From the 1970's, the updated Friend Ship United livery.

The United Airlines voting booth is closed and a winning livery has been announced for United’s retro livery: the Friend Ship United Airlines livery. I am told that the retro livery will be put on an Airbus A320 and not on a Boeing 757 as previously reported. That’s too bad since my main argument against the Saul Bass livery (which I love dearly) is I have seen it on a Boeing 757, but I have never seen it on an Airbus A320. Plus, I think liveries just seem to look better on Boeing 757s than on the A320. Oh well, better than no retro livery.

It is unknown when the new livery will make its debut, but I am told it will be a part of United’s 85th birthday celebration, which would be in 2011 sometime.  I would also assume United would be celebrating the union of two airlines into the new United. I hope that United will have their Airbus A320 in retro Friend Ship livery right next to Continental’s Boeing 737 in Blue Skyway livery (hint, hint United).

United asked their employees to vote on the retro livery they wanted to see and the Friend Ship livery won with about a third of the votes. I also conducted a United Airlines retro livery poll and 27% of the more than 1200 votes wanted to see the Saul Bass livery. For me, it was a win-win. I love airline liveries and especially enjoy retro liveries. Although not my first choice, I am very excited to see the new-old Friend Ship livery on an Airbus A320 soon.