In a move that goes much deeper than a routine rebranding, Aeroflot is to swap its old Soviet livery and hammer & sickle logo for a softer, more modern, Western-style design. The change is just part of what the airline plans to be a more fundamental shift in its style of "management and culture".
Despite one or two experiments, Aeroflot has stayed with the Soviet logo for 75 years and its characteristic dark blue stripe for at least 30 years. The new livery, from UK branding consultants Identica, is based on a silver fuselage with orange trim and a deep blue underside sweeping down from the tail. The fin carries a stylised Russian flag, similar in concept to the British Airways livery, with a new logo also due to be unveiled by mid-year.
Lev Koshliakov, deputy director general for public affairs, says the new livery reflects a break with the politics and bureaucracy of the past. He adds that if the change had been made immediately after the fall of communism a decade ago it would have been "ideological", but that making the change today is "purely commercial". Staff and management training are accompanying the move.
Aeroflot is handing back a mix of 27 leased Western aircraft over the next couple of years to concentrate on the Airbus A320 family and the Boeing 767. These replacements will gradually bring in the new livery from September.
Source: Airline Business
