Just7four7 From Hong Kong, joined Oct 2009, 57 posts, RR: 0 Posted (3 years 6 months 4 days 3 hours ago) and read 8465 times:
Of all the major asian carriers Cathay has one drab (cheerless, boring) aircraft livery. The bird-image/brushstroke calligraphy tail logo I find a little hard to fall in love with, the half white-half grey body coloring lacking spirit. The cabins are equally dull and a bit out of fashion.
They generally have good contemporary design for their lounges and premium check-in, but it seems there is a disconnect to their fleet hardware.
CX being such a premium international carrier, they ought to improve their aircraft image.
But even if they wanted to change, how do you pick a good moment to do that? It might look like they are being defensive..? The introduction of a new aircraft to the fleet might pose a good occasion. But nothing on the horizon.
NA From Germany, joined Dec 1999, 9614 posts, RR: 10 Reply 2, posted (3 years 6 months 4 days 2 hours ago) and read 8336 times:
I like the CX livery. Better than most Asian carriers schemes. If there is one large Asian airline that has a bad and outdated livery in urgent need of replacement its Air China.
Just7four7 From Hong Kong, joined Oct 2009, 57 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (3 years 6 months 4 days 2 hours ago) and read 8330 times:
380 has the novelty factor, so any livery would look exiting, at first.
As far as the tail logo, I am not sure most people even get it. In that case it is even more unfortunate: Some odd bird...?! I appreciate the cultural reference, but it's just not working very well I think, and not fresh and modern.
A good bird logo: LH. Clear, timeless, sophisticated.
Wowpeter From Hong Kong, joined Oct 2006, 128 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (3 years 6 months 4 days ago) and read 8019 times:
I think the Cathay livery works quite well... especially the brush stroke livery being very distinctive asian design that stands out from the crowd... I personally think that the Cathay livery still look amazingly modern even thought it was design and release in the mid-90s... and it is probably one of the better livery out there amount all of the airlines in the world
Argonaut From UK - Scotland, joined Dec 2004, 417 posts, RR: 1 Reply 6, posted (3 years 6 months 3 days 21 hours ago) and read 7814 times:
Quoting Just7four7 (Reply 3): As far as the tail logo, I am not sure most people even get it. In that case it is even more unfortunate: Some odd bird...?!
I've never been able to see it as anything other than a chicken wing.
The Coachman From Australia, joined Apr 2001, 1411 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (3 years 6 months 3 days 21 hours ago) and read 7760 times:
If you think the CX livery is outdated then it's for a number of reasons.
1) DL has had 3 livery changes, since CX did its last update in 1995.
2) You haven't seen SQ...
3) Brand recognition after 15 years is quite high.
4) Art is a matter of subjective interpretation.
Birdseed From United Kingdom, joined Nov 2006, 57 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (3 years 6 months 3 days 19 hours ago) and read 7374 times:
I quite like the Cathay livery, though I did prefer their previous one.
Quoting Just7four7 (Reply 3): A good bird logo: LH. Clear, timeless, sophisticated.
I think Lufthansa's aircraft always look great, but that's nothing much to do with the livery - it's because they're always shiny and clean. The livery, though indeed timeless, I find insanely boring.
EbbUK From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 9, posted (3 years 6 months 3 days 18 hours ago) and read 6933 times:
Quoting Just7four7 (Thread starter): CX being such a premium international carrier, they ought to improve their aircraft image.
Conservative airline, conservative logo. Majority of premium customers? Conservative. Are you spotting a common thread? Why bite the hand that feeds you?
I'll let you decide your own opinion about whether you like it or not! I think it's OK.
I like the Cathay Pacific paintscheme but at the same time I reckon a new slant on it would look pretty cool too. Qantas updated theirs without changing it drastically...
Dugong From Australia, joined Apr 2007, 10 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (3 years 6 months 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 6052 times:
I see the EVA AIR livery every week and it is a really washed out green - very unexciting. I like CX's colour scheme and their flight attendants red uniforms are excellent - overall impresion is very favourable to my eyes.
Just7four7 From Hong Kong, joined Oct 2009, 57 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (3 years 6 months 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 6013 times:
All in good spirits: I am surprised to see how you like the white and grey and questionable tail-logo, that I find make the 747 and 777 look so without any spirit and just plain boring. (At the very least, it's not the all white)
I take the "conservative" point, but think that is just not enough anymore. Cathay has little incentive to change, as the neighboring mainland chinese carriers are equally drab, yes, Air China in particular.
But CX competes with Qantas, Korean, ANA, Singapore, Thai, all much stronger images and not un-conservative either.
As another reference: Hong Kong as a city is trying hard and somewhat struggling to produce a fresher, more creative image of itself. Very much a similar case I think. Been living here for a while and observing that.
787seattle From United States of America, joined Feb 2008, 641 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (3 years 6 months 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 5973 times:
If the this wasn't on a TU-154, I wouldn't mind seeing this livery for CX:
Fiestaflight From United States of America, joined Mar 2009, 54 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (3 years 6 months 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 5933 times:
That hypothetical CX A380 is fantastic. Finally a livery to break up the whale jet optic.
Euro white liveries are just horrible on that thing.
As a designer, I think CX is just fine right now. The rectangular green color pop on the nose is distinctive and great for spotting from long distances. I hate it when you can't i.d. a plane until the tail is right on top of you. Very Hong Kong to me. I dig it.
The big travesty of the year for me was the new Delta rollout. Yawn. So many people hated the Deltaflot phase, but I kind of dug that one too. Go figure.
Having a unique livery is what makes spotting fun.
Pellegrine From United States of America, joined Mar 2007, 1845 posts, RR: 8 Reply 15, posted (3 years 6 months 3 days 14 hours ago) and read 5899 times:
Cathay's livery is absolutely iconic.
Perhaps they should modernize small cues, but honestly I would wait a couple years to do that if I were running CX.
Just7four7 From Hong Kong, joined Oct 2009, 57 posts, RR: 0 Reply 17, posted (3 years 6 months 3 days 13 hours ago) and read 5619 times:
Wow, I am surprised. Only positive livery comments.
Ok, I take the green mustache, that is unique, distcintive and quite ok.
But the rest? And the faux bird? Please. So crude and not elegant. It is not even true calligraphy. Obviously an abstraction, but you never see the tiny brush strokes in calligraphy.
Ok, enough. Just find it awful and CX ready for thrashing it. As the business is changing, it might be sooner than later they will, due to mergers, consolidation, etc.
The TU154 very funny. What a thought: The spiffy 154 with any western airline.
OP3000 From United States of America, joined Jun 2009, 1678 posts, RR: 2 Reply 18, posted (3 years 6 months 3 days 13 hours ago) and read 5552 times:
As to the survey on the livery, I say CX's isn't very exciting, but I do find it appealing and classy. It does not stand out in a bad way.
I would suggest forgetting the white and going for the metal look that the CX Cargo planes carry. That one stands out and in a good way. But I doubt they will change it soon, save for perhaps eliminating the Swire logo towards the back of the fuselage next time that CA buys another 5% of shares.
Huaiwei From Singapore, joined Oct 2008, 1086 posts, RR: 1 Reply 20, posted (3 years 6 months 3 days 13 hours ago) and read 5427 times:
Quoting Just7four7 (Reply 12): All in good spirits: I am surprised to see how you like the white and grey and questionable tail-logo, that I find make the 747 and 777 look so without any spirit and just plain boring. (At the very least, it's not the all white)
Quoting Just7four7 (Reply 3): A good bird logo: LH. Clear, timeless, sophisticated.
You do realise that LH bird is on an all-white body, don't you?
Quoting Just7four7 (Reply 12): But CX competes with Qantas, Korean, ANA, Singapore, Thai, all much stronger images and not un-conservative either.
I am surprised you mentioned SQ. They hadn't changed their basic design since 1972, although they did make small changes for the past ten years or so.
Korean Air changed theirs in 1983, ANA in 1989, Thai in 2003. Qantas had an "update" in 2007, but its design is still based on the one since 1947!
It's huaiwei...not huawei. I have nothing to do with the PRC! :)
Airbus_A340 From Hong Kong, joined Mar 2000, 1554 posts, RR: 21 Reply 21, posted (3 years 6 months 3 days 12 hours ago) and read 5170 times:
I believe the brushstroke is quite a clever. The use of a cultural brushstroke that looks like a wing, gives a modern twist. The livery itself is still very modern after almost 15 years, and if it needs changing, it's not the logo. I agree with the posts above with it being conservative, and that's exactly the target market that flies with us. It wouldn't be smart for cx to spend money on re-branding in times when staff are taking unpaid leave too!
JQFlightie From Australia, joined Mar 2009, 880 posts, RR: 1 Reply 22, posted (3 years 6 months 3 days 11 hours ago) and read 5007 times:
I think CX has a nice livery, especially the 'Asia's World City' livery.... now could you imagine that on a A380 ... would be very nice!
SQ are the ones that desperately need a livery update!
Next Trip: PER-DPS-LOP-CGK-KUL-PVG-LHR, LCY-MAD-VLC, BCN-LYS-TLS-IST-JED-KUL-SGN-CAN-MEL
26 JQFlightie: omg you really are a Sky God! that would look amazing!
27 EGTESkyGod: Hahaha, let's not go nuts... Just a case of knowing where to look!
28 JQFlightie: but that would have to be the best looking A380 if that was ever done!
29 Aaron747: You can't be serious. Cathay's recent cabin products feature excellent modern design, certainly on par with or better than most in the region.
30 CXB77L: I don't think that's how it will look. Like on the 747, the blue section will go beyond the lower deck and stop just short of the upper deck windows,
31 NA: Agreed. That livery is getting old. What they use is just an update of a livery from the mid-70s. Time to change. The World City livery would indeed
32 Cloudyapple: Please do not go off topic. This thread is about bashing everything Cathay as suggested by the thread starter: Let's see how long before humour polic
33 Jfk777: Cathay should use more of the Emerald Green color on the fuselage as replacement for all the white used.
34 Huaiwei: There is no need to take things so personally dude. Nah that would look horrible...and probably be remembered as a flying cucumber. The current white
35 Chris7217: Well, I would like to see a new livery to Cathay. Personally I like the tail logo quite a lot but the colours look for me rather boring/odd and "dirty
36 MogandoCI: branding takes time to accumulate, and you should only change it when your branding is stale and not bringing in business. SQ's only change is to enla
37 SQ772: Now that you mentioned it, it actually does look like a chicken wing!! haha Having said that, I think CX's tail looks unique, and I do like the very
38 EGTESkyGod: Well I didn't design it... don't shoot me! Also, you do know the pic is a fake, right?
39 CXB77L: I never said you did! And yes, I know that picture is but a graphic illustration.
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