Final Farewell To BRITANNIA AIRWAYS

[AVIACO]

I know that this is a well trodden path and a much written about subject, but I just came across this image today on another site that we all visit frequently, and thought........ surely this cannot be the end of one of the most majestic liveries and one of the most respected names ever to adorn any aircraft anywhere????

This particular photograph somehow gives the impression that the Boeing is pulling up on stand for one last time, wearing her favourite outfit, before being stripped naked and forced to wear the ghastly TUI abomination.

Farewell Britannia Airways. It was a pleasure flying on you all these years - from the B732's back in 1980, to the B763's of today. We will all miss you.


http://www.airliners.net/open.file/733419/L/

[Big Tudor]

Have you got the right foto AVIACO ? This one is pulling onto stand at FNC, surely a return sector would follow before any paint job? Nothing in the narrative to suppose it is the last flight in 'proper' BY colours.

[AVIACO]

Hello my friend,

I was speaking metaphorically. I know the aircraft is at FNC, and will probably undertake several more flights in its current livery before re-paint, but I just thought that it was a particularly splendid shot of a wonderful livery, that took me back several years to when I used to fly with BY as a passenger almost religiously.

This particular shot got me thinking that the actual visible name, Britannia Airways, won't be around for long.

And, I am sad about that.

Best wishes,
Aviaco.

[Big Tudor]

Hear hear sir. One of the finest liveries ever to grace a flying machine, and this picture is a rather fine example of that. Certainly far better than the pastel blue of TUI. Twill be a sad day indeed when the stripes and 'Her Ladyship' are finally consigned to history. Strikes me that some airline bosses need lessons in corporate image and reputation rather than P&L and balance sheets!

For the purpose of balance here (http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=733330&WxsIERv=Qm9laW5nIDczNy04MDQ%3D&WdsYXMg=QnJpdGFubmlhIEFpcndheXM%3D&QtODMg=RnVuY2hhbCAvIE1hZGVpcmEgKC0gU2FudGEgQ3J1eikgKEZOQyAvI ExQTUEp&ERDLTkt=UG9ydHVnYWw%3D&ktODMp=RGVjZW1iZXIgMTIsIDIwMDQ%3D&BP=0&WNEb25u=UnVpIFNvdXNhIC0gTWFkZWlyYSBTcG90dGVycw%3D%3D&xsIERvdWdsY=U0UtRFpW&MgTUQtODMgKE=U3ByYXlpbmcgdGhlIHdhdGVyIHdoaWxlIHRha2luZyBvZmY gZnJvbSAyMy4%3D&YXMgTUQtODMgKERD=MzE%3D&NEb25uZWxs=MjAwNC0xMi0xNQ%3D%3D&ODJ9dvCE=&O89Dcjdg=MzI5MDQvMTMwMg%3D%3D&static=yes&sok=V0hFUkUgIChhaXJsaW5lIExJS0UgJ0JyaXRhbm5pYSBBaXJ3YXlzJScg T1IgYWlybGluZSBMSUtFICdDb3JzYWlyIChCcml0YW5uaWEgQWlyd2F5cykl JyBPUiBhaXJsaW5lIExJS0UgJ1Rob21zb25mbHkgKEJyaXRhbm5pYSBBaXJ3 YXlzKSUnIE9SIGFpcmxpbmUgTElLRSAnVW50aXRsZWQgKFRob21zb25mbHkg KEJyaXRhbm5pYSBBaXJ3YXlzKSklJyBPUiBhaXJsaW5lIExJS0UgJ1Rob21z b24gSG9saWRheXMgKEJyaXRhbm5pYSBBaXJ3YXlzKSUnIE9SIGFpcmxpbmUg TElLRSAnR2FydWRhIEluZG9uZXNpYSAoQnJpdGFubmlhIEFpcndheXMpJScg T1IgYWlybGluZSBMSUtFICdUQUNBIChCcml0YW5uaWEgQWlyd2F5cyklJyBP UiBhaXJsaW5lIExJS0UgJ1VudGl0bGVkIChCcml0YW5uaWEgQWlyd2F5cykl JyBPUiBhaXJsaW5lIExJS0UgJ0ZyaXRpZHNyZXNvciAvIFN0YXIgVG91ciAo QnJpdGFubmlhIEFpcndheXMpJScpICBvcmRlciBieSBwaG90b19pZCBERVND&photo_nr=4) is the alternative! Ghastly :mad:

[AVIACO]

Indeed Sir. Very accurate statements.

Although the pinstripe look still looks modern (in my opinion), the livery that preceded it (with the twin broad red and blue bands) was also something of a revolution in its time.

Let's hope that one day, Britannia will once again rule the skies.

[VIKING9]

That livery may well be over 20 years old, but it still gets my vote....... as for the Tui livery, well, who dreamed that up - a blind man :cool:

[fastjet2k]

My first ever commercial flight was on a BY 757 from LGW to Kefallonia. I look back on that first view I had as an 11 year old boy staring at that beautiful aircraft in what I remember as a special livery. Majestic it may well be, but I will always associate the name Britannia with the start of something special...

Aaah the memories

FJ2k:rolleyes:

[Fris B. Fairing]

Rules for Painting Aeroplanes:

1. Aeroplanes should not look like milk bottles.

2. Aeroplanes should have stripes.

3. Aeroplanes should not be the same colour as the sky.

4. Polished metal is highly desirable if corrosion control and composites will allow.

5. Airline liveries are not like motor cars. You don't have to bring out a new model every year to create the illusion of progress.

6. Aeroplanes should have names.

[Luke SkyToddler]

Call me a post modern young whippersnapper but I actually didn't like the old Britannia paint job very much, and much prefer the pastel one.

But I thought the BA tails were really inspired as well, I can't understand the fuss about that.

True art is never recognized in its' own lifetime :(

[ATNotts]

Whilst in Nürnberg recently I chanced upon a brace of Hapag Lloyd A.310s, one in the ghastly TUI scheme, the other, probably one of the last in their fleet still in the Hapag Lloyd orange house colours.

Although TUI's German airline is at least keeping their name, I fancy their are plenty of Hapag Lloyd employees out there who feel much the same as BY people here in UK.

[speedbird_heavy]

Its a very "British" livery and one that looks clean and proud. This new poweder blue colour looks to camp and plain to me.

[kala87]

Hear hear! I shall miss the classic BY livery like an old departed friend. I don't understand the logic of the egotistical corporate types who have to treat the aircraft as a mere branding exercise.

Do they really think the average punter would be reassured to travel in a bland-looking, Euro-politically-correct TUI aircraft, as opposed to an aircraft painted in the widely respected and majestic-looking Britannia colours?

Shame on them!

[AVIACO]

You hit the nail right on the head Kala! It's not only the livery that is going, but also the name - Britannia Airways.

I think you used a very good word to sum up the whole Britannia Airways solid position of days gone past - MAJESTIC.

That word just about describes everything that I would normally associate with the old Britannia.

Thomson.fly.thomson.co.uk.whatevertheywillthinkofnext.com just does NOT do it for me, nor will it for the majority of the British public.

Farewell Britannia.

[christn]

The lunatics have taken over the asylum!

I don't think we will ever get the key back!!

[flite idol]

There is a chap by the name of Blunkett who needs a job! He is better qualified and would do a better job than most of these style gurus who force these putrid designs on us.

[AVIACO]

Chaps

Let's give a standing ovation to flite idol. Never has a truer statement ever been posted on Proon!!

Can we have a competition to see who has the best foto of the wonderful and soon to be lamented Britannia Airways?


Aviaco

[flystarboy]

well, perhaps the old boys at BY now know how others felt when the "Lady in the Wheelchair" chose to delete our airline colours and logo... Even the biggest have to face change.

[stormin norman]

Britannia was always the best of the charter airlines, and along with Thomson holidays you were always assured of a safe flight and a good holiday.The planes were always clean and smart
which gave a good first impression to us bucket and spaders and were a credit to the staff.

On the ramp last week at LGW there was a travel city direct 747 which looked like it should be in a scrap yard!

[Mooncrest]

I agree that the powder blue and the red Thomson letters look ridiculous but I confess I wasn't nuts about the preceding scheme either. IMHO, the schemes from the seventies and early eighties with the red and turquoise were far more attractive and stylish. There were some corking paint jobs back then, Northeast's bright yellow and Aer Lingus' green and blue are classic examples. Mind you, we had our fair share of drabness too, e.g. Dan Air's red and black, BIA's orange and brown and BMA's turquoise and navy. Yuk!

Rule Britannia :ok:

[DC10FAN]

I am obviously in a minority here; imo the blue/orange/white stripes are @10 years out of date. I'm not keen on the current livery though and the logo is rubbish. I would have kept the original logo and gone for a darker blue/white scheme.

[silverhawk]

stormin norman. Have you forgotten Gerona already?

The livery may have changed, I fear the attitude may persevere.

[jon01]

I think this one makes the old scheme really stand out:

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/460500/L/


Pure class!

[vintage ATCO]

Some of us remember this colour scheme http://www.airliners.net/open.file/733236/M/

The one featured at the start of this thread is the best.

[G-BBAE]

Havent flyed BY in a while now but i remember these moments.
Think i went on 767-200s to Ibiza and Majorca from Manchester when i was a baby, went on a 737-200 to Alicante from Manchester, all these years being between 1987-1990.
Then in 1995 went on a 757 to Monastir from Manchester, 1996 i went on a 767-200 from Manchester to Gerona but im not sure if i returned on a 767-300?
In 1997 went on 757 to Tenerife from Manchester.
Went on 737-800 from LBA to Alicante in 2001.
And a 767-200 returning on a 767-300 to Gerona from Manchester in 2002.
All planes being presented in true BY fasion, now all this has gone which is very sad as BY were part of my childhood holidays.