Powered by MOMENTUM MEDIA
world of aviation logo

Qantas reveals new livery and logo

written by WOFA | October 27, 2016

livery_small2
VH-QPJ flew into Sydney from Victorville, California – where it was repainted – on Thursday morning. (Seth Jaworski)

Qantas has unveiled an updated livery and kangaroo logo to coincide with plans to introduce the Boeing 787 into service late next year.

The airline says the new livery is only the fifth to be introduced since the kangaroo first appeared on Qantas aircraft in 1944, and the first livery refresh since 2007 ahead of the Airbus A380’s introduction into service the following year.

“A fresh brand helps symbolise the new era Qantas is entering as we head towards our centenary. It’s an era of new destinations, new technology and a new standard of service,” Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said in a statement on Thursday.

The new design was overseen by industrial designer Marc Newson in partnership with Australian design agency Houston Group.

“This new brand is more streamlined and the shading behind the kangaroo gives a better sense of movement and depth. A silver band now extends from the tail to the rear of the fuselage, to give a more premium feel,” Newson said in a statement.

“The typography for the word Qantas, which measures almost two metres high on the 787, has been carefully streamlined. And Qantas will appear on the aircraft’s belly, so you can tell when it’s the national carrier flying overhead.”

The first aircraft to be repainted in the new livery, A330-300 VH-QPJ, was unveiled to media and guests at Qantas’s Jet Base at Sydney Airport on Thursday morning, where the airline also unveiled first details of its 787-9 cabin configuration.

==
==

The new design will gradually appear across the Qantas network from today, starting with digital assets, signage and advertising, the airline said.

“Updating branding on aircraft will be sequenced with scheduled re-paints, to be completed in time for the airline’s centenary in 2020.”

liver1_small
VH-QPJ is towed into Hangar 96. Note the positioning of the traditional flying kangaroo and aircraft name under the flightdeck windows. (Seth Jaworski)
NEW QANTAS BRAND SUMMARY 
  • A streamlined kangaroo on the tail of the aircraft, with shading to give it a sense of depth and movement. The kangaroo itself has been simplified for a cleaner, more modern look.
  • 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.
  • A new, slimmer font for the world ‘Qantas’ on the side of the aircraft and the colour made slightly lighter.
  • The word Qantas is added to the belly for increased visibility when aircraft are flying overhead.
  • Adding the kangaroo to the inside curved edge of the wingtips so that they are visible in-flight and meaning they will also appear in pictures people take out the aircraft windows.
  • Replacing, centring and enlarging the kangaroo that appears on outboard engine cowls, so that it is more prominent and identifiable.
  • 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 classic ‘Qantas red’ and white of the fuselage are unchanged.

Source: Qantas

livery_small3
The enlarged logo on the engine nacelle. (Seth Jaworski)
livery_small4
The arm-less roo. Note the shading on the rear of the roo’s body and tail. (Seth Jaworski)
© Kurt Ams
The new livery features the Qantas name on the underbelly. Note too the silver band ahead of the red tail. (Kurt Ams)

Qantas has published this video of VH-QPJ being repainted:

And it has released this video to promote the new livery:

QF tails line-up copy
Evolution of the Qantas livery in the jet age. (Qantas)

97 Comments

  • Jason

    says:

    Will it take them 10+ years to repaint the fleet like it has since the last refresh? I’m sure I’ve seen a couple of 737s and an A333 in the old scheme recently…

  • andrew

    says:

    I think the kangaroo has been stylised too far, barely recognisable now

  • Craigy

    says:

    The article says that it will be done in time for the airline’s centenary birthday.

    I like the changes.

  • George

    says:

    How does red and white associate with Australia? It doesn’t!

    This scheme still wreaks of late 80’s, early 90’s!

  • anonymous

    says:

    Hate the thing that is supposed to be a Roo. Looks line nothing. Not even close to looking like a roo. Looks absolutely horrible. Not a fan of the font change either, but at least you can still tell what it says.

  • Tim

    says:

    Once again AJ wastes money fixing something that wasn’t broken. Adding the name to the belly makes some sense but the rest seems to be unnecessary.

  • Anish

    says:

    The red maybe symbolises – the australia’s outback – the ayers rock etc.

    The design looks amazing. And yap there are old liveries around for special flights etc.

    I personally like the changes. Its more streamlined now.

  • PTC

    says:

    Ordinary looking revision of livery – they can rehash it as many times as they like but it doesn’t do anything for me.The base livery has been around since the 767-200’s were delivered in 1985.Time for a complete makeover to something completely different with perhaps a length of fuselage livery and cheatline – not blandness.

  • Christopher Campbell

    says:

    fantastic design Qantas, great work

  • Rocket

    says:

    Tony Lunn designed the biggest re-fresh of time in 1984, with the dropping of the wings and developing the triangular motif that was perfectly in sympathy with the shape of aircraft tails. It was balanced, dignified and iconic. Hans Hulsbosch ruined it 8 years ago by mangling the kangaroo and putting everything out of balance – Tony Lunn commented at the time that it was the essence of ‘inelegant design’ as he and his team had spent months trying to get the balance right while maintaining the basic shape of the old kangaroo (minus wings). This is even worse. The typeface pays zero tribute to Qantas typefaces over the years, the kangaroo is far too stylized and that childish ‘tail shaped’ logo with an anemic ‘QANTAS’ underneath it looks ridiculous – none of the grace and style of the 1984 logotype where the negative space around the kangaroo was equal on all three plains, the tip of the tail, the foot and the nose all touched at the mid-point of the triangle and the word QANTAS was precisely half the height of the triangle and the same height as the highest point of the kangaroo. Marc Newson is a good designer but he should stick to pyjamas and aircraft interiors. Sorry, but I have design background and this will date very, very quickly. It’s not unique anymore, just like any other company design. If Pan Am were still going do you think they would have rubbished their blue globe like this??? Has KLM dropped it’s light and dark blue and crown logo??? The best I can say about this is it’s not the Hulsbosch monstrosity and at least they won’t be taking credit for Tony Lunn’s design.

  • B707338C

    says:

    Is this the first time an airline has changed it’s livery approximately 10 years after its last change but still hadn’t applied to the previous livery to all the aircraft. There are still aircraft flying with the gold (now rather faded) band where there is now a silver band. At least those aircraft can be considered in a ‘retro scheme’.

    Virgin were able to repaint their entire fleet in a much shorter space of time.

    What happened to the kangaroos front paws?

  • stephen,s

    says:

    Lost ALL of the aircrafts character, really disappointed in this QANTAS. why not release a livery that actually looks like a kangaroo. The titles on the side look like an attempt to copy Virgin Australia aswell, bring back the character that defined Qantas rather than this modern art garbage.

  • sc

    says:

    The font looks absolutely terrible, it looks like one you could use from microsoft word. I dom’t mind the tail as much but it is too much of a change. Why on Earth would they make the 789 their flagship aircraft? Thats a poor choice in jy opinion. Very disappointed with the rebrand

  • random

    says:

    Just seems a shame that the kangaroo paws are gone and an opportunity to return to the winged kangaroo has been overlooked.

  • Lindsay Bordas

    says:

    Not happy in general except for the winged roo under the cockpit windows.

  • Aruna

    says:

    Maybe I am the minority but to me it still looks like a kangaroo and I actually like the updated design

  • Craigy

    says:

    Can’t please everyone but I like it.. Nice touches from the past with the nose logo.

    Virgin changed their livery quickly because they were rebranding from the LCC Virgin Blue to the more up market Virgin Australia. Qantas is still Qantas and the plan was to repaint the aircraft as they went through major maintenance which required a repaint..

  • Craigy

    says:

    It appears that the second B789 will be ready to be delivered on 1 Dec 2017

  • Bernii

    says:

    it is beautiful .. the roo has lost her paws but still looks amazing! The font is lovely too

  • JR

    says:

    I like it a lot.
    C’mon people, it still looks like a kangaroo! Get your glasses out.
    Looks a lot more contemporary, and the font is a winner too.
    Great work.

  • Luke

    says:

    The writing looks like a bad microsoft word font

  • Frequent flyer

    says:

    The flying Kangaroo’s had its paws amputated!
    And from the looks of the economy interiors of the 787 they’ll be cramming them in.

  • David Fix

    says:

    I love it including the name on the belly of the aircraft I think it is the best livery out there Well done Alan Joyce.

  • QFMark

    says:

    Font change seems very unneccessary. The style of the current one is both modern and timeless to me. And yes, the new kanaga looking more like a swish than a kanga. If I’m to make one positive point, at least they’re still using the Spirit of Australia line and haven’t messed that bit up too!!

  • Bob Rogers

    says:

    Great idea having QANTAS on the underside of fuselage and winglets,while design is great.

  • dtrain

    says:

    I’m not a fan of the font choice – the ‘Qantas’ looks to provide movement but the lock up with the ‘Spirit of Australia’ being in a very vertical, condensed sans font seems odd. The kangaroo I can live with (although it is very much more in the line of an abstract now and I miss the paws). I do like the winged kangaroo under the cockpit and the use of the silver. Regardless of design, when you’ve been away overseas for a bit, it is always nice to get to the airport and see the flying kangaroo waiting to bring you home. Did Qantas need new livery – nah! – but I guess AJ must have had some cash to flash since removing proper check-in desks for domestic travel.

  • deano

    says:

    Is it just me ?
    If you glance quickly at the Qantas in the new font, the way it looks now I see Qatar or maybe i’m just dyslexic

  • James Smith

    says:

    The new kangaroo is pretty armless. Paw thing!

  • Tony

    says:

    Qantas should publish the consumer tests they conducted before choosing this new logo. Or did they only ask the CEO? My guess is that consumer reaction is overall negative to this logo. The Roo is so far from the real ones in my garden in Queensland that it is not a roo, just a squiggle of white on red. The text Qantas font is just boring, no suggestion of flight, speed or travel. Such an opportunity lost by Qantas who could have engaged their customers in this process.

  • Brian

    says:

    Like the ‘new’ font but prefer the previous ‘roo’

  • John East Gippsland

    says:

    Could have done a lot worse. It is always good design if a corporate livery can be boldly executed in only two colours. QANTAS’s evolution of its brand makes sense even though it still looks a bit retail.. However, these days, exterior aircraft branding is of lesser importance to all the other applications.

  • Dave

    says:

    Can’t imagine how this Kangaroo will keep it’s balance without it’s arms but apparently the logo just needs to be close enough to be identified as a kangaroo, not an actual bloody kangaroo. Either it’s a Kangaroo with all body parts or it’s not a Kangaroo.

  • Shari Downer

    says:

    Jerry: What’s wrong, Skip? What’s happened?
    Skippy: Tchk tchk tchk.
    Jerry: What is it?
    Skippy: Tchk tchk tchk.
    Jerry: Where did you get it?
    Skippy: Tchk tchk tchk.
    Jerry: It’s not Matt’s. Then why the urgency?
    Skippy: Tchk tchk tchk.
    Jerry: Jim?
    Skippy: Tchk tchk tchk.
    Jerry: It’s from Jim!
    Skippy: Tchk tchk tchk…… Skippy our ex-friend…..

  • Jess

    says:

    Wow! I love it! Wonder what the qantaslink livery will be like?

  • Amanda

    says:

    I understand the Qantas underneath, but i really really don’t like the new roo looks like their going to get rid of it, it will just become a red tick or something.

  • Tom

    says:

    I wonder if the 744s, 737s and the A330’s that just got repainted in the scheme will get repainted again? The 747 would look great in the new livery.

  • Mike

    says:

    After losing his wings in the ’80s, the poor kangaroo has lost his arms!

    Not as nicely balanced as the one I loved in the ’90s, doesn’t fit on the tail as well as the current one, and I’m sorry, but it doesn’t look like a kangaroo.

  • Josh

    says:

    Etihad’s new livery is the best all together.

  • Craigy

    says:

    @Tony, why should Qantas publish any of the testing they did. They have made a commercial decision. Maybe you could provide evidence to support your ‘guess’

    @Deano, you need to go to specsavers. Your eyesight needs attention

    @Josh, a middle eastern carrier with a tartan mosaic. wheres the connection there?

  • Jack

    says:

    I love aircraft but the new livery could be represent Australia better.

  • Ian Morris

    says:

    This is a terrible update. A woeful mismatch of fonts. A kangaroo that no longer looks like a kangaroo. They pay big money to design something this bad?

  • Anil Kattula

    says:

    Doesn’t matter to most passengers what color their plane is painted. What matters in choosing an airline to fly is the price, whether the airline serves our destination, and the service on. board! Qantas is a long way behind the rest of the world in all of these areas. Bring back the old Qantas of the 70s and 80s including the winged kangaroo.

  • Phil

    says:

    Are Qantas introducing a completely new livery for their centenery?? This current sceme is getting a bit tired..how many times can you restyle a roo for goodness sake.

  • Marc

    says:

    Kiwis did a better job with their update.

  • john doutch

    says:

    Well done QF. I love it. I havn’t seen it in the flesh yet though, so Hope it looks as good if not better when I do. For those who criticize it, it will grow on you.

  • Unhappy passenger

    says:

    Instead of changing the livery that actually works. Why not put the mega money it takes to change uniforms, stationary, badging around the world and more, into improving the comfort for economy passengers. The food and service is appalling on the long haul flights and I have done many.
    Even the cleanliness of the planes is not as good as it should be and the entertainment systems on some flights certainly needs upgrading. QANTAS put the money into the passenger experience. Have you forgotten who pays for the marketing?

    The new kangaroo is unrecognisable as a kangaroo.

  • Rocket

    says:

    After seeing everyone else’s hatred for this, I’ll just add to my original post as well… having given this some thought.
    The real strength of the 1984 version was that no matter what it was applied to it looked like it was designed just for that application… that’s good design.
    The stupid tail shaped thing on the website and presumably that will be applied to stationery, etc. makes the typeface look like it’s backhand, not italic or upright. It also, because the tail shape extends beyond the Q in Qantas makes the whole thing as applied on their Facebook example, look as though it’s falling over backward… no suggestion of forward movement at all, the font is just NOT Qantas… even if we could live with the rest of it. It looks like an amateur tried to draw the current livery in photoshop but couldn’t quite find the right font so just used the one they’ve used. What was wrong with the triangle motif… it is already suggested in the new Cabin Crew and Ground uniforms so what, they have a uniform now that suggests cues, like the Q Catering logo that no longer apply to the brand. If the typeface is this light and they use the same logic with the Qantas link logo, is it actually going to be possible to see the ‘link’ part. There are better designers out there, Landor, Pentagram. This is just amateurish.

  • Henry

    says:

    I thought it was QATAR when I first saw the new livery because the font is just too similar… bad idea!

    Furthermore, why would you make the kangaroo loose its paws?!?! ???

    Conclusion: A TOTAL DISASTER ???

  • Tony

    says:

    @craigy
    Think my comment was misunderstood by you re the testing done by Qantas re the logo. It’s not commercial in confidence after the event and my guess is this work was just NOT done. In marketing, one of the major expenses is the testing with focus groups. For example, what did the Asian focus group think about having “spirit” referenced on the aircraft? Asia is a growth market for Qantas and spirits can be very sensitive. Red is usually a good colour. At what height does the Qantas logo under the airframe become illegible compared to the more visible red tail on a white body? My guess was that Qantas commissioned the work and just discussed it internally.

  • Jess

    says:

    @josh@craigy it represents the deserts and the golden Sun!

Comments are closed.

close

Each day, our subscribers are more informed with the right information.

SIGN UP to the Australian Aviation magazine for high-quality news and features for just $99.95 per year