Brand association is a strong force in any industry, and aviation is no exception. When Air India was privatized by the Tata Group in early 2021, it set out to rebirth the carrier as a premium airline that would rival the best in the world. Today, it took the most visual step towards that, unveiling a brand new livery and logo.

Say hello to the new Air India

Air India has long been defined by the Maharaja logo, red and white colors, and rising sun tail. Today, that all changed, and Air India unveiled its new colors: deep red, aubergine, and gold. The writing features a new 'Air India Sans' font, with the edge of the window designs transformed into 'The Vista' logo.

The new logo is a mix of old and new, retaining the color palette but modernizing the looks, a good analogy for Air India, which was previously owned by Tata as well. It stays true to its Indian roots as well, redrawing the traditional 'jharokha' design found on all windows of all current aircraft for the new Vista logo.

2 Images

Close

The event took place earlier today in New Delhi, with airline CEO Cambell Wilson, Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran, and other senior staff. It has been long awaited, and as Air India prepares to receive the first of its 470 aircraft on order, they will be carrying its new colors, creating a new association for passengers at home and globally. In a statement, the airline said,

"The new design captures the essence of a bold new India, marking a milestone in the transformation of the national Indian institution into a national Indian and global inspiration."

The livery

Speaking of aircraft, no rebrand is complete without a new livery. The flying advertisement banners for any airline, Air India aircraft will now carry its name in the new font along the side of the fuselage and on the belly. The carrier has opted to remove the Hindi translation from the side and added the belly paint.

However, it's the tail that's the most eye-catching. The tail includes a mixture of the golden window edge, iconic red, and purple from Vistara, a nod to the airline's history and future. The rest of the plane uses this color scheme as well, with red wingtips and gold accents on the belly.

Photo: Air India

Air India will roll out the livery in December, featuring it on its inaugural Airbus A350. This aircraft has been spotted several times now undergoing tests at Airbus' facilities and should join the fleet in four months for the carrier's first new aircraft type in over a decade. Campbell Wilson, Air India CEO & MD, noted,

"Our transformative new brand reflects an ambition to make Air India a world class airline serving guests from around the globe, and that represents a new India proudly on the global stage. The new Air India is bold, confident, and vibrant, but also warm and deeply rooted to its rich history and traditions that make Indian hospitality a global benchmark for standards in service."

An important step

While many will miss the Maharaja and its history in Indian aviation, it became clear that Air India needs a clear break from its past to create a future. The new brand identity, from the logo symbol to the tail, will hopefully stand for the world-class airline India deserves and needs for the future. If looks are all we have to go on, things are looking good.

What do you think about Air India's new identity and livery? How would you have redesigned it? Let us know in the comments and share your concepts on our social media!