• Aircraft Interiors

The Top 10 Airline Liveries of 2014

December 11, 2014  | Written by Kendall Green

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Asiana Airlines

Asiana Airlines added six double-deck A380 jetliners to the fleet this year. The first completed jetliner rolled out of the Hamburg, Germany paint shop in May with a lively seven-color vertical tailplane.

Etihad Airways

Etihad Airways’ updated triangular livery garnered a lot of attention this year. The dramatic after dark unveiling  left some critics wondering what the colors would render under normal lighting conditions. In the end, the caramel tone theme was a hit.

JetBlue

On Veterans Day this year JetBlue unveiled a special surprise livery to honor current and former members of the United States Armed Forces. The very same day 120 veterans buckled up for the plane’s maiden trip from JFK to DCA in Washington.

Air Inuit

Air Inuit went through some major transformations this year. Canadian branding consultant Marc-Andre Chaput of Montreal design studio FEED developed a complete brand identity program for the Inuit-owned company. The deliverables included an original logo-type and typeface inspired by the syllabic orthography of the Inuktitut language and an evocative livery design that reflects the Inuit printmaking tradition.

Fiji Airways

Creating unity between a logo and a motif is not always easy. Fiji Airways’ bold new tail design both commands the eye and emphasizes the company logo and branding. The new livery demonstrates the effectiveness of a minimal, well-balanced design. While simple, its strength lies in the harmonious relationship between the logotype and tail motif.

Southwest Airlines

This year Southwest Airlines took a new direction with their design and branding in an attempt to simplify and modernize their image. The new livery features updated colors and the company’s heart logo, positioned playfully on the aircraft’s belly. Check out a time-lapse video showcasing the shiny new paint job.

‘Ohana by Hawaiian Airlines

This year Hawaiian Airlines introduced ‘Ohana, a new fleet of turbo props that will run regular schedules connecting the smaller Hawaiian islands. The father/son duo of local art firm, Sig Zane, were brought to come up with the design.

Qantas Airways

For it’s 94th anniversary, Australia’s Qantas Airways channeled the glory days of commercial flight with the unveiling of this brand new Boeing 747. The ochre band encircling the aircraft at window level was a signature element of the company’s 1971-1984 livery design.

Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian Airlines lush new livery couldn’t look better soaring above the deep blues and greens of the Pacific Islands. The imagery is unmistakably Hawaiian, an iconic Pualani flower tucked behind the ear of a raven-haired beauty.

Air New Zealand

Air New Zealand rebranded this year, claiming black as its signature color. The twin designs feature the country’s quasi-national emblem, the silver fern. The airline stated that the “majority of the fleet will sport the white livery, with the black version reserved for a few select planes.”