Air New Zealand says it has no plans to dress a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner in 'retro' livery as part of the airline's 75th anniversary celebrations this year.
Air New Zealand's 1973-1996 livery will be staying in the past, it seems...
The Kiwi carrier is among the world's most prolific airplane repainters, with various AirNZ jets dressed up for The Hobbit movie franchise, the country's All Blacks rugby team plus an eye-catching black livery for the airline's first Boeing 787-9.
The all-black Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner cuts a dashing figure
Nicholas Young
Nicholas Young
But Air New Zealand has opted not to join the likes of Qantas and Lufthansa, which have both applied an older but fondly-remembered livery to their latest jets.
Qantas' RetroRoo is widely held as the airline's most successful PR exercise in years, with a 1971–1984 'heritage' livery applied to a Boeing 737-800.
The stunning RetroRoo – a jet so cool, it has its own Twitter hashtag!
Qantas
Qantas
Photo gallery: Qantas reveals ‘flying kangaroo’ livery on Boeing 737
“We did consider it – there are endless ideas for ways of celebrating – and normally we would look at doing something like that" Air New Zealand's head of global brand management Jodi Williams tells Australian Aviation.
"But we are right in the throes of our brand new livery, the black and white fern, and so we are already committed to ensuring that we upgrade our existing aircraft in the new paint scheme."
According to AA, enthusiasts have been hoping that Air New Zealand's next Boeing 787-9 would get the retro treatment, "with the blue-and-green-striped 1973-1996 version tipped as the selection."
Read more: No ‘retrojet’ for Air New Zealand
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David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
28 Oct 2011
Total posts 645
maybe the retro livery reminds ANZ management (and to some extent the families) of the 1979 Mount Erebus disaster..an event that ANZ wishes to 'forget'
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
21 Aug 2014
Total posts 501
Lol for a second I thought you were talking about ANZ bank.
02 Jan 2013
Total posts 140
Such a bummer but ANZ is well known for its "suprise" element so lets hope their decison is not final. ZK-NZD should be due very soon from memory.
03 Sep 2013
Total posts 3
The Livery on the DC10 were awesome, even the TEAL Livery was outstanding with the 5 gold stars on the tail. I think they should retro back to the original colours and name TEAL, as a sign of respect.. Come on Air New Zealand 75yrs.
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