-
-
Azul’s new ATR 72-600 (PR-AZV) in pink livery
-
-
The pink livery looks great contrasted to the blue sky.
-
-
The pink liveried ATR 72-600 (PR-AZV) over the mountains
-
-
Azul’s new ATR 72-600 (PR-AZV)
Click any photo for larger version
The word “azul” in Portuguese means “Blue.” This is odd for two reasons. First, this special livery is pink and the airline was created by David Neeleman, who was the founder and former CEO of jetBlue.
The airline started service in December of 2008 and has a fleet of 28 aircraft, consisting of Embraer 190s, Embraer 195s and a few ATR 72-600s. They fly to 30 destinations with more than 200 flights be day.
In the next few months, they will be taking delivery of 20 new ATR 72-600s and recently, ATR delivered a pretty-in-pink aircraft to Azul to help promote breast cancer awareness. In a recent ATR press release, they state, “On its fuselage, the aircraft will promote FEMAMA, a Brazilian non-profit organization dedicated to fighting the disease. In addition, ATR and its suppliers involved in the organization of the delivery of the aircraft will contribute funds for the Toulouse Cancer Campus.”
Although pink is not my favorite color, I think it looks good with Azul’s livery and actually I think the pink makes the plane pop a bit more than their standard blue livery.
airBaltic Boeing 757-200 (YL-BDB)
airBaltic was founded in 1995 and is owned by the government of Latvia. The low cost carrier was founded with a single Saab 340 and they received their first Boeing 737 in 2004. Now airBaltic has a fleet of 34 aircraft consisting of two Boeing 757-200s, eight 737-500s, eight 737-300s, 10 Fokker-50s and eight Bombardier Q400s.
Their livery is simple, but it works. The tail, winglets and landing gear doors go well together all being green. It does seem odd with the engine cowls only being silver in the front.
MGM Grand Air Boeing 727-100 (N504MG)
Talk about uber First Class accommodations — if you wanted to be somebody, you would fly MGM Grand Air. The airline first started in 1987 as a VIP charter using a fleet of DC-8s and Boeing 727s. Then it added a schedule service, flying only from New York to Los Angeles offering only First Class seats. Really, saying “First Class” almost does the airline shame. The Boeing 727s would only have 34 seats, a full bar and chef on board.
In 1995, due to slipping sales, the airline was sold over to Front Page Tours. After changing hands for a bit, they changed their name to Champion Air and served as a charter until they went under in 2008.
Even after almost 24 years after the airline first flew, I think this livery looks classy. I couldn’t imagine what the livery must have looked like during the 1980’s. Although many others have tried a First Class only airline between LA and NYC, very few have ever succeeded or have reached the level of MGM Grand. Check out a first hand experience of flying the airline from someone on the website FlyerTalk.com.
Presidential Air, Airbus A300B4-203. Check out those Braniff stairs.
What better way to celebrate President’s Day, but with a Presidential-style livery?
Information about the airline is hard to come by, since they didn’t exist for very long. It appears the airline had three Airbus A300’s (N14975, N14976, N14977) that they flew from Long Beach, CA (LGB) to Atlanta, GA (ATL). The airline only lasted a few months before going under. It flew from 1995 to 1996.
It seems odd that an airline would be called “Presidential Air” and carry a presidential emblem, when not even flying to or from Washington, DC. Does anyone have any personal stories about this airline? Please share in the comments.
* Photo of N14977 on PlanePictures.net
* Photo of N14977 on Airliners.net
Thanks to Gordon W, David M and James C for helping me find a Presidential livery.
Image: So Cal Metro
FlyBe Bombardier Q400 landing in Frankfurt.
I really enjoy this livery. It is light, easy and gets the job done. Although I like the concept of the name going up on the tail, I don’t think the execution fully works out since you mostly only see the “be” from a distance — maybe that was the plan.
The airline was founded in 1979, but was known as “Jersey European Airways.” The airline changed its name to “British European” and held that name for only about two years, when it changed its name again to “Flyby” in 2002. It is a low cost airline currently only flying the Bombardier Dash 8 (56 in the fleet) and the Embraer E-195 (14 in the fleet). The airline has orders for 35 Embraer E-175s. They serve destinations in the United Kingdom, Ireland and around Europe.
One of the more amusing things I have seen an airline do, Flybe tried to hire actors to pose as passengers in an attempt to avoid a £280,000 (about $450,000) fine for having empty seats in 2008. The airline had an agreement to fly 70,000 passengers from Norwich per year. Although the overall goal was being met with 136,000 passengers flown, they were falling short on the Norwich to Dublin route. They only needed 172 additional passengers and in the end did not even need to use the actors. Although very creative, I am not sure that was the intent during the contract negotiations. I would have loved to be the fly on the wall during that meeting. “Hear me out here people. We need 172 more passengers, why don’t we just pay actors to take a few flights and we have it.” Well, Flybe, if that ever happens again, ask me — I am sure I can find a few readers who would be willing to fly for free.
Source: BBC Image: Thomas Becker
