Ah! So you remember what the livery used to be. I don't think most people do, unless maybe this sub is different.
People often don't realize that the old United planes were military gray looking and then say that United 175 on September 11th had to have been a military plane! It was military colored!!
Yes, in the aviation sub. It was my first time here.Â
I thought this sub talked about engines and horsepower specs and airports and runways, not history of plane branding colors.Â
I doubt you were looking to spend $100 for a 2ft x 3ft but I see there's this
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1667324804/united-airlines-boeing-747-poster-fine?ref=elp_anchor_listing&frs=1&variation0=4293032822
This was back when Star Alliance was fairly new, and wanted to advertise their founding members. But the result is that passengers would be confused on what airline they were riding on lol
Whether it's extending your 6G coverage, drilling natural gas out of shale, or perfecting the chicken quesadilla... Verxxotle: Proud to be one of America's eight companies
And the outside of the plane is probably the last way you’d know. You can’t see the outside of the plane from inside the plane, plenty of airports you can’t see the plane from inside the airport, or it’s not clear what plane belongs to which gate.
The next Star Alliance livery had each member airline on the side, however each having its own alternating tilted box rather than having to paint part of their livery wrapped around the fuselage. The big problem with having each member airline on the side means that you have to change it every time a member is added or one drops off the perch. The current livery is much more simplistic and only recognises the airline that operates it, albeit a little more boring.
Most of the (current) star alliance liveries are bland. Just a white body + STAR ALLIANCE + the airline logo, and a star alliance logo on either white or black background on the tail.
Interestingly, Varig did have a 747 (reg PP-VNI) in this livery, but only on half of the plane (https://www.airliners.net/photo/Star-Alliance-Varig/Boeing-747-341M/11019). I'm not sure if the livery ever saw regular service though.
I remember seeing a 2-page ad on some aviation-related magazine here in Brazil, which shows a VERY long plane with a lot of liveries put together, just like this plane. A very young me would learn later that this was an actual livery and was obviously phased out since there's not enough room for every airline there is. Looking at it now, it'd make sense that the first livery is the actual airline and the rest is a bunch of other partners, but I don't think this logic would be so straightforward for people from outside the hobby.
I like the idea of the cabin crew treating passengers in different sections differently according to the generally expected experience with the particular airline 🙂
It’s like airbus offered the carrier the option to pull individual parts from a spares bin and diy assemble to save a few million, well tighter economy and rising fuel costs, airlines gotta save where it can save lol
they stopped doing this after they hit 8+ members or thereabouts, and for a bit it would be a regular livery with a bunch of logos in squares, then just the plain STAR ALLIANCE livery that exists today
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CaptainSloth269@reddit
Interesting identity crisis 🤣
EmeraldTheParrot@reddit
Avengers assemble ahh plane
jaehaerys48@reddit
I love that they painted the United patch in the United hull colours.
AEP-NY@reddit
Ah! So you remember what the livery used to be. I don't think most people do, unless maybe this sub is different.
People often don't realize that the old United planes were military gray looking and then say that United 175 on September 11th had to have been a military plane! It was military colored!!
Winjum@reddit
The continental merge wasn’t too long ago right? Surely within this decade
Techhead7890@reddit
On a vaguely related date note, I looked up when Star Alliance was founded - 1997, thing's a baby!
Winjum@reddit
Oh fuck it was in 2010
TheSeansei@reddit
And just like that, we're old!
nanderspanders@reddit
In the aviation sub???
AEP-NY@reddit
Yes, in the aviation sub. It was my first time here. I thought this sub talked about engines and horsepower specs and airports and runways, not history of plane branding colors.Â
DrHospsa@reddit (OP)
The battleship grey livery was legendary and looked amazing. I’m trying to find a nice print of a 747 with battleship grey to put on my wall.
AEP-NY@reddit
I doubt you were looking to spend $100 for a 2ft x 3ft but I see there's this https://www.etsy.com/listing/1667324804/united-airlines-boeing-747-poster-fine?ref=elp_anchor_listing&frs=1&variation0=4293032822
Horus_Morus@reddit
Battleship Gray United was peak
burntartichoke@reddit
Anything with the Tulip
jaehaerys48@reddit
Yup. That's still the livery I most associate with United.
AEP-NY@reddit
I had a toy plane which was a metal United gray plane. I wonder if I could still get one.
wrongwayup@reddit
They got the grey belly of LH at the time too.
Knowing how pedantic airline branding folks can be, it wouldn't surprise me to learn if each other patch is a different shade of white.
YSU777@reddit
The Lufthansa portion has the Lufthansa grey as well.
Krexci@reddit
nah they just didn't have a white middle section lying around when they built the plane /s
LahmeEnteInternet@reddit
Frankenstein-Plane
bonzothebonanza@reddit
This was back when Star Alliance was fairly new, and wanted to advertise their founding members. But the result is that passengers would be confused on what airline they were riding on lol
omega552003@reddit
What do you mean? They on the Star Alliance Thai SAS VARIG Lufthansa Air Canada United Airlines
PM_ME__RECIPES@reddit
We usually just use the acronym SATSVLACUA for brevity.
dannyaortiz@reddit
That sounds like a generic chinese brand on Amazon
PM_ME__RECIPES@reddit
I'm a little sleep deprived today and I keep reading that as
je386@reddit
Read that as "That's Dracula".
Must be a Romanian Airline.
doozerman@reddit
I feel a force. No. Dracula force.
CowboyLaw@reddit
AOL-Time-Warner-Pepsico-Viacom-Halliburton-Skynet-Toyota-Trader-Joe's. But, like…as a plane.
chateau86@reddit
Visa Cash App Racing Bulls Formula One Team?...Oh wait that's a real thing.
TheSportsLorry@reddit
long ass way to spell Alpha Tauri
Old-Tank-3111@reddit
long ass way to say the Formula 1 MSC Cruises Gran Premio del Made in Italy e dell'Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
crucible@reddit
long ass way to spell Toro Rossi :P
Far_Breakfast_5808@reddit
For many they will always be Minardi.
TheSportsLorry@reddit
thank you <3
Several-Eggplant4460@reddit
They can add as many sponsors as they want to the names, it'll always just be red bull and Toro rosso/alpha tauri
marvk@reddit
Whether it's extending your 6G coverage, drilling natural gas out of shale, or perfecting the chicken quesadilla... Verxxotle: Proud to be one of America's eight companies
Rk_1138@reddit
What is this, a crossover corporation?
thearchiguy@reddit
Verixxotle
crucible@reddit
Thai passengers must have this view given where the airline’s livery was placed:
DutchBlob@reddit
Mega-est of mega mergers
Schnitzel725@reddit
Shouldn't the passengers know what airline they're riding on from their boarding ticket and gate number?
I see the star alliance logo on planes sometimes but to this day still don't have a clue what it is for.
wrongwayup@reddit
Sure, just as long as they don't look out the window
Rptorbandito@reddit
Passengers will ask someone where gate A4 is when they are one gate over at A3.
SpoonNZ@reddit
And the outside of the plane is probably the last way you’d know. You can’t see the outside of the plane from inside the plane, plenty of airports you can’t see the plane from inside the airport, or it’s not clear what plane belongs to which gate.
m71nu@reddit
No, in this case you need the seat number as well.
Absolarix@reddit
What? You're expecting someone to read their boarding pass? Crazy.
DutchBlob@reddit
What do you mean the gate closes 20 minutes before departure? My flight is at 6:30 and now it’s only 6:28!
ISOLDASNAKE@reddit
no, I walk on the tarmac to find my plane
Sorry_Sorry_Everyone@reddit
Wasn’t that kinda the point of the marketing here though?
It doesn’t matter which airline you’re actually on as long as it’s a Star Alliance member
sneijder@reddit
Good point.
TheCygnusWall@reddit
I can't say I've ever determined what airline I was riding on by looking at the plane lol
agha0013@reddit
this is the second generation after Varig joined, there were 5 original members
The airlines that did this put their own livery on the front section typically.
xchoo@reddit
It was fairly easy to tell though... The member that owned the plane was the first displayed. E.g., AC owned the A340 in the photo above.
asavgasucanbe@reddit
Fairly easy for you Mr. Smarty Pants
Responsible_Rule8829@reddit
Congrats, you just made an A330-300 uglier.....Â
Icy_Huckleberry_8049@reddit
It's all of the airlines that make up the SkyTeam alliance, if you haven't figure it out yet.
RogueViator@reddit
That’s Star Alliance. Those airlines on the fuselage are the founding members of the alliance.
Icy_Huckleberry_8049@reddit
Yep, got them mixed up.
SkyTeam is the Delta alliance.
wrongwayup@reddit
Womp womp...
vapocalypse52@reddit
Wow! VARIG!
Happy-Tax1242@reddit
How do i get a 1:200 model of this
Intelligent-Fan2410@reddit
The kumbaya of liveries
Skilodracus@reddit
We have NATO at home:Â
jakerose_2@reddit
Just realized this was probably one of the few A-340s to have a United Livery (even if it’s just partially)
wrongwayup@reddit
Probably the only!
Kingken130@reddit
Would’ve been better if they put Thai Airways at the front
Also missed that Thai Airways livery, so iconic
wrongwayup@reddit
It was an Air Canada airplane, so...
FoxBearBear@reddit
RIP VARIG
USArmyAirborne@reddit
Rest in peace SAS no longer being a SA member.
Pristine-Ad3234@reddit
Lets not abbreviate Star Alliance
dmaxel@reddit
If any abbreviation should be used, I like *A
tk427aj@reddit
I thought they just cut up planes from each airline and put them back together... Star Alliance Frankenplane
trauma-doc@reddit
Old United livery was so good
redyambox@reddit
Give way to the.... Everything A340 on then left...Â
omega552003@reddit
It would be interesting if each section was also that airline's interior and stewards/stewardesses
EdgarAllanPuss@reddit
Stewardesses is the longest word in the English language to be typed with only 1 hand on a qwerty keyboard
DOCKTORCOKTOR@reddit
Not me trying to do it one handed, failing and then resorting to type with my index fingers….
EdgarAllanPuss@reddit
I type exclusively with my index fingers
Freddan_81@reddit
Cabin crew having to change clothes as they move back and forth?
nalc@reddit
Passport control on the way to the lav and back would be a bitch
Capable_Stranger9885@reddit
Makes me think of the Johnny Cash song "One Piece at a Time" 🎵
giulimborgesyt@reddit
rip varig...
Vau8@reddit
And rip, Thai, far behind their legacy nowadays.
5043090@reddit
Grifters, pure and simple.
SenoritaSpock@reddit
"Which airline are you flying with?"
"Yes"
SirPompously@reddit
The next Star Alliance livery had each member airline on the side, however each having its own alternating tilted box rather than having to paint part of their livery wrapped around the fuselage. The big problem with having each member airline on the side means that you have to change it every time a member is added or one drops off the perch. The current livery is much more simplistic and only recognises the airline that operates it, albeit a little more boring.
lazerbullet@reddit
Hideous.
VictoryReasonable430@reddit
Which airline are you flying with? All of them!
ItsVinn@reddit
Seems like a 1998 or 1997 livery with the Star Original 5 + Varig (the first new addition)
SAS left Star recently, and is now in Skyteam
Varig went bust in 2006, brand name and frequent flyer program got bought by GOL. Only the smiles frequent flyer survives to this day
mattyGOAT1996@reddit
Yes I would love to fly:
Thai
ImaginaryPlace@reddit
Thanks, I hate it.Â
supercujo@reddit
Looks like they did a cut and shut smash repair
MissNashPredators11@reddit
My nervous system when I hit my elbow wrong
danit0ba94@reddit
Is this legit?
Hot_Net_4845@reddit
Yes. It's the old Star Alliance livery
Mr_Chode_Shaver@reddit
Air canada has(had?) a few A330 and A320s in star alliance livery. It’s pretty bland honestly.Â
xchoo@reddit
Most of the (current) star alliance liveries are bland. Just a white body + STAR ALLIANCE + the airline logo, and a star alliance logo on either white or black background on the tail.
danit0ba94@reddit
That's neat. I wish this thing could have done a run through BOS while I was still working there. Would have loved to see it.
xchoo@reddit
I think those were the founding members of Star Alliance (iirc)?
Hot_Net_4845@reddit
Yes, plus Varig, the first airline to join that wasn't a founding member
xchoo@reddit
Interestingly, Varig did have a 747 (reg PP-VNI) in this livery, but only on half of the plane (https://www.airliners.net/photo/Star-Alliance-Varig/Boeing-747-341M/11019). I'm not sure if the livery ever saw regular service though.
becomingknown@reddit
Mumbo Jumbo
Mountain_Fault2903@reddit
Original star alliance livery. A weird and rare sighting lol
dfcowell@reddit
I can’t believe that no one here has figured out that it’s a codeshare.
jhl_x@reddit
I remember seeing a 2-page ad on some aviation-related magazine here in Brazil, which shows a VERY long plane with a lot of liveries put together, just like this plane. A very young me would learn later that this was an actual livery and was obviously phased out since there's not enough room for every airline there is. Looking at it now, it'd make sense that the first livery is the actual airline and the rest is a bunch of other partners, but I don't think this logic would be so straightforward for people from outside the hobby.
Eirikur_da_Czech@reddit
That’s how they turn a 320 into a 321
Whole_Conference_801@reddit
TCAS_2003@reddit
Oh my god…it’s the Airline
joe2105@reddit
You mean they didn't go in together on an A340-300 and split up the sales of seats in the cabin by section?
wolftick@reddit
I like the idea of the cabin crew treating passengers in different sections differently according to the generally expected experience with the particular airline 🙂
kylleo@reddit
first class passengers woulda paid allat just to fly air canada
Outrageous-Visit-993@reddit
It’s like airbus offered the carrier the option to pull individual parts from a spares bin and diy assemble to save a few million, well tighter economy and rising fuel costs, airlines gotta save where it can save lol
mmbatt@reddit
Before I read the comments, it looked to me like a This-plane-is-held-together-by-duct-tape-hahaha livery lol... Gotta wear my glasses more often
But very cool, now that I know
84Cressida@reddit
Way more interesting than the current one
agha0013@reddit
they stopped doing this after they hit 8+ members or thereabouts, and for a bit it would be a regular livery with a bunch of logos in squares, then just the plain STAR ALLIANCE livery that exists today
OrganizationShoddy37@reddit
Ah yes my favorite airline
Thai SAS Varig United Lufthansa Air Canada
ScottOld@reddit
What airline did you fly on... yes
post-explainer@reddit
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