At long last Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) has unveiled their first new livery in 21 years, marking a significant milestone for the airline.
Being a modernised and futuristic approach on their existing livery and to highlight the future of the airline, SAS has opted to apply the new design to their first Airbus A350-900 and to their A320neo.
Following new SAS cabin and on-board concepts introduced in 2015, the new livery launched today fulfils an ambition to align the exterior and interior of SAS.
“The new livery design is a symbol of our future, a more sustainable and competitive future for SAS, but one that also embraces our heritage. Travelers from Scandinavia will recognise their home, while global travelers will encounter the renowned feeling of the Nordics.”
Rickard Gustafson, President and CEO at SAS.
The livery is a fresh change to their existing one, with bold and confident titles symbolising the pride the airline and its locals have.
Design choices have also seen the word “Scandinavian” applied to the underside of the aircraft, strengthening the brand presence. The original titles still remain on the engines, however with a refreshed colour pallet.
SAS will follow their existing maintenance schedule to apply the new livery to existing aircraft, allowing for fewer operational disruptions. All aircraft are expected to feature the new livery by 2024.
What’s technically unique about SAS’ livery choice is the advanced coating material provided by AkzoNobel, allowing fewer layers of colour to be added.
As a result of this coating material, the weight of the aircraft is reduced significantly; this translates to greater fuel savings and reduced CO2 emissions.
Additionally, the paint contains less toxins compared to existing products; whilst the increased durability allows for longer intervals between complete repaints.
Over the next few years, SAS will introduce eight Airbus A350-900s as well as additional members of the A320neo family; including 80 A320neos, five A320 Enhanced and three A321LRs.
To watch the official video unveiling of the 2019 SAS Livery Update:
Introducing our new look! A visual symbol of SAS modernizing our fleet and bringing the most fuel efficient planes, the @Airbus A320neo and A350 to our travelers. Painting out a more sustainable aviation future. Experience the new livery: https://t.co/RaAweEuVre #flysas #aviation pic.twitter.com/KmmjpAD8PN
— SAS – Scandinavian Airlines (@SAS) September 19, 2019
What are your thoughts on the new SAS livery?
I really wish PIA and would take a leaf out of SAS, JAL and ANA’s book and respect the strength of brand on the tail.
For me as an enthusiast growing up, not only were PIA’s billboard tails present at every major airport but they were instantly recognisable. The current livery reflects the airlines failing, no name status.
I think this is stylish corporate look that leans on the brands recognition while still being modern.
Sam, can you help start a campaign for this! 🙂
Very Nordics style, I like it very much!
In my view this is the best European livery thats ‘new’ from the last decade!! Why? Its bold,sleek,nice colours and just overall a bit of COLOUR man! I mean look at that pathetic attempt of Lufthansa and Iberia new liveries from the last 18months etc,boring,blande,miniamalist,oh yes that lovely (WHITE they love to use EVERYWHERE!!!!). Seriously the Lufthansa should have on the current new livery the bird crest in yellow/orange,it would look SO MUCH better against the blue! Also Iberia so BLANDE its as bad as BA current job! Aer Lingus another one ,boring white all over again a bit of green,the past livery that they have had for like ever, was way better! Best UK livery is the small Scottish job that has black and white fuselage and a tartan print for tail and aft of plane. Come on ,surely these main airlines can be more creative and bold with design and colours! Just tightwads.Get some inspiration from Private jets, some amazing washes and swashes,colours and patterns!
Getting back to the SAS livery i would however do one change and thats have the SAS on the tail standout more in ‘red’ against the blue that works well or the silver they have selected !
I got this idea from looking at Air Canada new livery,the red stands out well on the tail fin! Otherwise from that I love the BOLD silver large SAS letters and even mixing colours for the engine covers! Still alot of white or pearlescent white/grey ,cannot tell the main colour for the fuselage but striking and well done as better than most! Stylish and nice colour-palette,will show up just how bad so many EU airlines boring liveries are frankly!
I like it!
I think cahpek nailed it. When I first saw it, I wondered what had changed. While I do not often see SAS planes – in person or pics – from memory the update did not look all that different. I am glad you posted the old one for comparison.
There are elements I like about each design. From the old one, I prefer the red on the engines. On the new one, I like the silver titles that are the full height of the fuselage. Also, though I like the old red engine nacelles, the new ones appears to be silver, which I also like.
As for the tail color wrapping all the way around the bottom, my first thought was “Lufthansa.” As cahpek said – not much imagination or originality.
it doesn’t look much different in my opinion
Gosh, these days, new liveries for so many airlines , they seem to lack imagination. In the past, airline liveries could be so “cool” and exciting . These days, not so much, unfortunately.
They new liveries seem to all follow just one style.
Usually now, “new liveries” involve just painting some colour on the tail fin and it extends a bit of the back end of the fuselage BUT leaving most of the rest of the fuselage all white, and that’s it.
So many airline liveries now have almost all white fuselage(s). Quite boring, if you’d asked me.
In the past, airlines “dressed” their airplanes with very imaginative liveries through the whole of the fuseland, plus the tail fin. Sometimes, even their engines get painted. That distinguished very clearly one airline from another, and it makes aviation geeks quiver with excitement looking at those planes. And you could see from afar which airline is flying past. Much less so these days. Shame.