British Airways (BA/BAW) has announced it will be painting a series of its Boeing 747 Jumbo Jets in special retro liveries covering the airlines history as the type nears retirement.
The first livery, BOAC, will be applied to Boeing 747-400 G-BYGC which will arrive at London Heathrow (LHR/EGLL) resplendent in her new colours on February 18th and the airline says it will remain on the aircraft until it retires.
British Airways is understood to be planning three more 747 repaints making a total of four 747s in retro colours in the run-up to retirement of the type from the airline. Others are said to include the iconic Landor livery made famous in the 80s and 90s.
The BOAC livery was worn by the airline from 1964 to 1974 and will be painted onto the aircraft in Dublin, Ireland. In addition to the livery marking the retirement of the 747s from the airline, it also coincides with the 50th anniversary of the first 747 flight and the 100th anniversary of the airline.
Alex Cruz, British Airways’ Chairman and CEO, said: “So many British Airways customers and colleagues have fond memories of our previous liveries, regularly sharing their photos from across the globe, so it’s incredibly exciting to be re-introducing this classic BOAC design.
“Our history has shaped who we are today, so our centenary is the perfect moment to revisit our heritage and the UK’s aviation landscape through this iconic livery.”
All new aircraft joining the fleet, such as the Airbus A350, will continue to receive the Chatham Dockyard livery that is in use today.
