American Airlines New Logo

[njmeadowlanders]

If the airline's RM process is working properly, their pricing represents the best business decision. In almost every industry, fees and high prices are often meant to discourage unwanted behavior.

If that's the reason--they don't want you doing it--then that's what totally makes sense to me.

It's sort of like the whole idea behind Progressive's genius marketing campaign. Something along the lines of "we'll show you our competitors rates, even if we're not the best". Take the average Joe Schmoe, they'll just go get a better rate at State Farm or Allstate or whatever. They don't understand that Progressive is doing that intentionally because they see you as more of a liability and someone more prone to needing to file a claim, which is the way they DON'T make money.

So here what you're saying is they'd rather you NOT buy the $200 dollar fare (if it were a $100 round trip) so that someone else can maybe buy a round trip $300 fare, and if you DID buy the $200 fare then at least they know you're overpaying.

That's literally the first good explanation on the question I've ever read.

I'm not exactly flying every other day, but at the same time flying isn't a novel experience for me either, it's quite common to the point where I've become immune to the entire experience. It definitely IS interesting how the whole industry works though and the more you (the royal you) know in general the better. Good stuff.

[tBBP]

Yes, it is. I wish I knew more about overwing ops, but short of the little stint I spent in Atlanta, I spent my entire time underwing. I can tell you everything you'd wanna know about ground operations, though ...and I'd like to think at least some of it ties into what my esteemed comrade BlueSky has been talking about in here.

[Waffles]

The new branding is already in danger of being undermined...

Via the Dallas Morning News:

Doug Parker, the new chief executive officer of American Airlines Group, told employees Monday that he’ll let them decide what the tail on AA jets should look like.

There will be two choices:

A. The new tail adopted last January by the old AA regime, or

B. The old tail that had been in use basically since 1968.

“As we build our new company, we want all of our employees to have a voice in who we are as an airline, and that starts with what we look like,” Parker wrote in the internal “Arrivals” newsletter. “As such, today we launched a survey for all employees of the combined company to vote on what we should do with our new look for the tail – keep the work that was done, or go back to the previous American.”

[TorinK92]

I'm actually starting to like the new livery better.

The second one there looks kind of boring with the euro-silver fuselage.

[Arts11]

The new branding is already in danger of being undermined... Via the Dallas Morning News:

Doug Parker, the new chief executive officer of American Airlines Group, told employees Monday that he’ll let them decide what the tail on AA jets should look like.There will be two choices:A. The new tail adopted last January by the old AA regime, orB. The old tail that had been in use basically since 1968.“As we build our new company, we want all of our employees to have a voice in who we are as an airline, and that starts with what we look like,” Parker wrote in the internal “Arrivals” newsletter. “As such, today we launched a survey for all employees of the combined company to vote on what we should do with our new look for the tail – keep the work that was done, or go back to the previous American.”

I have still yet to see the new tail design at the airport (as a matter of fact, I don't think I've even seen the new logo on a plane yet either, my local regional airport isn't a big hub for AA), but I think it looks better than the old tail design, at least when paired with the new logo. However, I think they should tone it down and maybe keep it only on the tail fin. Looks sort of weird extending all the way down

[-kj]

Seems like their new logo already presents a good motif for the tail; surprised they didn't decide to use that.

[goforbroke]

not to be morbid but now-a-days doesn't a giant american flag on the tail of a plane almost look like a target?

[TorinK92]

not to be morbid but now-a-days doesn't a giant american flag on the tail of a plane almost look like a target?

A target for training bad guys in movies, sure.

[marlinfan]

After hating it initially, I've come around. Working in an area where planes are a couple thousand feet off the ground, the flag is impossible to miss (and striking).

[Batman Jones]

The old identity was bland and personality-free. It worked.. because well... Helvetica never looks bad. But coming from a big fan of Helvetica, this change is welcomed. The new identity looks beautiful and in a world of terrible re-designs they did a fantastic job.

Some of you should stick to your uniform concepts.

[TorinK92]

The old identity was bland and personality-free. It worked.. because well... Helvetica never looks bad. But coming from a big fan of Helvetica, this change is welcomed. The new identity looks beautiful and in a world of terrible re-designs they did a fantastic job.

Some of you should stick to your uniform concepts.

Or maybe we could just say we like/dislike something?

[Cosmic]

The old identity was bland and personality-free. It worked.. because well... Helvetica never looks bad. But coming from a big fan of Helvetica, this change is welcomed. The new identity looks beautiful and in a world of terrible re-designs they did a fantastic job.

Some of you should stick to your uniform concepts.

Or maybe we could just say we like/dislike something?

A change like this is meant to be "consumed" by the general public; you don't need any qualifications to like or dislike it, because we are all the target audience.

[STL FANATIC]

The flag is fine, and as Mockba says, the new logo could work as inspiration for a tail as well.

But using the OLD LOGO on the tail? That would be an awful decision.

[BlueSky]

I don't understand using the old logo on the tail though I think it looks better. The flag tail is tacky looking. Reminds me of those car dealerships where they fly 500 flags plus one the size of a football field as if all that "patriotism" makes their prices, products, or service any better.

Tail aside, I also dislike the plain blue lettering on the all-silver fuselage. Booorrrriiinggg and doesn't pop whatsover.

I applaud the decision to let the employees decide. Mergers make people feel like they have even less control over their work lives than usual. I also think it tacitly implies that Parker isn't fond of the flag tail.

Love this:

===

As Parker did at US Airways, he plans to have at least one airplane painted in the colors of predecessor airlines. That means there’ll be one airplane in the old Trans World Airlines colors and one in the old American Airlines colors, even if employees vote in favor of the new AA livery.

===

Thumbs up to respect for the past.

[TorinK92]

Y'know, that's good. [Assuming there'll be a US Airways livery] because US Airways had the best livery for an American carrier IMO.

[BlueSky]

Y'know, that's good. [Assuming there'll be a US Airways livery] because US Airways had the best livery for an American carrier IMO.

Started thinking about this more and I wonder how far he plans to take the predecessor liveries. If you go back to all the airlines that ultimately ended up in this stew...wow. AirCal, Allegheny, PSA, Piedmont, Lake Central, Mohawk, Reno Air, Trans Caribbean, America West, TWA...and that's just in the modern era ('60s on). It would be unbelievably awesome to see one of each of those flying around.

And a P.S. on new tail vs. old...as the article points out, there's a cost difference too. The new one is complex and expensive to paint and will also present problems maintaining a good appearance over time (think fading, nicks and dings in custom paint on a car).

[Waffles]

The results of the employee poll are in. From the Wall Street Journal:

An early test of unity at the new American Airlines Group revealed a clear fissure among the employees of the merged carrier. Fortunately, they were just voting on their airplanes’ paint job.

Workers were invited to vote on the so-called livery as part of the new American Chief Executive Doug Parker’s effort to woo his new employees. They narrowly voted to jettison the carrier’s old AA logo and stick with new branding unveiled last year just before the merger agreement that created the world’s largest carrier.

American will now repaint more than 1,100 airplanes from the American and US Airways fleets with a new streamlined logo on the fuselage and an abstract U.S. flag design on the tail.