"And so it is……like you said it would be." It's definitely an emotional moment, so some Damien Rice is necessary while I process American Airlines' rebrand announcement page.After some forty-plus years, the livery and branding of American Airlines–that seemingly immortal fixture of tarmacs around the globe–has changed. The new design seems to refer to American's OneWorld partner, British Airways, at least in terms of tail design. But really, how much more creative can one get with the same old red white and blue? As displeased as longtime AA fanboys might be with the new paint job (points to self), it nevertheless arrives at an interesting, if not serendipitous moment for the airline industry.
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The cheery Pepsi-ish design belies some inner turmoil. As a merger with US Airways nears in the horizon, American has recently been accused by the Regional Transportation Authority, along with United Airlines, for setting up their small office locations outside Chicago's city limits, a loophole that has saved each airline millions in fuel taxes. Bankruptcy protection will help American escape from being sued, but United might not fare as easily.And just yesterday, the airline held hands with other carriers as the brand new Boeing 787 Dreamliner–of which American is awaiting 42 new craft in late 2014–was taken out of service by a concerned FAA. Following a number of in-flight battery fires and emergency landings on ANA and Japan Airlines, Tom Horton, American's CEO, remains optimistic about the long-anticipated, fuel-saving, jetlag-decreasing plane of yesterday's future.The days of that awesome AA scissor-eagle logo are over. The new one is distinctly corporate-friendly, with notes of the old Greyhound livery; but quieter, and disappointingly streamlined. An abstraction of one of Dr. Mario's pill capsules. The minimalist insignia surely seems optimized for the inevitable, system-wide lapel-pin overhaul. I hear the deafening scrape of a thousand wall-plaques being torn from the hallways of airports around the globe. The AAdvantage membership card in my pocket now glows with obsolescence.@danstuckey Stay tuned – as we build a new American, we will have lots of exciting things to share with you, Daniel!
— American Airlines (@AmericanAir) December 19, 2012
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