There are and always will be good and bad liveries out there. What’s odd is that numerous carriers have gone through the painful and costly exercise of re-branding and in doing so have taken steps backwards. Here are seven examples of carriers that got it wrong – 7 livery changes that should never have happened.
US Airways: You need only to look a few inches in each direction to see that I like red, white and black. So, of course, I was disappointed when US Airways switched up their old livery for their current one. From crisp and stealthy to red, white and blah.
Old and new US Airways liveries side by side. Photo by Kevin Boydston via Flickr
So who else got it wrong? Click on to find out.
Air Lanka: For years Air Lanka was the butt of jokes. When I lived in the Maldives the joke on Hulule was told that its IATA digraph – UL – stood for usually late. With that in mind I understand that they needed to make drastic and broad changes to modernize and compete but the transition from the old Air Lanka livery to the current Sri Lankan one represents a huge (at least aesthetic) step back.
Old Air Lanka livery on a Boeing 747-200. Photo by Eduard Marmet
Current Sri Lankan livery on an Airbus A340. Photo by Arpingstone
Aeroflot: Every single Aeroflot livery change since the collapse of the Soviet Union has been a failure. The current livery is perhaps the least offensive of the lot, but as cold and bland as it was I still prefer the simple, soviet style of old. Oh, the perils of perestroika.
Soviet Era Aeroflot Livery on a Tu-144. Photo by Hans-Peter Scholz Ulenspiegel
Aeroflot transitional livery. Photo by Dean Morley via Flickr
Current Aeroflot livery on an A330. Photo by dave_yvratc via Flickr
Japan Airlines: The old livery might have been a little white heavy but at least it had some interesting detail. The current one is a total shocker. The cherry on top being the horrific over-sized sun on the tail. Let’s hope this one is short-lived.
Old Japan Airlines livery on a DC-10. Photo by contri via Flickr
Current Japan Airlines livery on a 747. Photo by Bentley Smith
Spirit Airlines: The old design was very cool – sexy even – with interesting use of colour and geometries. The current livery looks like it was drawn by a pre-schooler with crayons. Seriously, I would love to have a cup of coffee with whoever approved this livery and ask them what they were thinking.
Stunning old Spirit livery. Photo by caribb via Flickr
Hideous current Spirit Livery. Photo by Adam Fagen via Flickr
Bangladesh Biman: I’m not for a second saying that the old livery was a winner. It wasn’t. However, it was far better than the current offering. The new look has a very generic, LCC feel to it. No soul. If you replaced the word Bangladesh on the side with almost anything it would be equally (in)effective. Try it with say Algeria or Morocco.
Bland but effective old Biman look. Photo by Arpingstone
Current Bangladesh Biman livery. Photo by lasif
British Airways: One of my earliest aviation memories was watching a Landor liveried British Airways 747 glide into Lilongwe from the viewing deck. That scheme was simply majestic and so, so perfect for British Airways. I will never understand why it was changed. While I didn’t hate the world tails as much as Maggie Thatcher, they and their successor simply don’t hold a candle to the Landor livery of old. Let’s hope British Airways have the sense to paint up a retrojet in the old colours.
British Airways Landor livery. Photo by caribb via Flickr
Current British Airways livery. Photo by Bentley Smith
What do you think of my choices? Am I wrong? What are you picks? Let me know through the comments and via twitter: @airceo
