Qantas has revealed an update to its aircraft livery. The changes, which come as Qantas prepares to take delivery of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, include an updated logo, typeface changes, as well as a number of other updates.
Updating of the livery was overseen by industrial designer, Marc Newson. Having worked with Qantas on many projects, his work can be seen across many parts of the Qantas experience. He has been involved in designing the Qantas’ lounges, the A380 cabins, the Business Class Suites, and in-flight tableware.
The Changes
The updates across the aircraft range from the obvious to the more subtle. At first glace, the updated typeface is the most obvious change.It is, however, not the only change – there are a number of elements of change around most of the aircraft. One thing that has not changed, however, is the overall red and white colour scheme.
Updated Logo
The logo features a streamlined Kangaroo on the tail of the aircraft. The Kangaroo itself has been simplified for a cleaner, more modern look. In addition, there is the introduction of shading to give it a sense of depth and movement.
The change to the kangaroo is the fifth time the red-and-white image on the tail of Qantas aircraft has been updated since it was first introduced in 1944. The last update was in 2007 to coincide with the introduction of the Airbus A380 to the national carrier’s fleet.
Updated Typeface
The first change is a new, slimmer font for the world ‘Qantas’ on the side of the aircraft. In addition, the colour of the word has been made slightly lighter.
Other changes
Some of the other changes that have been made include:
- A silver band has been added to the rear of the aircraft, flowing from the tail through to the rear of the fuselage for a more premium feel and more contrast between the red tail and the rest of the aircraft.
- The word Qantas is added to the belly for increased visibility when aircraft are flying overhead.
- Re-introducing the iconic ‘winged Kangaroo’ that featured on Qantas tails in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s by placing it under the cockpit window and integrating it with the aircraft name currently in this position (note: the actual aircraft names are unchanged).
The first aircraft to be repainted in the new livery was A330-300 VH-QPJ. Qantas says that the new design will be rolled out across the company from today. The website has already been updated, and gradually the new logos and typeface will be seen in other areas.
