Apr 23, 2019, 11:03 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
The “leaked” first shot:
United’s announcement video:
https://twitter.com/united/status/11...525993984?s=20
PDF of the new livery:
https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/876...jpg?p=original
United’s announcement video:
https://twitter.com/united/status/11...525993984?s=20
PDF of the new livery:
https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/876...jpg?p=original
Out with the Gold, in with the Blue - United Airlines Unveils its Next Fleet Paint Design
Updated aircraft livery is the next step in United's ongoing efforts to modernize its visual brand
CHICAGO, April 24, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, United Airlines is introducing customers and employees to a modernized aircraft livery, which will bring a refreshed look to its fleet. The design is a visual representation of United's ongoing brand evolution while staying true to the history it has developed over the past 93 years of proudly serving customers around the world.
"As we improve and elevate our customer experience, we are changing the way people think and feel about United, and this branding captures that new spirit," said Oscar Munoz, CEO of United Airlines. "Each improvement we've added to our service advances our evolution as an airline, furthering our effort to elevate and redefine customer service in the sky. This modernized design, especially our iconic globe, enhances the very best of United's image and values while pointing in the direction of where we intend to go next in serving our customers."
The next iteration of United's livery prominently features the color most connected to the airline's core – blue. Three shades – Rhapsody Blue, United Blue and Sky Blue – are used throughout the design in a way that pays respect to United's heritage while bringing a more modern energy. The airline is keeping its iconic globe logo on the aircraft tail, which represents the carrier's expansive route network of reaching 355 destinations in nearly 60 countries. The tail will be updated with a gradient in the three shades of blue, while the logo will now appear predominantly in Sky Blue. The engines and wingtips are also being painted United Blue, and the swoop that customers and employees have expressed fondness for on United's Dreamliner fleet will be added to all aircraft in Rhapsody Blue. United's name will appear larger on the aircraft body and the lower half of the body will be painted Runway Gray. United's mission of "Connecting people. Uniting the world." will also be painted near the door of each aircraft.
The new design features core colors from United's updated brand palette, which was introduced last year as a step toward updating the brand's visual identity. Blue continues to be the airline's primary color, with various tones creating more depth and reflecting the colors customers and employees see when they look out the plane window at the sky. The airline's new color palette also includes shades of purple, which is most recognizable as the color of the new United Premium Plus seats are being added to the fleet. When combined, the purple and blue tones create a soothing environment and a more relaxed travel experience. In updating its colors, United is reducing the use of gold, which was added to the brand palette almost 30 years ago. United's new color palette can also be seen in the accent colors of the new uniforms that are being created for more than 70,000 front-line employees.
On average, United aircraft receive new paint jobs every seven years. The first aircraft painted with the new design is a Boeing 737-800, which will be joined by a mix of narrowbody, widebody and regional aircraft with the updated livery throughout the year. For more information visit united.com/brandevolution.
Updated aircraft livery is the next step in United's ongoing efforts to modernize its visual brand
CHICAGO, April 24, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, United Airlines is introducing customers and employees to a modernized aircraft livery, which will bring a refreshed look to its fleet. The design is a visual representation of United's ongoing brand evolution while staying true to the history it has developed over the past 93 years of proudly serving customers around the world.
"As we improve and elevate our customer experience, we are changing the way people think and feel about United, and this branding captures that new spirit," said Oscar Munoz, CEO of United Airlines. "Each improvement we've added to our service advances our evolution as an airline, furthering our effort to elevate and redefine customer service in the sky. This modernized design, especially our iconic globe, enhances the very best of United's image and values while pointing in the direction of where we intend to go next in serving our customers."
The next iteration of United's livery prominently features the color most connected to the airline's core – blue. Three shades – Rhapsody Blue, United Blue and Sky Blue – are used throughout the design in a way that pays respect to United's heritage while bringing a more modern energy. The airline is keeping its iconic globe logo on the aircraft tail, which represents the carrier's expansive route network of reaching 355 destinations in nearly 60 countries. The tail will be updated with a gradient in the three shades of blue, while the logo will now appear predominantly in Sky Blue. The engines and wingtips are also being painted United Blue, and the swoop that customers and employees have expressed fondness for on United's Dreamliner fleet will be added to all aircraft in Rhapsody Blue. United's name will appear larger on the aircraft body and the lower half of the body will be painted Runway Gray. United's mission of "Connecting people. Uniting the world." will also be painted near the door of each aircraft.
The new design features core colors from United's updated brand palette, which was introduced last year as a step toward updating the brand's visual identity. Blue continues to be the airline's primary color, with various tones creating more depth and reflecting the colors customers and employees see when they look out the plane window at the sky. The airline's new color palette also includes shades of purple, which is most recognizable as the color of the new United Premium Plus seats are being added to the fleet. When combined, the purple and blue tones create a soothing environment and a more relaxed travel experience. In updating its colors, United is reducing the use of gold, which was added to the brand palette almost 30 years ago. United's new color palette can also be seen in the accent colors of the new uniforms that are being created for more than 70,000 front-line employees.
On average, United aircraft receive new paint jobs every seven years. The first aircraft painted with the new design is a Boeing 737-800, which will be joined by a mix of narrowbody, widebody and regional aircraft with the updated livery throughout the year. For more information visit united.com/brandevolution.
Revised UA livery revealed 24 April 2019 (sneak peek on FT on 23rd)
Mar 8, 2019, 1:53 pm
#46
Join Date: Nov 2006
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You and me both, but evolutionary vs revolutionary probably means the globe is here to stay in some form.
It was kinda crazy to see the reaction of some people when the current livery was announced. When UAL fans found out the tulip was going away there were letter-writing campaigns, emails to Smisek, batches of tulips getting sent to WHQ; I mean you would've thought someone had died. I loved the tulip and I'll always think of it as being 'my' United; but I swear when that tulip went away some people acted like their first-born had died or something. You don't see that level of cohesion with a brand element very often.
It was kinda crazy to see the reaction of some people when the current livery was announced. When UAL fans found out the tulip was going away there were letter-writing campaigns, emails to Smisek, batches of tulips getting sent to WHQ; I mean you would've thought someone had died. I loved the tulip and I'll always think of it as being 'my' United; but I swear when that tulip went away some people acted like their first-born had died or something. You don't see that level of cohesion with a brand element very often.
Mar 8, 2019, 2:24 pm
#47
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: LAX and LHR. UA lifetime Gold 1.9MM 1K , DL Gold Medallion, HHonors Gold, Marriott Gold, Avis President's Club
Posts: 3,592
One way to make everyone unhappy would be to switch to the TED color scheme! 
Mar 8, 2019, 2:33 pm
#48
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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It's a tradeoff. Unpainted metal saves weight but the paint is a protective layer that, when absent, requires polishing to stop corrosion. That's what AAL did for many decades.
Newer airplane have a lot of plastic and composite exterior parts. Those parts have to be painted to protect from UV so you end up with a patchwork of painted and unpainted sections. This is what led AAL to abandon the polished metal livery when they added the Airbus fleet.
Newer airplane have a lot of plastic and composite exterior parts. Those parts have to be painted to protect from UV so you end up with a patchwork of painted and unpainted sections. This is what led AAL to abandon the polished metal livery when they added the Airbus fleet.
This is why AA planes were all metal...saved hundreds of pounds.
The introduction of plastics meant that paint became necessary. Look at AAs A300s or MD-11s and you can see how the 'bare metal' look falls apart.
With fiber composite now I think bare metal planes are gone forever.
The introduction of plastics meant that paint became necessary. Look at AAs A300s or MD-11s and you can see how the 'bare metal' look falls apart.
With fiber composite now I think bare metal planes are gone forever.
Mar 8, 2019, 4:37 pm
#49
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 3,361
It was kinda crazy to see the reaction of some people when the current livery was announced. When UAL fans found out the tulip was going away there were letter-writing campaigns, emails to Smisek, batches of tulips getting sent to WHQ; I mean you would've thought someone had died. I loved the tulip and I'll always think of it as being 'my' United; but I swear when that tulip went away some people acted like their first-born had died or something. You don't see that level of cohesion with a brand element very often.
Mar 8, 2019, 5:15 pm
#50
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: USA
Programs: UA Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,194
As has been pointed out, the planes have to be repainted periodically anyway. I thought it was idiotic when they did the whole body in gray but please for the love of whatever Deity they worship (Mammon?), get rid of that horrible purple. What's done is done as far as PE seats for now but please don't ever use that shade again.
Mar 8, 2019, 6:19 pm
#51
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: San Francisco
Programs: All-Around Kettle
Posts: 3,289
I absolutely would enjoy my United experience more if the logo were reverted to the tulip. I know you can't see the outside of the plane when you're in it, and I know the logo has nothing to do with the service provided by the airline, but the tulip just gives me a good feeling. :shrug:
Mar 8, 2019, 8:35 pm
#52
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,851
Topic Check
This thread is beginning to devolve in refighting the merger and a lot of other past history -- As there is little chance of anyone changing their many time stated positions, there does not seem to be any useful reason to make that re-visit. The thread's topic is a forward-looking discussion about UA's future branding and livery.
We are 8 1/2 years since the merger announcement, time to more on.
Remember the topic is "forward looking discussion about UA's future branding and livery."
WineCountryUA
UA coModerator
This thread is beginning to devolve in refighting the merger and a lot of other past history -- As there is little chance of anyone changing their many time stated positions, there does not seem to be any useful reason to make that re-visit. The thread's topic is a forward-looking discussion about UA's future branding and livery.
We are 8 1/2 years since the merger announcement, time to more on.
Remember the topic is "forward looking discussion about UA's future branding and livery."
WineCountryUA
UA coModerator
Mar 8, 2019, 10:00 pm
#53
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: EWR, BDL
Posts: 4,471
The globe is still on tail for the livery update/refresh etc.
Mar 8, 2019, 10:09 pm
#54
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: NYC
Programs: UA MileagePlus 2MM
Posts: 1,567
Customers - irrationally - feel unsafe and neglected when they see peeling paint and deferred maintenance. When the merger was announced, I ended up flying some of the pmUA 757 domestics. They were every bit as safe as the pmCO counterparts - my brain knew this - but seeing the peeling paint on the battleship liveries and the - literal - duct tape in spots of the interior made me think they were rattletraps. They're 757-200's; some of the best planes ever built... but the optics were bad.
Painting them is an important step to building a unified, cohesive airline. I'm not saying it was a good execution - it wasn't - but the theory is right. :-)
Painting them is an important step to building a unified, cohesive airline. I'm not saying it was a good execution - it wasn't - but the theory is right. :-)
Adam
Mar 8, 2019, 10:41 pm
#55
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 19,503
Why? I mean really, why “do it again”?
I can think of no airline in existence today (or even historically) that has a livery so hideous that I would avoid flying on its planes due to that factor alone. I do find the obsession with ‘fixing’ that which isn’t broken annoying. I wish they’d leave the paint job alone and go back a couple of versions on the website.
I can think of no airline in existence today (or even historically) that has a livery so hideous that I would avoid flying on its planes due to that factor alone. I do find the obsession with ‘fixing’ that which isn’t broken annoying. I wish they’d leave the paint job alone and go back a couple of versions on the website.
Mar 9, 2019, 2:41 am
#56
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 4,771
I'm sure there's almost zero ROI for new livery, must be a difficult decision for the bean counters.
Having said that.... the Gold has to go, reminds me of a JC Penney store from the 1980's.
Having said that.... the Gold has to go, reminds me of a JC Penney store from the 1980's.
Mar 9, 2019, 6:51 am
#57
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 3,361
There is absolutely a ROI for a new livery. Fewer colors and/or changes to the design can reduce the amount of time it takes to paint, which is the biggest cost. I’ve heard every day in the paint hangar is at least $100K.
Mar 9, 2019, 7:22 am
#58
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Location: Denver, CO, USA
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Posts: 26,694
Topic Check
This thread is beginning to devolve in refighting the merger and a lot of other past history -- As there is little chance of anyone changing their many time stated positions, there does not seem to be any useful reason to make that re-visit. The thread's topic is a forward-looking discussion about UA's future branding and livery.
We are 8 1/2 years since the merger announcement, time to more on.
Remember the topic is "forward looking discussion about UA's future branding and livery."
WineCountryUA
UA coModerator
This thread is beginning to devolve in refighting the merger and a lot of other past history -- As there is little chance of anyone changing their many time stated positions, there does not seem to be any useful reason to make that re-visit. The thread's topic is a forward-looking discussion about UA's future branding and livery.
We are 8 1/2 years since the merger announcement, time to more on.
Remember the topic is "forward looking discussion about UA's future branding and livery."
WineCountryUA
UA coModerator
It's impossible to separate the emotional aspects of livery from past decisions. The whole idea of branding is to evoke an emotional response in people - a subconscious alignment of desired emotions encapsulated in one word, or one graphic, or one title.
While for the future, the evolution of the brand is a good step, it's not possible to separate the idea that COdbaUA whiffed on maintaining a strong, iconic brand/logo when they "merged," and instead chose the graphic that was literally achieved by going into a graphics program, searching for "globe," and saying "hmm, that' a globe, we'll use that one."
If UA ever wants to regain its status as the world's superior airline, it needs to think for a bit about a superior brand, logo, and livery strategy. "Evolution" smacks of "lowest possible cost to get us out of this 8-year mess, please."
Mar 9, 2019, 8:37 am
#59
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Mar 9, 2019, 11:00 am
#60
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The current livery is sufficient in terms of minimal colors and simplified painting effort, certainly in comparison to other airlines. There is no value in redoing the branding at this point given the almost endless list of other priorities that need addressing before tackling something with absolutely zero usefulness.