Air New Zealand launches new livery

Air New Zealand has unveiled new livery that replaces its traditional blue-green tail with black. (Air New Zealand).

Few airlines seem as keen to tinker with their livery as Air New Zealand, which has announced plans for a full fleet update starting next year.

The overhaul will see the tails of all new aircraft painted black and a modernisation of the airline’s lettering. The black tails follow a promotion last year that saw several of the carrier’s aircraft painted all black in honour of New Zealand’s rugby team.

“Black has resonated well with our customers and staff who identify with it as the colour of New Zealand and a natural choice for our national airline,” CEO Rob Fyfe said in a statement. “Our iconic symbol, the Koru, will remain but it will be set within our national colour rather than the blue and green tones on our tails today.”

The airline said the new lettering, developed by Kiwi typeface designer Kris Sowersby, will be rolled out across its “signage and communications channels” by the end of this year.