Opinion BY Armin

Flight of the Condor

In 2009, two of the largest and oldest airline carries in Latin America — TACA (est. 1931) and Avianca (est. 1918) — announced their merger and in 2012 they indicated that the Avianca name would take over both airlines. This week, TACA is no more and Avianca has taken over the 160-airplane fleet to serve the 5,100 weekly flights for 100 destinations in 25 countries across America and Europe. The merger and launch strategy and the new identity were designed by New York, NY-based Lippincott.

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Opinion BY Armin

Hawaiian Airlines Exteeeends its Service

Announced this month by Hawaiian Airlines, Ohana by Hawaiian will be a new über regional airline between the islands of Moloka‘i and Lana‘i flying in adorable-looking, 48-passenger ATR42 turboprop aircrafts. The new name — the Hawaiian word for “family” — logo, and livery have been designed by renown textile and apparel designer Sig Zane (and son). Before we get to the rest of the post: my apologies for the crappy logo image above; there is no clean image anywhere of it.

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A B-Side BY Armin

HOP!

About: (Est. 2013) “HOP stems from the alliance between 3 regional airline companies (Airlinair, Brit Air and Regional) within the Air France group. Thanks to its powerful network combined with the efficiency of its over 3,000-employee staff, the company is THE new transport solution for inter-regional flights, in France and Europe.”

Design by: Brandimage.

Ed.’s Notes: Between Joe on the main side and this, the French are stealing all our words. Nice, simple logo. Tail fin is kind of crazy and hard to read. Bigger view of the logo and livery sample below (or after the jump).

Relevant links: HOP press release. HOP press images (more liveries and ads). HOP media kit (PDF).

Select quote (from media kit): “The name “HOP!” evokes rapidity and the ease with which travellers can get from point A to B. Synonymous with agility, HOP! illustrates its capacity to bounce back and adapt to customers’ needs. The simple typography and red colouring featured in the HOP! logo illustrates the Company’s flexibility in a creative and playful manner. Positioned alongside a slanted exclamation mark, symbolizing an aircraft’s take-off, HOP! illustrates an ambition for reactivity and mobility.”

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Opinion by Mark Kingsley Posted BY Brand New

My Kind of American Exceptionalism

Flying used to mean something.

And before People Express Airlines remade air travel into the equivalent of a bus ride, before the mediascape overinformed us about every possible destination, before the security theater of X-rayed shoes, and before the global financial crisis, the experience of flying actually delivered on that promise.

But now, air travel can be a miserable experience. Especially if you fly coach. And especially if you fly American Airlines.

[Ed.’s Note: This is the first time I hand over a “large” review to anyone. Mark Kingsley, a good friend and annoyingly astute observer, asked if he could do it, saying he was “totally excited” about the work. His point of view on this is likely the last thing you expected to hear from Brand New. Enjoy. — Armin Vit]

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A B-Side BY Armin

Air Canada Rouge

About: (Est. 2012) Rouge is “Air Canada’s new leisure airline with stylishly affordable service to holiday spots in Europe and the Caribbean. Benefit from Air Canada’s extensive network for smooth connections to flights departing daily from Toronto and Montreal. Service begins July 1, 2013. It’s time to go more. “

Design by: N/A.

Ed.’s Notes: Wow. That is bad. I would excuse how bad it was if at least they would have actually taken the time to hand-letter it instead of just using a font — or if they did hand-letter it (because I really have no idea what font that is, I’m just assuming) then they should have made different letterforms for the repeating characters in “Rouge” and “go more”. Terrible. Livery and logo-on-balloons images below (or after the jump).

Relevant links: Meet Air Canada Rouge.

Select quote: “Air Canada rouge embodies the best of Air Canada including reliability, trustworthiness, top safety standards and a name and iconic brand that represents ‘Canada. The name was tested in major Canadian cities. Canadians said the name and colors spoke to the color Canada is known for: red, a color they link to warmth, fun and excitement. Air Canada rouge also represents Canada’s two official languages.”

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A B-Side BY Armin

Germanwings

About: (Est. 2002) Germanwings is a low-cost airline based in Cologne, Germany, and is wholly owned by Lufthansa. Its fleet includes 32 Airbus A 319 that flies over 7.5 million passengers a year to over 90 destinations.

Design by: N/A.

Ed.’s Notes: Livery shot and video below (or after the jump).

Relevant links: Press release.

Select quote: “The key element will be a stylised burgundy and yellow ‘W’, transforming the wings in Germanwings into a succinct icon.”

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Opinion BY Armin

Follow-up: Fiji Airways

Back in August of this year we reported on the new logo for Fiji Airways, the national carrier airline of Fiji that is completing a full rebrand to be set in motion in 2013. At the time of the logo reveal, Fiji Airways preemptively announced that its livery would be introduced on October 10, Fiji Day. Here it is.

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Opinion BY Armin

Across Malta

Established in 1974, Air Malta is the main international carrier for Malta, an archipelago on the Mediterranean sea south of Italy. Air Malta has a small fleet of 12 aircraft that travel to 50 destinations abroad. Last week, Air Malta introduced a new logo, livery, and tagline — The Airline of the Maltese Islands — created by the London office of Futurebrand.

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A B-Side BY Armin

Air New Zealand

Established in 1940, Air New Zealand is one of the largest domestic and international passenger transport and cargo airlines in New Zealand, with over 100 airplanes in its fleet. In July, Air New Zealand announced a revised logo and a new, all-black livery designed by local firm Designworks in collaboration with type designer Kris Sowersby — who has chronicled his process on this project here. Press release quote and livery images below (or after the jump).

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Opinion BY Armin

Island Air’s Lei-zy Logo

Established in 1980 as Princeville Airways, Island Air, as it was renamed in 1995, is Hawaii’s leading regional and second longest-running carrier, with 352 weekly flights to seven destinations on the islands of Hawaii, Kauai, Lanai, Maui, Molokai, and Oahu, on a fleet of two adorable “twin-engine turboprop short-haul aircraft” that accommodate 46 and 64 passengers. Last week, Island Air introduced a new logo and livery designed by New York, NY-based Clark/Huot.

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Opinion BY Armin

Geometric Car Sharing

Established in 1997 in Vancouver as The Car Co-op & The Company Car, this not-for-profit, car sharing co-operative counts with 7,000 members and over 200 locations to pick up from a selection of 230 vehicles in bubbly, colorful variations from hatchbacks to hybrids to minivans. This past March, the coop changed its name to Modo and introduced a new identity designed by Vancouver-based Cause+Affect.

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Opinion BY Clinton Duncan

Like a Virgin

Virgin Blue is (was) an Australian budget airline and yet another in the huge range of Virgin businesses around the world. Following the appointment of John Borghetti as Virgin Blue’s new CEO, Hans Hulsbosch, of the eponymous Hulsbosch Design, was named Creative Director for the airline. Thus began a 12-month transformation process away from budget and towards a “full-service” airline, culminating in new branding and the rename to Virgin Australia.

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Opinion BY Armin

Finnair, now with more Fin

Established in 1923, Finnair is the leading carrier in Finland, transporting over 7 million passengers in 2009 to domestic and international destinations. At the end of last year, Finnair introduced a new logo and livery, designed by Helsinki-based SEK & Grey.

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Opinion BY Christian Palino

The Virgin’s New Clothes

Virgin Atlantic have spent the last year and a half working with London’s Circus and johnson banks to reposition and rebrand Richard Branson’s “high quality, value for money” airline. The airline, born in 1984 under Branson’s ever-growing Virgin empire, quickly became profitable (selling a 49% stake to Singapore Airlines in 1999) and has pioneered offerings from new service experiences like flat beds to biofuel usage.

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Opinion BY Armin

Flight of the Condor

As the largest domestic and international carrier in Argentina, Aerolíneas Argentinas has been transporting passengers to, from and within this beautiful land since the early 1950s. With a new mission “To connect Argentineans and contribute towards the integration and economic and social development of our country, promoting the national territory as a tourist, cultural and business destination,” Aerolíneas Argentinas is introducing a new identity designed by Futurebrand.

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