American Airline’s Boeing 777-300ER is shown in new livery. The aircraft (N718AN) was painted at Victorville Airport (VCV) in California. Check the classic Delta L1011 in the background. Image from American.
Next week American Airline’s first Boeing 777-300ER (77W) will fly from Dallas (DFW) to Sao Paulo Brazil (SAO) on the 31st of this month (which Chris Sloan from Airchive.com will be sharing his experience with AirlineReporter.com). Before then, it needed to be painted in American’s new livery and now it has. We have seen computer mock-ups of the 777 and a real 737 in the livery, but now we can see the 777-300ER in its new threads. The big question: Is it growing on you?
Other American Livery Stories:
Now, American is pretty good at making interesting videos. I would assume that one is in process showing the 777 being painted, so maybe we will be seeing one soon.
American’s Boeing 77W inside the paint hangar. Image from America.
The tail seems to be many folks least favorite part of the livery. Not quite sure why. Image from American.
American Airlines 777 being painted in Victorville. Image from American.
The 77W looks ready to fly. Check out the Wi-Fi antenna up top. Image from American.
Want more? ADDITIONAL AMERICAN AIRLINES BOEING 777-300ER PHOTOS via their Facebook.
A nice big sign welcomes you to the Virgin America Loft – Photo: Mal Muir / AirlineReporter.com
Virgin America has tried to differentiate themselves from all the others by providing a better product than others, not just in flight but on the ground as well. They have all but taken over Terminal 3 in Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). When Alaska Airlines moved out of the terminal over to Terminal 6, it left a big empty space in the upstairs area at T3. This space was at one time the Alaska Airlines Boardroom, but as of early December, this is now Virgin America’s first airline lounge, known as ’œThe Loft’
Unlike most airline lounges, there is no memberships for sale; the lounge is open to anyone with a Virgin America ticket and a willingness to pay the entry fee of ($40). Not even the top tiers of Virgin America’s own frequent flier program, Elevate, get unlimited access (they get a few passes). Thankfully they do allow access to passengers who have Virgin Australia Velocity Gold & Platinum members free of charge (of which I am one coincidentally). It is also the lounge for those passengers who are flying Virgin Australia Business Class to Australia.
BONUS: Video tour of Virgin America’s The Loft at LAX
The lounge is located upstairs above the main terminal area, but unless you knew it was there, you would probably walk straight past it. If you did notice the sign directing you up the steps there is still a very non-descript doorway, which with the push of a button, you are allowed into a very modern and fashionable lobby. The dominating feature of this lobby is the glass partition with the engraved Virgin America aircraft (something that would look great on any AvGeeks wall).
Even though T3 was packed full of people, (thanks to the daily arrival of the international flights from the South Pacific and Asia and their connecting passengers) when I was visiting the lounge was nearly empty. This gave it a feeling of an oasis away from the mass.
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Does that Face look familiar? It should, its Richard Branson
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Even more disturbing is the female signage looks like Richard Branson
As you leave the lobby behind the glass partition are the bathrooms (sadly no showers for those wanting a quick freshen up after a long day in the LA sun) and from there the lounge is divided into two main areas. To your left is the ’œTV room’ with some very comfy, albeit unique looking seats in clusters around very low tables. To your right is the main lounge area and bar, with the a buffet connecting the two. As you would expect for an airline lounge in North America your snacks are free.
The spread for breakfast was a wonderful array of small pastries and muffins, cereals, breads for toast (and all the usual adornments such as peanut butter, jelly etc.) and even some cold bites like a smoked salmon bagel or a fruit salad wrap.
The lunch spread was also lovely with cold salads and wraps along with sushi and some cold meats and cheeses for a sandwich (with every condiment you could want). And if you want to plan ahead, you can check out The Loft’s food menu on Virgin America’s website.
Pair that up with the fully staffed bar serving cocktails, beer on tap and also wines in lovely big stem less glass ware and you have yourself a great experience.
Feel like something on the softer side? There is also Espresso (with a choice of beans), the usual soft drinks and some lovely flavored ice water (lime and a pineapple strawberry combination on offer that day). Even a pair of binoculars adorns the bar to allow you to check out the Hollywood sign (though I know a number of AvGeeks who would use them to check out who is on the downwind leg for landing).
Binoculars provided to check out the Hollywood Sign or that 747 on Downwind to 24R – Photo: Mal Muir / AirlineReporter.com
One thing that does remain from the old Alaska Boardroom days is the floor to ceiling windows. In my opinion, they provide some of the best runway views available at LAX. With a straight view out onto the taxiway and the parallel north runways (24L & R), this is a prime location to sit back and enjoy the view with a drink or a snack. You don’t even need a great lens or set up to get good shots. A small point and shoot camera should get some nice close up shots of the heavies as they go past.
The seats in this area are comfortable & relaxing, combined with the free Wi-Fi, this could mean that long layover between flights is spent being as productive or as chilled as you desire.
For someone who has 4 or 5 hours to wait after an international connection or between flights in LAX, the Virgin America Loft seems like good value considering the price and all the inclusions on offer in the lounge. Your entry fee would easily be covered after a number of cocktails and some food at the usual terminal pricing (and of considerably better quality compared to a Burger King or Starbucks probably). For me though, those views are the sell, the rest is just a bonus!
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This story written by…Malcolm Muir, Lead Correspondent. Mal is an Australian Avgeek now living and working in Seattle. With a passion for aircraft photography, traveling and the fun that combining the two can bring. Insights into the aviation world with a bit of a perspective thanks to working in the travel industry.@BigMalX | BigMal’s World | Photos |
Last week, I was able to make my third appearance (or a-hear-ance) on the Airplane Geeks Podcast. If you have never heard them before, I would highly suggest checking it out. A couple of great guys (who are also AvGeeks) talk about aviation and will bring on a guest to share their insight.
In this episode we talk about the issues facing the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, American Airline’s new livery, Aviation Geekfest and a few other odds and ends.
Cannot wait until next time!
Boeing, the Future of Flight and AirlineReporter.com are proud to share details on Aviation Geek Fest 2013 (#AGF13). Here is the current schedule (which is up for change due to unforeseen circumstances). I will be updating this page as new things are added to the schedule. Check the change-log on the bottom to see what has changed:
SCHEDULE HAS BEEN MOVED TO A NEW PAGE
QUESTIONS (from comments or email – will be updated):
- Where should I stay? Saturday will occur down in the Renton, WA area, where Sunday will happen up at Paine Field in Everett, WA. The Hilton Garden Inn (which is RIGHT on Paine Field) is offering a special #AGF13 discount.
- Should I get a rental car? Seattle is not best known for their public transportation and getting up to Paine Field could be tricky.
- What if I am not able to get tickets at 11am on Saturday, can you hold some? Unfortunately we cannot. This would be a good time to call in those favors from family and friends and ask them to get tickets for you — just remember to pay them back.
- Can I take photos? Cameras will not be allowed on the Boeing factory tours, but there will be someone that will take group photos that you can use. Cameras ARE allowed on the Dreamliner Gallery tour.
- Are there age restrictions? Yes, you must be 12 or older to go on the Boeing factory tours. There are no age restrictions for the Dreamliner Gallery.
- What do I wear? It is Seattle in February, so bet on chilly, gray and rainy. For the Boeing tours, you cannot wear open toed shoes, backless shoes (like clogs) or high heels.
- What if I have special needs? Please email me (da***@ai*************.com) ASAP so we can prepare for your needs.
UPDATES:
1/26 11:20AM: After a little panic at 11:02am, where it looked like every ticket was sold, we realize that was a mistake and more tickets are available. In the first 15min, the page received about 1500 views. At this point, almost 60% of all the tickets are sold.
1/26 4:45PM: About 80% of the tickets are gone. Figuring most should be gone by the end of the weekend. Thanks for so many people being interested. Will update when sold out.
Noon 1/27: Over 90% of the tickets are sold. Two of the Dreamliner Gallery time slots are sold out (the 10am still has a few tickets). The events page has seen over 2300 views in the 25hrs it has been live. Very awesome. Imagine all the tickets will sell out by early next week at the latest.
8:15am 1/28: Only a few tickets left. 737 Tour: 7, Everett Factory Tour: 2, Dreamliner Gallery Tour: 1.
10:25am 1/28: There are only three Boeing 737 tour tickets and everything else has sold out.
11:00am 1/28: All the tickets have sold out. Add yourself to our waiting list to be get tickets if people cancel.
1:00pm 1/28: Flying Heritage Collection will allow free admission to anyone with a #AGF13 ticket on either Sat or Sun. Updated the above schedule.
9:00am 1/29: Historic Flight Foundation, at Paine Field, will offer free admission Saturday and Sunday between 10am-5pm with badges/tickets.
1:00pm 1/29: Museum of Flight Restoration Center – free admission Saturday between 9am – 4pm.
1:00pm 1/30: Updated to a new page with all the update information and this page will no longer be updated.
Terminal 8 at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York yesterday hosted a special event: the first American Airlines plane with the company’s new livery was in town. The 737-800 is the first American aircraft with the new livery, but a Boeing 777-300 ER, the carriers new flagship aircraft, is being painted right now and we should see it before its maiden flight to Sao Paulo on January 31st.
With members of the media invited, American Airlines talked about the change to their iconic livery, and what it means for the brands future. In general, most people I spoke with like the change, though some were a bit reluctant to accept the new tail design.
After seeing it in person, I am torn over this new livery. I like a the look of the body of the aircraft, but the tail leaves a bit to be desired. There is a lot of detail in the paint on the tail, but most of it is lost at a distance. The engines and winglets also need something to tie it all together.
Check out some close up shots of the new paint below, you might just see some details you didn’t notice before. With a bit more time to process; what do you think about the new livery?
Read some more about this event and AA’s reaction to criticism of the design over at APEX.com.
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Time to update the AA logo history in T8, JFK.
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American Airlines 737 featuring the new livery, as seen from above in the operations tower.
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I wonder what the One World livery will look like when it is updated?
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American Airlines 737 tail featuring the new livery, as seen from above in the operations tower.
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The new American Airlines tail design, close up. Much more detail here than you see from a distance.
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The new American Airlines tail design
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The new American Airlines tail design
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American 737 with the new livery, and a promo poster for the upcoming Boeing 777-300ER
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Panorama
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Say goodbye, old livery!
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That’s me!
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Flight deck of the Boeing 737
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Heads up display on the Boeing 737
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Left seat of the 737, fully stocked with an iPad for the electronic flight bag
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PA system controls
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Boeing Sky Interior controls
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Boeing Sky Interior
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Old and New
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The American Astro Jet showed up!
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This story written by… Jason Rabinowitz, Correspondent.
Jason is a New York City native who has grown up in the shadow of JFK International Airport. A true “avgeek”, he enjoys plane spotting and photography, as well taking any opportunity he can get to fly on an aircraft.
@AirlineFyer | FaceBook | |
