Tag Archives: New Brand

Etihad Airways unveils a new Landor livery for its first Airbus A380 and the entire fleet

Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi) has unveiled a new look for the delivery of the first Airbus A380. The first Boeing 787 will follow in the same eye-catching color scheme. This new livery will be painted on the entire fleet. The fast-growing carrier issued this statement and photos:

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), today (September 26) unveiled a stunning new livery design which will be introduced across its fleet.

Created by leading brand consultants Landor Associates in partnership with Etihad Airways, the new livery is inspired by traditional Emirati design patterns, the landscapes of the desert and the geometric shapes found in the modern architecture of Abu Dhabi.

The result is a striking and unique livery design which will present Etihad Airways as the airline of a progressive and innovative cultural hub, firmly rooted in its rich history.

The new livery was unveiled as Etihad Airways’ first A380 rolled-out of the paint hangar at the Airbus Finkenwerder facility in Hamburg, Germany.

James Hogan, President and Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Airways said: “Only a few months ago Etihad Airways unveiled the new cabin interiors for our A380 aircraft and we are now proud to show the world how this aircraft will look on the outside.

“The striking new livery also continues our commitment to breaking from convention and doing things differently. This is a real divergence from the norms of traditional airline livery design and will stand out in the sky and at every airport we fly to.”

The design pattern named ‘Facets of Abu Dhabi’ uses a colour palette which reflects the varying hues of the landscape of the UAE, from the darker sands of Liwa to the lighter colours seen in the Northern Emirates. The design development involved researching design options amongst Emiratis and international travellers to help select the final ‘winning’ livery.

The UAE national emblem is given prominence along the fuselage next to the Etihad name and the national flag is respectfully featured forward near the cockpit.

The design pattern is also a key feature of the new cabin interiors being introduced on Etihad Airways’ Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 aircraft, and is being rolled out across the airline’s corporate branding – from advertising to brochures to premium lounges.

Peter Knapp, Global Creative Officer of Landor Associates, said: “Etihad Airways is undoubtedly a leading airline on the international stage and this new livery is a real step change in the industry. I believe there will be nothing like it on any apron in the world.

“It tells the remarkable story of this region and of Abu Dhabi’s past, present and future, providing a narrative for an innovative airline brand. We used the ambient geometry present in the architecture and culture of the emirate and reinterpreted it with a sense of Arabian modernism which has become synonymous with Etihad and Abu Dhabi itself.”

The entire Etihad Airways fleet of more than 100 aircraft, as well as those to be delivered, will be painted in the new livery during the next three years ensuring that the Facets of Abu Dhabi is seen across the world.

Etihad Airways will take delivery of seven wide-bodied aircraft in 2015 – four Airbus A380s and three Boeing 787-9s – and seven narrow-bodied aircraft – one A320 and six A321s.

Etihad Airways, which celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2013, has introduced unique liveries on several of its aircraft to mark special events and occasions.

These include an Airbus A340 and A320 in Formula 1 livery to celebrate the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The airline also flies a Manchester City FC Airbus A330 painted in the Premier League club’s sky-blue colours with the name and crest clearly visible on both sides of the aircraft.

Etihad Airways’ first Airbus A380 will operate on flights between Abu Dhabi and London Heathrow from December 27, 2014. The two subsequent deliveries of the A380 in early 2015 will also service the route, making it a triple daily A380 operation.

Later in 2015, A380s will operate to Sydney and New York as Etihad Airways receives its fourth and fifth aircraft. The airline has currently 10 of the giant double-decker airliners on firm order.

The Etihad Airways A380 is set to transform luxury air travel with The Residence by Etihad, which features a living room, separate double bedroom and ensuite shower room, making it the first three-room luxury suite in history of commercial aviation.

The Residence by Etihad, located on the forward upper deck of the A380, can accommodate one or two guests who will also have a personal Butler trained by the Savoy Butler Academy in London.

Etihad Airways’ A380 will also feature new First Apartments, which are fully private suites with a separate reclining lounge seat and full-length bed; as well as the new Business Studio and Economy Smart Seat.

Copyright Photo: Airbus (all others by Etihad Airways). The first A380, the pictured A380-861 A6-APA (msn 166), is pictured at the Hamburg (Finkenwerder) Airbus facility.

Etihad Airways:

Previously the airline unveiled images of the Airbus A380 interiors: CLICK HERE

Video: the painting of the Airbus A380:

Video: The unveiling of the new livery:

Video: The new livery:

Video: Time lapse video of the assembly of the first Airbus A380:

Air Austral to introduce a new corporate look

Air Austral (Sainte-Marie, Reunion, France) will soon introduced a new livery and brand. The airline has already issued this new logo (above) and this announcement (below) about the first aircraft to be painted (translated from French):

By the end of the year, Air Austral will unveil its first aircraft painted with the new colors of the company just unveiled and then launch a series of new features for fun, comfort and choice of its passengers.

The new logo embodies the values of closeness, trust, excellence and openness so dear to the company. A desire supported by this new slogan:

“You will always be the heart of our company”

The new logo will reflect the friendliness and smile that Air Austral has with his audience and the quality of service.

For an Image of the proposed new color scheme is available from aeroweb-fr.net: CLICK HERE

Air Austral:

Current Route Map:

Spirit Airlines brings back the Yellowbird with its new bright yellow “Bare Fare” livery

Spirit Airlines (Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood) following Southwest Airlines (Dallas) and Frontier Airlines (2nd) (Denver) has introduced a new full-fuselage bright yellow color scheme based on its recently introduced “Bare Fare” advertising campaign. Previously Northeast Airlines (Boston) and Hughes Airwest (Phoenix) used the color yellow to grab attention. The first flight will be tomorrow as flight NK 259 from Atlantic City to the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood base. The first aircraft to be painted is Airbus A319-132 N534NK (msn 3395) (see below).

Spirit Airlines issued this statement:

The skies will now have a plane with a unique paint scheme that will be clearly identifiable even at 35,000 feet. Spirit Airlines unveiled its new design that matches the bright and bold branding the company announced last May.

The bright yellow plane with black trim began service with a flight from Atlantic City (ACY) to Fort Lauderdale (FLL).

“This new livery perfectly matches Spirit Airlines,” said Ben Baldanza Spirit’s President and CEO. “It’s radically different from other airlines, and it’s fun, just like we are. When you see this plane in the air – or on the ground – there will be no question that this is a Spirit plane.”

The new livery also matches Spirit Airlines low-cost business philosophy. The simple, two-color design is much more cost-effective than more complex, multi-colored designs. Additionally, since Spirit does not spend money on expensive advertising campaigns, the bold and bright design acts as a flying billboard and captures a lot of attention with no additional cost. These savings are passed on to customers with even lower fares.

Airbus A319 N534NK is the first of Spirit’s fleet to get the new design. Six more planes will receive the new livery in the next couple of months. New planes currently on order will come with the new design beginning next year. Spirit planes currently in service will keep their current designs until their regularly scheduled time frame to be repainted.

Update: Airbus A319-232 N534NK arrived at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport for the first time in the new look on September 17 (below).

Spirit Airlines Aircraft Slide Show:

Video: The painting of the first Airbus A319:

Frontier Airlines introduces its new livery

Frontier Airlines (2nd) (Denver) formally introduce its new livery on September 9 with the unveiling of Airbus A320-214 N227FR (msn 6184) with Grizwald, the bear, on the tail. The new livery revitalizes the styled “F” logo of the first Frontier Airlines.

Interestingly this version of Frontier is also bringing back the arrow that was used by the original Frontier Airlines‘ (Denver) Douglas DC-3s.

Although the current Frontier combines the two timelines into one timeline (below), the two Frontier Airlines are two separate and distinct airlines with two AOCs (with a gap between the two) that have shared the same name, heritage and Denver base:

Copyright Photo: Christian Volpati Collection/AirlinersGallery.com. Frontier Airlines’ (1st) Douglas C-47A-DL (DC-3) N64910 (msn 20062) displays the 1950 livery of the original Frontier Airlines.

Video: The rollout covered by Channel 7:

Frontier Airlines (1st) Aircraft Slide Show:

Frontier Airlines (2nd) Aircraft Slide Show:

Southwest Airlines rebrands with a flashy new look and theme

Southwest Airlines (Dallas) today officially unveiled this new livery, theme and logo in a special ceremony this morning in Dallas despite some images being leaked, probably from where it was painted in Victorville, CA. The first aircraft to be repainted is the pictured Boeing 737-8H4 N8642E (msn 42525) (above) delivered new on August 6, 2014.

The company issued this statement this morning:

Southwest Airlines introduced a modern new look to its iconic brand today (September 8) at an event dedicated to its Employees. The airline proudly unveiled a new aircraft livery, named Heart One, airport experience, and logo. The new look puts the airline’s Heart on display, showcasing the strength of the nearly 46,000 Employees Companywide—whose dedication can be felt by every Customer each time Southwest Airlines connects them to what’s important in their life.

“Our collective heartbeat is stronger and healthier than ever, and that’s because of the warmth, the compassion, and the smiles of our People,” said Gary Kelly, Southwest Airlines Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer. “The Heart emblazoned on our aircraft, and within our new look, symbolizes our commitment that we’ll remain true to our core values as we set our sights on the future.”

It’s a big year for Southwest, as the airline introduces its legendary brand to international destinations; the repeal of the Wright Amendment is within sight; and the integration of AirTran Airways operations is on track to be completed later this year. Southwest continues to evolve, serving more than 90 destinations, and expanding its footprint in big markets like New York City and Washington, D.C.

“With all these exciting changes happening, we thought it was time for a new visual expression of our brand—one that marries our past to our present and sets the course for where we’re headed in the future,” Kelly said.

NEW LOOK, SAME GREAT EXPERIENCE

The announcement of Southwest Airlines’ modern new look introduces a striking new livery design, new iconic Southwest logo (above), newly designed inflight materials and magazine, an advertising campaign that celebrates the airline’s unique personality, and a revamped experience both online and at its airport locations, all of which showcase the unique spirit and Heart of the brand, and communicate its focus on Customer care. In addition, the airline will introduce a refresh to its signature “DING!” mnemonic.

To bring this all to life, Southwest collaborated with advertising and branding partners GSD&M, Lippincott, VML, Razorfish and Camelot Communications—each an expert in their own field. The task was given to distill more than 40 years of rich history into one modern, impactful look, representing the exciting future of a one-of-a-kind airline.

“The job wasn’t to change who we are,” said Kevin Krone, Southwest’s Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. “We already know who we are. The job was to keep the elements of Southwest that our Employees and Customers love, and to make them a bold, modern expression of our future.”

“With so much of Southwest’s focus firm¬ly set on the future, it was a natural time to look at our visual identity,” said Bob Jordan, Southwest Airlines Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer.

“As we developed the identity, it wasn’t just about the new livery or the logo, but about developing the total, integrated brand expression of Southwest,” said Rodney Abbot, Senior Design Partner at Lippincott.

“The Heart is our identity the same way the Heart of our Southwest Employees enhances the Customer experience, said Krone. “It’s the finishing touch that makes the Southwest brand unique, demonstrating that Southwest cares about each and every Customer. Even on the belly of the plane, the Heart is a symbolic reminder that we put our Hearts into every flight.”

“For more than three decades, GSD&M has partnered with Southwest Airlines, so we certainly understand and believe in the power of Southwest’s Heart,” said Marianne Malina, President of GSD&M. “We were thrilled with the opportunity to partner with an extraordinary and talented team to bring Southwest’s love of People front and center. This work is a celebration of the great brand that Southwest has become and, most importantly, where it’s headed next.”

Southwest Airlines and its partners did comprehensive research and held numerous focus groups with Employees and Customers to determine how best to create the new look. The airline heard that it was important to remain unique and to retain its personality; for these reasons, Southwest continues to use the vibrant color palate and striped tail that has long identified the carrier, while adding a modern touch, proudly displaying the Southwest name on the side of the fuselage and presenting the Heart on the aircraft belly. Southwest has had several different liveries and logos throughout its 43-year history; remaining current and relevant is critical to the sustainability and future growth of the brand.

As a legendary low-fare carrier, Southwest doesn’t make a change this bold without first assessing cost impact. The approach and focus with this launch has been with the intent to remain cost-neutral by using a phased rollout. Aircraft will receive the newly painted livery within the aircraft’s existing repainting schedule, with new aircraft delivered in the new Heart livery. In addition, many of the future airport conversions will be integrated into existing and upcoming airport improvement projects. Because Southwest is taking this cost-conscious approach to the conversion of planes and airports, it might be some time before Customers and Employees see the new design in person.

Here is the message from Chairman, President and CEO Gary Kelly:

Forty-three years ago, Southwest launched a low-fare revolution that is still alive and well today. Ignited by a Maverick Spirit and a passion for serving others, we set out to do things differently than the other guys. Today, the world is a much different place than it was back in 1971. Our industry landscape is hardly recognizable, and our Customers’ travel habits have evolved. Southwest has evolved too — but we have never stopped smiling.

We’ve been hard at work over the past decade transforming Southwest to be just as relevant and successful for the next four decades. We enhanced our cabin interiors, installing WiFi and offering free live TV onboard (thanks to DISH®!). With the Boeing 737-800 series aircraft, we’re bringing on larger airplanes that are better suited for longer flights. We expanded in big markets like New York City and Washington, D.C. and revamped our Rapid Rewards® Frequent Flyer program. We acquired AirTran Airways, and we’re in the final stages of integrating our two airlines to become one by the end of this year. The AirTran integration set the stage for Southwest to launch international service for the first time in our history, which we did in July. And next month, a federal law (the Wright Amendment) restricting where we can fly domestically from our home airport of Dallas Love Field will be lifted — giving us the freedom to serve more nonstop markets from our hometown.

With all these exciting changes happening, we thought it was time for a new visual expression of our brand — one that marries our past to our present and sets the course for where we’re headed in the future. So this month, we’re introducing a modern, new look. You’ll see it throughout your experience with us. Our new logo showcases a Heart — fitting for a Company whose very core has always been fueled by the heartbeat of its People. Our collective heartbeat is stronger and healthier than ever, and that’s because of the warmth, the compassion, and the smiles of our People. This Heart symbolizes our commitment to you that we’ll remain true to our core as we set our sights on the future.

What started as a revolution has undergone an evolution. But we haven’t changed what we stand for: low fares, a convenient flight schedule, and the friendliest Employees in the world. Our Purpose is to connect you, our valued Customer, to the moments that are most important in your life, through friendly, reliable, and low-cost air travel. That was true in 1971, and it’s just as true today. So, while our look may be new, our DNA is the same — with the big Heart and big smile you have come to LUV. Thanks for coming along for the ride!

All images by Southwest Airlines.

Read the analysis by Bloomberg Businessweek: CLICK HERE

Southwest Airlines Aircraft Slide Show:

What do you think?

Video: The unveiling of the new brand: