbus A340. The second and the third planes are rather generic twin-engine aircraft resembling Boeing 767s. The fifth is a Boeing 747, identifiable by the double-deck design. It could be the 747-400 version considering the size of the upper deck. Other Boeing 747s are visible in the film, such as Everett, working for the airline TurboLoft.
| Aircraft | Image | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Airbus A340 |  |
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| Boeing 767 | 
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Special Livery |
| Boeing 767 | 
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| Airbus A340 | 
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| Boeing 747-400 | .jpg)
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Staff
SamAirAi also employs personnel. When Grem and Acer attempt to catch Finn and Mater, they descend from the waiting area by jumping onto Ucchi, a boarding stairs truck adorned with the SamAirAi logo on its sides.
Gallery
Cars 2
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The SamAirAi logo on Ucchi.
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Finn McMissile and Mater behind a SamAirAi plane.
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A pipe connecting a SamAirAi plane to the tank of a purge truck.
Cars 2: The Video Game
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The first 747-400 in the "Terminal Sprint" race.
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The second 747-400 in the "Terminal Sprint" race.
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