24 April 2019 – United Airlines unveiled its brand-new livery today in Chicago. It’s United’s first new paint scheme since the company merged with Continental Airlines in 2010.
“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,” United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz said in a statement.
“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 current United livery is based on Continental’s old blue and gray paint scheme, complete with a blue and gold globe on the tail. That design has been around for nearly three decades.
United’s new livery is more evolutionary than revolutionary. It’s actually the next iteration of the current paint scheme.
Rhapsody in New: Proud of our past, even more excited to serve you in the future. https://t.co/tRC5UPIC7Q pic.twitter.com/b4z9yiWZ1g
— United Airlines (@united) April 24, 2019
The biggest change will the more prominently displayed “UNITED” wordmark along the side of the plane. The globe on the tail has been redesigned to feature three different shades for blue — rhapsody blue, United blue, and sky blue.
My initial reactions are generally positive. I love that they have kept a wave cheat line and the grey belly. The tail and the engine cowlings look fantastic. It is far from creative or revolutionary but I guess the globe represents United well since the merger. Let’s give it some time to see some of wide body in United fleet looks like in this updated livery. To me, personally I think this “updated and evolved” livery brings a more contemporary look over the gold cheatline.
Speaking of livery, United finished up voting for the Her Art Here project and can’t wait to see one of these new liveries flying soon. (Go Corinne A. + Laci J.)
