"Flying Colors" Identity Theme Going Away? Upcoming New Livery...
Mar 7, 2007, 7:57 am
#46
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 2,062
no offense, but that seems like more of a personal issue
...all of which is more of a rule than an exception among modern Legacy carriers, excluding perhaps older classics such as AA, AC, SQ, LH, and a very few others.
World Tails notwithstanding, who outside of its local catchment would identify BA's Chatham livery with the UK or its primary carrier? What non-local, having never seen an EK plane, would know its tail for the UAE or its primary airline? Etc
and if the whole point of tail design is identity, then it failed miserably. If I didn't pass DL gates so many times on my way to my flight, I NEVER would have known that tail was attached to a DL plane. The design, the name... it has nothing to do with company branding.
World Tails notwithstanding, who outside of its local catchment would identify BA's Chatham livery with the UK or its primary carrier? What non-local, having never seen an EK plane, would know its tail for the UAE or its primary airline? Etc
Mar 7, 2007, 8:41 am
#47
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Wayne, PA USA
Programs: DL MM, Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, HHonors Gold
Posts: 7,242
- UA has the big "U" on their tails - pretty distinctive and closely tied to their brand.
- AA has "AA" on their tails. Again, pretty closely tied to their brand.
- US has their grey stylized USA flag thing on their tails, which is an integral part of their brand
- NW has their compass thing, which again is integral to their brand and pretty widely-recognized.
- CO has their partial globe on their tail. Again, closely tied to their brand for a long time.
- Southwest has "SOUTHWEST" on their tails. Pretty easily identified.
- Airtran has their lowercase "a" on their tails.
The Delta widget is pretty easily recognizable, triangle-shaped (so it ties to the name of the airline - Delta) and fairly well established.
Mar 7, 2007, 5:30 pm
#48
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: QLA
Programs: SBUX Gold
Posts: 14,507
Oh, so you're one of those... 
At least one can make out that it's a stylization of the Union Jack, signifying that it might be a carrier from the UK.
Obviously, some airlines have better brand identity than others. Delta is on the very low end of the spectrum, because "[w]hat non-local, having never seen" a DL plane would know its tail, either for DL or even being a US carrier?
But good job picking out non-mainstream airlines to try to prove your point, only to help prove mine.
...all of which is more of a rule than an exception among modern Legacy carriers, excluding perhaps older classics such as AA, AC, SQ, LH, and a very few others.
World Tails notwithstanding, who outside of its local catchment would identify BA's Chatham livery with the UK or its primary carrier? What non-local, having never seen an EK plane, would know its tail for the UAE or its primary airline? Etc
World Tails notwithstanding, who outside of its local catchment would identify BA's Chatham livery with the UK or its primary carrier? What non-local, having never seen an EK plane, would know its tail for the UAE or its primary airline? Etc
Obviously, some airlines have better brand identity than others. Delta is on the very low end of the spectrum, because "[w]hat non-local, having never seen" a DL plane would know its tail, either for DL or even being a US carrier?
But good job picking out non-mainstream airlines to try to prove your point, only to help prove mine.
Mar 7, 2007, 8:14 pm
#49
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 2,062
....um; what was Europe's largest airline for decades on end, and what is the fastest growing highly-profitable intercon carrier, qualify as "non-mainstream" in your world?
Mar 7, 2007, 8:37 pm
#50
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: QLA
Programs: SBUX Gold
Posts: 14,507
Actually the most widespread complaint with the switch from Landor to Chatham was the latter's dropping of the Union Jack in totality, prompting the switch to World Tails. Though ironically, that would end up going full-circle with the following administration.
....um; what was Europe's largest airline for decades on end, and what is the fastest growing highly-profitable intercon carrier, qualify as "non-mainstream" in your world?
....um; what was Europe's largest airline for decades on end, and what is the fastest growing highly-profitable intercon carrier, qualify as "non-mainstream" in your world?
a) It's painfully obvious that you're an a.netter... I really have no idea what the names of all liveries are, nor do I care to... I was obviously talking about the current BA one.
b) I was referring to EK, which you cited in your example. Oh, and please, learn some grammar.
Mar 7, 2007, 8:39 pm
#51
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Kingdom of the Sun
Programs: DL GM/MM
Posts: 3,708
EK is about as mainstream as they get these days...
Mar 7, 2007, 8:42 pm
#52
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 2,062
Nor any, so it'd seem--- isn't that what started this convo? 
I'm aware, hence the statement
LOL, please tell me that that's not the extent of your wit...
I'm aware, hence the statement
LOL, please tell me that that's not the extent of your wit...
Mar 7, 2007, 9:04 pm
#53
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: QLA
Programs: SBUX Gold
Posts: 14,507
Nope, that was a sincere statement. Read this again....
... and tell me what's wrong with it.
Now that I've had to read your sentence for the 100th time, I think you were trying to say "What was Europe's largest airline for decades on end (BA, I presume, which wasn't even that I was refering to), along with what is the fastest growing highly-profitable intercon carrier (is this where you fit EK in? That statement itself indicates it's not mainstream yet), qualifIES as "non-mainstream" in your world? (EK yes, BA no).
Back to the point:
BA: good brand identity
EK: not so good
DL: sucks b*lls.
Originally Posted by ConcordeBoy
what was Europe's largest airline for decades on end, and what is the fastest growing highly-profitable intercon carrier, qualify as "non-mainstream" in your world?
Now that I've had to read your sentence for the 100th time, I think you were trying to say "What was Europe's largest airline for decades on end (BA, I presume, which wasn't even that I was refering to), along with what is the fastest growing highly-profitable intercon carrier (is this where you fit EK in? That statement itself indicates it's not mainstream yet), qualifIES as "non-mainstream" in your world? (EK yes, BA no).
Back to the point:
BA: good brand identity
EK: not so good
DL: sucks b*lls.
Mar 7, 2007, 9:14 pm
#55
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Wayne, PA USA
Programs: DL MM, Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, HHonors Gold
Posts: 7,242
Well, I do have to admit that I'd never heard of Emirates until Delta partnered with them for a little while. They may be a "mainstream" airline globally, but I don't think they would be one of the first five airlines named by many travelers if you just walked up to a person who travels internationally a lot and asked them to name the first airline that comes to mind.
Mar 7, 2007, 9:16 pm
#56
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: QLA
Programs: SBUX Gold
Posts: 14,507
Semantics out of the way... yes. I mean no. I mean, EK, hasn't hit the mainstream yet. It probably will, because of swift growth and profitability. But not yet.
As soon as I can walk down the street, ask 10 random people who they would want to fly to Dubai on, and have just one of them say EK... then maybe.
PS - I'm bored, and we're way OT. You can have the last word... I'm sure you'll enjoy that.
Mar 7, 2007, 9:21 pm
#57
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 2,062
...thing is, Conde Nast did just that; and guess what airline came in #2 (after SQ and ahead of CX) for that distinction in 2006?
Mar 7, 2007, 9:34 pm
#58
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Wayne, PA USA
Programs: DL MM, Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, HHonors Gold
Posts: 7,242
Just kidding
Seriously, can you provide some form of link to the source? I honestly don't believe that EK would be named that frequently by 10 international travelers picked at random. Frankly, I'm surprised that CX was picked.
Note that in my hypothetical question, I wasn't asking a person to name the first "luxury" international airline that comes to mind. I was simply wording the hypothetical question as follows: "Could you please name the international airline that comes to mind first?"
I would expect a list like BA, AF, SQ, LH, maybe NW or UA, maybe AA, JAL, then a bunch of assorted odds and ends (TAP, SAS, MH, Aeroflot, DL, EK, etc.)
Mar 7, 2007, 9:41 pm
#59
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 2,062
Here ya go:
http://www.hotel-online.com/News/PR2...CondeTops.html
They also made the top three in 2005.
Top International Route Airlines:
1. Singapore Airlines
2. Emirates
3. Cathay Pacific
1. Singapore Airlines
2. Emirates
3. Cathay Pacific
They also made the top three in 2005.
Mar 8, 2007, 9:26 am
#60
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: LHR / BHX / MAN / ATL
Programs: DL DM 2MM - IHG Diamond
Posts: 4,052
Well, I do have to admit that I'd never heard of Emirates until Delta partnered with them for a little while. They may be a "mainstream" airline globally, but I don't think they would be one of the first five airlines named by many travelers if you just walked up to a person who travels internationally a lot and asked them to name the first airline that comes to mind.