Poll: New American Airlines Paint - Sail Or Fail?
Monday, January 21, 2013 at 10:29AM 
(click pic to enlarge) New American Airlines paint unveiled 1.17.13 (photo: American)
So here's the deal... you've got a huge fleet of airliners with a boatload of new ones on order, and you're trying hard to take an iconic airline boldly and effectively into the very uncertain future. You've got one big chance to to make a visual statement that reinvigorates both the employees and the customers, what do you do? This? Really? Hmm.
Following the very mushy footsteps of my beloved United Airlines, American bunts as far as I'm concerned on creating a new look for the airline. Especially since the base color for the airplanes is more of a white instead of the strong silvery hue like the illustrations suggest (see a real 737 in the new paint here) - and that new logo strays too far from the old, bold eagle in my mind.
So I'm voting a 'fail' in the poll below, but what do you think?
The new logo and paint for American Airlines... do you like? (illustrations: American)
Reader Comments (4)
Makes sense to me especially if they put 787's in service. Carbon fiber doesn't polish well. And think of all that skin quality aluminum they won't have to pay for on the 737's.
Ray- I'm all for paint, I just think the paint should look good... this is really boring imho.
Now that I have seen an AA 737 in the new paint, I see what they are doing. The plane is painted overall light metallic silver, kind of like a Mercedes. I guess this is so there will be commonality with the new 787s. The 787s composites are naturally dark brownish-black. Not a problem with most airlines as most liveries use overall white with colorful graphics. I guess American didn't want to mess with the iconic unpainted look but is being forced by the 787 to paint. Metallic silver is the compromise
Now, if they would do something with that ugly tail...
I like it! I think the old scheme was becoming a little worn.