Flying colours: The changing face of the airline industry

As the battle for the skies intensifies, airline brands are elevating their in-flight services and reimagining their corporate identities to win over passengers and bolster customer loyalty. David Benady reports.

Although the pandemic is receding into the past, its impact on the airline industry has been profound. As travel rebounded post-lockdown, airlines seized the opportunity to restate the benefits of air travel and the human connection it brings.

A new generation of jets from Airbus and Boeing is entering service, with an extra 8,000 planes expected to fill the skies by 2033, lifting the global total to 36,000. National carriers such as Air India, Korean Air, British Airways and Saudia, among others, are undergoing rebrands, positioning themselves as global luxury brands to target upmarket travellers. Air India and Korean Air, for instance, have introduced minimalist liveries and pared back logos to denote luxury and prestige.

However, some industry observers warn that the new wave of airline identities risks overlooking the subtleties of national cultures. Edmund Huot, chief creative officer at branding consultancy Forward Media, says airline rebrands since the pandemic have promoted a more optimistic vision of the future with bolder liveries and more expressive visuals. And he adds, “The key is to measure change thoughtfully, honouring the history while incorporating tension and contradiction so that it doesn't feel too easy, simplified and one dimensional.”

He warns, “We want to pay homage visually in a distinct, subtle, surprising way to the brand’s legacy, so that we don't just reduce the presentation to lettering and a colour.”

Huot says airlines must strike a balance between presenting themselves as global brands and instilling humanity in their designs, “carrying the past forward in surprising and charming ways.”

Changing audiences

With budget airlines dominating short-haul flights, national carriers are targeting business and premium customers for long-haul destinations. Rather than competing solely on price, the carriers are battling for market share by offering a luxurious customer experience.

Paul Silcox, creative director at Futurebrand, which has worked on rebrands for Air India and American Airlines, says, “More than ever, airlines are leaning into hospitality and borrowing cues from the worlds of luxury hotels and luxury brands.”

This trend is seen in upgrades to in-flight food and seats, improved decor and in-flight services, the use of olfactory and sonic branding, refurbished frequent flyer lounges and refreshed customer loyalty schemes. Silcox adds that while identity design helps brands to tell their story, it is the customer experience which ultimately defines their reputation.

FutureBrand’s rebrand for Air India, following the airline’s acquisition by the Tata family in 2022, aims to turn it into India’s first truly global brand.

Under its new management, Air India has ordered an extra 470 planes from Boeing and Airbus, more than tripling its existing fleet of 202 planes. This has triggered upgrades for the cabin interiors, customer service and branding.

The designs are simpler and less cluttered than the previous corporate identity which used an iconic Indian symbol, the Konark Wheel, inside an image of a swan. The challenge for the redesign was to balance the national iconography with the values of global branding. Futurebrand’s new corporate identity takes the iconic Indian window shape and moves it centre stage, as seen in the curved symbol to the right of the logo. The logo itself uses a bespoke font, Air India Sans. Futurebrand has also advised Air India on aspects of customer service. Silcox says emphasising the national story is vital.

“National carriers need to lean into the storytelling and experiences that only they could offer.” He says the aim is “understanding the unmet needs of travellers and filling those voids with meaningful and relevant ideas that can be inspired by the airline and the heritage of the country.”

Another airline balancing global and national positioning is Korean Air, which has rebranded this year following its recent acquisition of Asiana Airlines, with a refreshed identity from creative consultancy Lippincott. The redesign reflects an emphasis on luxury customer service and hospitality.

At the heart of the new identity is a redesigned use of the Taeguk, an iconic symbol which appears on the Republic of Korea’s national flag. The refreshed Korean Air logo combines a reimagined use of the Taeguk incorporating elements of the energy and beauty of Sangmo Nori, the Korean folkloric dance with flowing ribbons.

Lippincott’s creative director and partner for EMEA, Dan Vasconcelos, says, “We offered them a bold vision of what Korean Air could be, blending a global perspective while remaining relevant and rooted in Korea.”

He says positioning Korean Air as a premium brand required simplifying the design to the essentials. “Luxury brands tend towards minimalism,” he says. “Premium brands are very single-minded about expression and about how they show up in the world,” he adds.

“The design is much more streamlined and confident. It has a crisp formality to it, but still feels engaging,” he continues.

One of Lippincott’s recommendations to Korean Air was to keep the branding to a minimum on the airline estate. “If this is to become a more premium experience, you don't need to see the logo absolutely everywhere,” he advises.

A process of premiumisation

But while external liveries are becoming simpler and bolder, aircraft interiors are becoming more indulgent. Air France is introducing its luxurious La Premiére first-class seats each in its own 38 sq ft private suites with five windows, transforming into a full-length bed. Meanwhile, British Airways, which has been criticised for losing its premium, upmarket positioning, has embarked on a £7bn transformation programme, rolling out new first-class and short-haul seats and cabins, improved luxury lounges in international airports, relaunching the Air Miles loyalty scheme and an increased focus on AI and personalisation. A uniform upgrade has been designed by Savile Row designer Ozwald Boateng and BA is rolling out new aircraft, new cabins and a refreshed website and app experience.

Unveiling an upgraded seat for first class, the airline says it is designed to provide a “luxury hotel feel”, with a reclining bed in a cocooned curved wall, offering privacy. Dual seats in the centre of the plane offer buddy dining.

Another factor behind the redesigns is the decline in business flights, down by 20% in 2024 compared to pre-Covid levels. This is another impact of the pandemic, as businesses have learnt to rely on videoconferencing rather than face to face meetings. Today’s travellers combine business trips with extended stays for holidays and long-haul flights are increasingly catering for digital nomads who can work from anywhere and a growing market of leisure travellers. Through upgrades and rebrands, airlines are pivoting to target new travel trends to compensate for the loss of corporate travel.

Attempts to lure upmarket passengers include greater use of olfactory and sonic branding to create a wrap-around sense of luxury. Air France has introduced AF001 as its signature fragrance, created by a master perfumier and being introduced into its airport lounges. Delta airlines has the signature “calm” scent and Singapore Airlines has its Stefan Floridian Waters. Meanwhile, national carriers often use traditional music from their cultures as passengers board and in lounges. The Middle Eastern airlines are considered to be especially active in this area.

Earning their stripes

However, it is not only national carriers and long-haul travel that has been reshaped by the pandemic. Some of the short-haul and leisure airlines have also rebranded as they have sought to take advantage of the bounce back in tourism when the lockdowns were lifted. Many have focused more strongly on their market segments.

According to branding consultant George Nisioiu, founder and partner at Innerpride Branding, one of the most groundbreaking liveries of all time is the rebranding of Germany’s Condor Airlines in 2022. A purely leisure airline running package holidays, Condor created new branding with different coloured stripes around all its planes. These evoke the stripes on parasols, beach towels and sun loungers associated with holidays.

“They have this striking striped livery that stands out wherever they travel,” he says. “It’s quite basic in structure, it is very striking, it doesn’t go unnoticed.” Some have wondered if Condor is trying “too hard” with the rebrand.

Nisioiu also points to the rebranding of JetBlue in 2023 in work by consultancy Prophet which uses a blue colour for plane fuselages and its Mint Leaves pattern on the tailfin.

JetBlue has used patterns and graphical gimmicks on their livery. They have also used different liveries for trans-oceanic flights, and other types of routes.

For the future, Nisioiu says, branding will become more personalised and integrated. “Big data analysis will dictate a lot of the trends that we'll see in the future,” he says. He predicts that with the extensive data available to airlines, they will be able to do even better targeting than Facebook.

“I think more companies will upgrade their loyalty programmes because this is part of the branding that can create a real sense of difference,” he says.

Futurebrand’s Silcox adds that people are becoming more discerning with their travel choices, making decisions based on their values and narratives. “They are choosing brands which match their social and environmental values, and which make this clear through their brand story.”

He says there is also a trend beyond the sole focus on service towards “allowing people to be the hero of their own travel story.”

While airline rebrands have made their identities bolder and simpler, they risk losing out on the subtleties which add intrigue to the flying experience. In a competitive market, these differences could be their greatest asset.