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)
Apr 24, 2019, 10:21 pm
#301
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: NYC, FLL
Programs: UA PP 1MM, Marriott Bonvoy LTTE, BA Gold
Posts: 6,322
The left BA 747 livery is beautiful...That was the norm, and I miss it.
I actually like the new UA livery a lot. The only decent suggestion I've read was extending the tail design down to the belly. Everyone else is shouting combinations of PURPLE/TULIP/ORANGE/WE HATE CO!/NON-GLOBE/SWOOP-LOOKS-LIKE-A-FROWN or, worse, not offering any suggestion at all. Typical armchair/internet commentary, really.
I actually like the new UA livery a lot. The only decent suggestion I've read was extending the tail design down to the belly. Everyone else is shouting combinations of PURPLE/TULIP/ORANGE/WE HATE CO!/NON-GLOBE/SWOOP-LOOKS-LIKE-A-FROWN or, worse, not offering any suggestion at all. Typical armchair/internet commentary, really.
Apr 24, 2019, 11:41 pm
#302
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: USA
Programs: UA Platinum, 1MM
Posts: 13,460
Evolution of the same theme. Not sure what to say is that at least the globe and United are better from a branding visibility perspective.
Apr 25, 2019, 12:21 am
#303
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 207
It’s just an ugly livery. The globe is a terrible logo. It’s a perfect symbol for mediocrity, which matches the product and service to a T. Nothing here says we want to be a leader, we want to stand out, we want to be an inviting airline.
I am annoyed, however, that those who want the Tulip back are told to get over it, yet there continues to exist the name of a dead airline in the company name, dead companies’ logo celebrated on the tail, and a retro jet with full, complete titles of said dead airline. See the issue?
Maybe it isn’t the customers that should move on, but the company themselves.
I am annoyed, however, that those who want the Tulip back are told to get over it, yet there continues to exist the name of a dead airline in the company name, dead companies’ logo celebrated on the tail, and a retro jet with full, complete titles of said dead airline. See the issue?
Maybe it isn’t the customers that should move on, but the company themselves.
Apr 25, 2019, 12:28 am
#304
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,595
I am annoyed, however, that those who want the Tulip back are told to get over it, yet there continues to exist the name of a dead airline in the company name, dead companies’ logo celebrated on the tail, and a retro jet with full, complete titles of said dead airline. See the issue?
And I like the new livery. Lots of United blue.
Apr 25, 2019, 12:29 am
#305
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 66
Yawn. Is this livery better than the current one? Of course. A CO plane with UA titles was ill conceived from the get-go from a brand perspective. Just like taking delivery of state-of-the-art 787 aircraft but with interior decor from the mid-90s. If anything this is the livery that should’ve been put in place at the merger, not 10 years later.
With the introduction of Polaris it was clear that UA would not be moving in the direction of something revolutionary for the main brand. It’s disappointing that this is yet another missed opportunity to make a more significant visual change to the brand. Given the seemingly non existent marketing budget no one should have expected anything stylish to come out of this effort. Those dollars were apparently all spent on Polaris. Just like you can’t have good catering in the lounge and on board or serving meals in p.s. E+ means J catering takes a hit.
It’s going to take up to 7 years to repaint the fleet. In the last 6+ months UA has been sending a lot of planes in for repaint along with all the new aircraft deliveries. Why not accelerate the project and debut so new deliveries and repaints would be in the revised livery? It’s not like the idea sprouted up last month nor did they seemingly explore many design options. After all this is just a modified version of the existing Dreamliner livery.
With the introduction of Polaris it was clear that UA would not be moving in the direction of something revolutionary for the main brand. It’s disappointing that this is yet another missed opportunity to make a more significant visual change to the brand. Given the seemingly non existent marketing budget no one should have expected anything stylish to come out of this effort. Those dollars were apparently all spent on Polaris. Just like you can’t have good catering in the lounge and on board or serving meals in p.s. E+ means J catering takes a hit.
It’s going to take up to 7 years to repaint the fleet. In the last 6+ months UA has been sending a lot of planes in for repaint along with all the new aircraft deliveries. Why not accelerate the project and debut so new deliveries and repaints would be in the revised livery? It’s not like the idea sprouted up last month nor did they seemingly explore many design options. After all this is just a modified version of the existing Dreamliner livery.
Apr 25, 2019, 12:30 am
#306
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 207
There are early printed materials (Hemispheres, ticket jackets) that have Star Alliance and the Battleship “UNITED AIRLINES” font. I remember flying United at the time and seeing the special livery plane in Hemispheres. Never lucked out and got to fly on it, though.
Apr 25, 2019, 1:16 am
#307
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 4,771
Why does UA have to give any nods to Continental, they no longer exist, the company is United Airlines? Does Delta give any nods to Northwest? Does AA give any nods to US Airways? The so called tulip is actually a stylized flying U, the first letter of the name of the company. As someone posted upthread, the livery is mediocre and I now realize why we are stuck with the clipart globe.
Bring back the U!
Bring back the U!
Apr 25, 2019, 1:51 am
#308
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2003
Programs: UA 1K 1MM (finally!), IHG AMB-Spire, HH Diamond
Posts: 60,174
UA is UA in name only. CO suits took over the joint. Hence the long-standing COdbaUA pejorative
Apr 25, 2019, 2:08 am
#309
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 4,771
I guess that's why IAH is referred to as the mother ship.
Apr 25, 2019, 2:17 am
#310
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2003
Programs: UA 1K 1MM (finally!), IHG AMB-Spire, HH Diamond
Posts: 60,174
^
i thought that was pretty cool gesture to the NW faithful and employee base - given that was a DL takeover in all respects. And even if folks forget, it also sort of looks like it is taking off, which is also cool
i wish there were cool things to say about the clip art globe.
i thought that was pretty cool gesture to the NW faithful and employee base - given that was a DL takeover in all respects. And even if folks forget, it also sort of looks like it is taking off, which is also cool
i wish there were cool things to say about the clip art globe.
Apr 25, 2019, 2:20 am
#311
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 207
Same with AA. They introduced a new livery on their own in early 2013. Then US Airways approached about a merger.
DL doesn’t even acknowledge NWA and hasn’t for years. They did it the correct, if painful way.
Apr 25, 2019, 4:36 am
#313
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 129
It looks lovely! Looking forward to seeing dozens of those aircraft every day.
Apr 25, 2019, 5:12 am
#314
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: NYC: UA 1K, DL Platinum, AAirpass, Avis PC
Posts: 4,599
DL livery came out in 2007, though. They didn’t announce the merger until a year later. It had nothing to do with NW, but I get why people think that.
Same with AA. They introduced a new livery on their own in early 2013. Then US Airways approached about a merger.
DL doesn’t even acknowledge NWA and hasn’t for years. They did it the correct, if painful way.
It it was in motion before being announced.
