Airline Reporter » Livery

VOTE! Which New Timbers Alaska Airlines Livery Do You Like Best?

David Parker Brown — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 16:45:59 +0000

Three great Alaska Airlines Timbers livery. Which is your favorite? Images from Alaska Airlines. Click for larger.

The selection process had to be rigged! Back in February, Alaska Airlines had a competition to allow people to design a new Portland Timbers livery that would fly on a Boeing 737-700. I created, what I think was a pretty rad livery and it is not one of the finalists? I smell scandal. Okay, I really didn’t submit that and the three that are the finalists are much better than mine.

Let’s have a little fun. Which of these three liveries do you like best? #1, which was designed by Paul Wright, #2 designed by John Bode or #3 which was done by Lee Zeman.

[poll id="4"]

Don’t stress too much over the vote, since it really doesn’t matter too much. You see, Alaska has already made their decision. Alaska liked Wright and Bode’s designs so much, they are going to combine them and make one super livery.

About 500 fans submitted their livery ideas to Alaska Airlines and the winners were selected by folks from Alaska and the Portland Timbers. Zeman’s livery ended up getting second place and there were seven others with honorable mentions. Bode and Wright not only get to see their artwork fly around Alaska’s route, but also get a VIP trip to the Timbers home opener on April 14th.

After the new livery is official unveiled in early May in Portland, it will start regular service. To see the other top seven, check them out on the Timber’s website.

Livery Round Up: Air India Boeing Dreamliner 787 is Newest Livery – Let’s Look at All Seven

David Parker Brown — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 03:25:37 +0000

Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner (VT-ANA) now out of the paint hangar at Paine Field. Photo from MoonM.

The newest livery on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner belongs to Air India and their first Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Found this fine photo (and there are a few others of this 787) on Jon Ostrower’s Flight Blogger website. Heck, this is a good time to take a look at all the current liveries seen on Boeing 787′s to date:

Royal Air Maroc Boeing 787 Dreamliner being stored next to the Future of Flight.

There are currently two JAL Boeing 787's also parked next to the Future of Flight.

This Boeing 787 has the ANA tail, but the rest is all white. People are guessing ANA might have a special livery planned.

This is ZA002 which has been in the news recently. It was the first in ANA livery, but there are quite a few now lined up at Paine Field.

ZA005 was the first to have GE engines, but the third to sport Boeing's livery-lite. Photo from Liz Matzelle

Ah, good 'ol ZA001 in full Boeing livery -- probably my favorite.

More should be on their way soon. If you cannot wait until then, check out Boeing’s website where you can preview what different liveries will look like on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. So looking at the liveries in the real and those on Boeing’s website, which one is our favorite? Which one is your least favorite? Mine? Well I have to say that Boeing’s full liver is my favorite and man, it is not easy to pick a least favorite, hmm…

PHOTOshop: Boeing 747-400 in New United Airlines Livery

David Parker Brown — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 19:00:24 +0000

The new United Airlines livery on a Boeing 747.

We have seen the new United livery on a Boeing 737, but now we can see it on the Boeing 747. You know what? The more I see this livery the more I get used to it and the more I like it. I especially like this photo since we are not use to seeing these old Continental colors on a Boeing 747. How about you? Are you liking this new combined livery more?

Update: This photo is in fact a photoshop. I apologize for posting it saying it was a real photo, I was fooled as well. But it still shows very closely what the new United livery will look like on the Boeing 747.

VIDEO: AirTran Making Special Livery – Milwaukee Brewers

David Parker Brown — Wed, 26 May 2010 11:00:52 +0000

AirTran has been fighting hard to get into Milwaukee and they have strong competition. AirTran has quite a few other special liveries already, but this one is special, it is the first baseball livery for AirTran. Catch this Boeing 717 on AirTran’s network and go Brewers!

Source: @FlightBlogger

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Airline Livery of the Week: Germanwings and their SEVEN Airline Liveries

David Parker Brown — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 12:37:51 +0000

Germanwings Airbus A319 (D-AKNF) with Park Inn Hotels livery

I love special liveries. I am even ok when a livery advertises something to make the airline a little money. However, some liveries just go too far and I think this might be one of them.

First of all, it almost gives me a headache to read what the side of the plane says. Secondly, I just get confused looking at a head-on shot of the plane. Third…well I hate to admit it, but it does get my attention.

By looking at the livery you surely know it is advertising the Park Inn Hotels which love their nice colored boxes. But it might take a little more searching to find the airline flying this plane (hint: check the engines).

This is an Airbus A319 flying for the airline Germanwings. The airline is based out of Germany and is a low-frills airline. It has a fleet of about 25 Airbus A319′s and flies to just over 65 destinations.

The airline is known for its special liveries. You can check out their T-Mobile airline livery, the popular Bearbus livery, the other T-Mobile livery, the HamburgShopper livery, the “Mhhhh, Baden-Wurttemberg” livery and I kind of like their “normal” livery.

Wow, that is seven airline liveries in just one post. That has to set a new record!

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Image: Martin Third Av’n

VIDEO: Inside Look at AirTran’s Special Liveries

David Parker Brown — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 00:33:15 +0000

This video gives a great inside look at the process of painting a plane in a special livery. As a big fan of airline livery, I always love seeing the special liveries that airlines come up with. I just with the industry had more!

Video found via Dan Webb’s blog Things in the Sky.

Airline Livery of the Week: Court Line

David Parker Brown — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 20:22:05 +0000

Court Line One-Eleven in awesome pink

Court Line as a major playing in the holiday charter business in Britain during the 70′s. With the purchase of One-Eleven 500s, the airline went with a very special

pastel combinations on their airplanes: yellow/gold/orange, pink/rose/magenta, pale violet/mauve/purple and light green/mid-green/forest green.

In 1973 Court Line took a big risk and took delivery of two Lockheed L-1011′s. Then the 1970′s oil crisis hit and in 1974, Court Line filed for bankruptcy.

Thank you AirlinesAngel for finding this!

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Vote on JetBlue’s New Tail Livery

David Parker Brown — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 19:15:27 +0000

These are your five choices. Click on the image to go to the voting page.

JetBlue is about to celebrate its 10th anniversary on February 11, 2010. To get the party started, they asked employees to design a new tail fin livery that will be unveiled during the celebration. JetBlue has the same livery on the body of all their Airbus A320′s, but each one has a unique tail design.

JetBlue had to go through a lot of great submissions, but narrowed it down to the top five shown on this blog. Now you can vote and the highest ranked one will start flying sometime in 2010.

Go place your vote now!

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United Airlines is Planning a Makeover!

David Parker Brown — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 14:55:16 +0000

United Airlines livery

Thank goodness! United’s appearance has annoyed me for a while now. Flying on some of their planes is like time traveling back to the late 80’s. It seems United has had issues with deciding if they want to update their fleet or not.

Not too long ago they re-painted their fleet in a stormy clouds (my name) livery, which people didn’t like and didn’t last too long. I kind of liked it, even though it was dark, but they decided on a lighter livery (see photo). But they haven’t fully changed over their entire fleet (which I am ok with, b/c the new livery seems dated). It has been the slowest livery change I have ever seen.

The livery is not the only thing they have been slacking on. Anyone who has flown United Airlines in the last 10 years will see a familiar site: the same seats. They call the design “Tequila Sunrise“ and I call it “dated and ugly”.

Good news! United plans to replace all the dated seats with new blue leather seats and they plan to re-paint all their aircraft. And not too soon! Brett Snyder with CrankyFlier.com recently flew on the last United Boeing 737 and it was obvious they were avoiding replacing those seats and I wouldn’t doubt other plans have the same “quick fix”.

United will also be updating their overhead bins, allowing more carry-on luggage and creating a friendlier atmosphere. The crew won’t be left out. Designer Cynthis Rowley is creating more trendy crew uniforms to match the airline’s new (or really consistent) interior look.

This also comes at a time where United Airlines is looking to purchase 150+ planes very shortly. Hopefully this is a sign that United is not going to be a dinosaur and fight for its survival. I wish them the best of luck!

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Source: Gadling Image: Thomas Becker

Follow Apolo Ohno on Alaska Airlines

David Parker Brown — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:30:38 +0000

Apolo Ohno getting off the plane with his face on the side.

The Winter Olympics in Vancouver, B.C. are right around the corner. Alaska Airlines (based in Seattle, WA) is celebrating the Olympics with a special themed Boeing 737-800 displaying a picture of Apolo Ohno on the side. Ohno is one of the most decorated speed skaters in history and also a winner on “Dancing with The Stars.” Ohno is a Seattle native and a local celebrity.

Brad Tilden, Alaska’s president, stated, “The ‘Follow Apolo’ jet will fly across our route system to build excitement for this great American athlete.”

When seeing the plane for the first time, Ohno said, “It’s an honor to be featured alongside Alaska’s trademark Eskimo and have the support of my hometown airline for the most important race of my life.” It has to be odd to see a bigger-than-life photo of you on the side of a plane. There is also a website where fans can follow Ohno’s quest to be the most decorated Winter Olympics athlete in history.

This aircraft adds to Alaska/Horizon’s great collection of themed liveries. Check out more photos of the event.

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Airline Livery of the Week: Kulula Air

David Parker Brown — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:33:56 +0000

Kulula Air Boeing 737-400 with a very busy livery

Kulula Air is a low-cost airline based out of Johannesburg. The word “Kulula” is Zulu for light, easy, or simple. The airline was founded in 2001 and is owned by Comair, which is a franchisee of British Airways. They have a fleet of two Boeing 737-200′s and four Boeing 737-400′s. and they are known for their creative ads and odd liveries.

There is the very, very busy one in the photo and also a nice camouflage one as well.

Thanks AirlinesAngel for the tip!

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Image: SouthAfrica.to

Video: The Making of Continental’s Blue Skyway Livery

David Parker Brown — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 14:14:02 +0000

We have been following the creation of the Continental Blue Skyway livery from the beginning. The voting, the showing, and I was even able to see it first hand while on a layover in Houston.

After seeing my excitement with seeing it in person, Continental Airlines pointed out there was a time-lapse video showing the creation of the special livery.

I know this might be a lot of attention giving to one livery, but I really love special liveries as much as I love retro ones.

Airline Livery of the Week: Armavia

David Parker Brown — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 16:26:43 +0000

Armavia Airbus A320-214"Hovhannes Aivazovsky"

Armavia was founded in 1996 and is the national carrier of the Republic of Armenia. They have eight different aircraft with six different aircraft types, including 2 Airbus A320′s and 1 Il-86.

Airline Livery of the Week: Vueling Airlines

David Parker Brown — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 18:34:25 +0000

Vueling Airlines A320. EC-LAA

Vueling Airlines is based out of Barcelona, Spain. It serves 23 destinations and has a fleet of about 35 Airbus A320 aircraft. It was founded in 2004 and flies to major destinations in Spain, Europe and northern Africa. Four aircraft are named after special passengers: “Eloy Fructuoso” (the one-millionth passenger), “Connie Baraja” (passenger 2 million), “Elisenda Masana” (passenger 5 million) and “Carlos Ceacero” (passenger 10 million).

Image: Xaf

Airline Livery of the Week: Air France’s New Brand

David Parker Brown — Sun, 24 May 2009 18:51:08 +0000

Air France's new Boeing 777 sporting their new livery

Back in April a few milestones happened with one plane. Boeing was able to deliver its 777th Boeing 777 and Air France was able to show off its new livery. Overall, a very minor evolution from Air France’s previous livery.

Image: alexisced73