For those out of the loop, British Airways is celebrating its 100 year anniversary – and its chosen to kick off it’s celebration with fare sale offering 1000 long haul fares for £100 each way – but also with re-painting planes.
The first to have a celebratory repaint is G-BYGC, which is being painted into one of the predecessor liveries of British Airways – “British Overseas Airways Corporation” or BOAC.
The classic BOAC livery in flight aboard a BOAC Boeing 747 – Image, British Airways
BOAC’s livery flew between 1964 – 1974 originally. The G-BYGC will be painted in Dublin, to arrive on 18th February at London Heathrow – and will re-enter commercial service the next day. According to British Airways, there’s a tweak to the original BOAC design toward the rear of the fuselage.
The revised BOAC Livery – note the British Airways 100 logo on the plane. Image – British Airways.
Coincidentally, this ties in with fifty years of the first flight of Boeing 747.
The BOAC 747 will be the first aircraft in the British Airways fleet to get a retro paint job as part of the 100 year anniversary of the airline. Others are planned to join too.
However, new aircraft deliveries will be received in the current Chatham Dockyard Livery. This includes the airline’s upcoming Airbus A350 aircraft.
British Airways Boeing 747-400 climbing out of Chicago O’Hare in Chatham Dockyard livery – Image, Economy Class and Beyond.
In Quotes
Alex Cruz, British Airways’ Chairman and CEO, said: “
So many British Airways customers and colleagues have fond memories of our previous liveries, regularly sharing their photos from across the globe, so it’s incredibly exciting to be re-introducing this classic BOAC design.
“Our history has shaped who we are today, so our centenary is the perfect moment to revisit our heritage and the UK’s aviation landscape through this iconic livery.”
However, you’ve got a few years to catch this plane when it enters service. British Airways are planning to retire this frame in 2023, along with the majority of its Boeing 747 fleet.
To Fly, To Return
It’s a welcome return of the BOAC livery, with the blue lines and rather classic paint job. And it’s a rather good way to celebrate an anniversary (as well as the daily 100 tickets for £100 each way going on for the next few days).
Hopefully, we’ll some more classics as more planes are painted to celebrate 100 years of British Airways
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