Qantas is updating its iconic Kangaroo logo in preparation for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The Australian airline is expecting the B787 Dreamliner a year from now. This is the airline’s fifth time it is changing the red and white image on the tail of Qantas aircraft since its inception in 1944. The last date was in 2007 and that coincided with the introduction of the Airbus A380 to the fleet. The new design will gradually appear across the Qantas network from today. It will start from digital assets, signage and advertising. Other inventory such as the pyjamas for Business Class passengers has been run down in preparation for the new logo. Updating branding on aircraft will be progressively updated with scheduled re-paints and expected to be completed in time for the airline’s centenary in 2020.
The fundamentals of the flying kangaroo has remained but the new brand is more streamlined. A shading has been added behind the kangaroo to give a better sense of movement and depth. A silver band now extends from the tail to the rear of the fuselage to give a more premium feel. The typography for the word Qantas measures almost two metres high on the 787. Qantas will appear on the aircraft belly so people on the ground can immediately identify the plane when it is in the air. The classic winged kangaroo will also be featured under the cockpit window and incorporate the individual name of each aircraft.
This new design was revealed by Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce together with the new Business Suites and Economy seats that will be introduced on the B787 to a hangar of over 1,000 employees and guests in Sydney.
It has been the airline’s tradition to update the logo around the time of game-changing new aircraft joining the fleet. And that has gone back to the Lockheed Constellation in 1947, the B747-300 in 1984 and the A380 in 2007.
