US Airways Planes' New Look Reflects Practicality, Heritage

Washington Post ^ | August 23, 2005 | Keith Alexander

[Dan Nunn]

When designing the new look for US Airways, America West executives turned their back on high-salaried Madison Avenue image consultants.

Instead, they interviewed employees from both of the merged airlines: flight attendants, pilots, mechanics and executives.

The result: a look that's neither too corporate nor too casual, according to Travis Christ, America West's vice president of marketing who oversaw the new US Airways design.

Christ said the merged airline's style would best be described as "right down the middle between American and Southwest [airlines]."

The newly redesigned planes, which make their debut today, aspire to a brighter appearance than US Airways' current fleet. America West has scrapped the dark blue paint at the top of the aircraft, replacing it with white. The change was partly to keep the interior of the planes cooler during layovers in the Phoenix and Las Vegas heat. The dark blue now runs along the belly of the aircraft.

[Dan Nunn]

Neat update. There will also be 'heritige planes' from four of the merged airlines, as seen here. I was skeptical of losing the blue at the top (as so many other airlines are white), but it doesn't look all bad.

[chet_in_ny]

That retro Piedmont looks cool. It should be a 737 though...

[martin_fierro]

Yinz Jagoffs remember Allegheny Airlines, 'n'at? I do.

[Dan Nunn]

I agree completely. Maybe they will, since they've got 'em. I usually ride on the Embraers (or turboprops), but it's more of a regional carrier thing.

Either way, it's good to see something good come out of the airline industry (as well as good news from Southwest). A low-cost US Airways would be great.

Now if only they could re-hub Pittsburgh!

[Atlas Sneezed]

I remember when Agony Airlines became US Scare.

[Incorrigible]

Oh, I thought they were going to put something on the rudder that looked like Alaskan Airway's logo but with a slight variation.

 

 

[Dan Nunn]

PSA

[MilesVeritatis]

'At's bewdeeful. Go Stillers!

[jra]

Forgive me if you're already aware of this, but a story I read the other day said among the reasons for ditching the blue on the top of the aircraft was to make the planes easier/cheaper to cool...lighter color=less heat absorption.

[Dan Nunn]

You're right, that's the case. I still love the look of the navy blue on the top of US Airways' fleet now, though. I don't know how much it'll cool it down, but then again, I don't fly through Phoenix and Las Vegas routinely.

Like many of the gurus on airliners.net posted, the white base scheme is overdone by most of the European lines.

But you and US Airways have a point. It can get mighty hot without an engine running.