Opinion: Why Air India Rebranding With New Livery And Logo Left Internet Divided?

Air India, the Tata Group-owned airline, recently unveiled a new brand identity as part of its global transformation under the new ownership of Tata Group. The Tata Group acquired the airline from the Indian government in 2022 and later announced an overhaul of the airline. Following the same, Air India revealed the new aircraft livery and new logo along with new cabin layout and customer experience and termed it as Vihaan.AI transformation. The Vihaan.AI aims to establish the airline as a forward-looking air carrier, swaying away from the Air India's legacy brand.

Having said that, the new livery and logo reveal generated a mixed response on the social media. A lot of social media users hailed Air India and Tata Group for taking a bold approach and changing the logo and livery completely, not carrying forward the legacy of the brand, others bashed the airline for going all out with the rebranding activity. Here's an understanding of the rebranding and what social media said.

Divided Opinion On Social Media

The social media platforms inlcuding Twitter (X) are divided on the livery update by Air India. While not much is been said about the new Logo, as most of the netizens have applauded the new bigger all-english logo, the livery has managed to divide the Twitteraties. The new design featuring a palette of deep red, aubergine, and gold highlights over white body, is far different from the current all-red over white livery.  

The livery is too bold, and too tacky, as per many social media users, highlighting that Air India has been a national carrier for long, and the new livery snatches away the feeling of statesmanship from the airline. In fact, many users compared the airline's new livery with that of existing air carriers, blaming the brand for having a design similar to that of Air Iberia and underbelly like the Emirates. 

On the other hand, a majority of the users and avgeeks hailed Air India for taking a bold step and said it's a welcome departure from the airline's govt ownership. Many said the livery reveals that Air India is more confident and ready to take risk, in order to claim the lost market share to airlines like IndiGo and other international air carriers.  

Air India Rebranding

The new Air India livery and logo is designed in partnership with the brand transformation company, FutureBrand. As per the air carrier, the rebranding activity combines the Air India’s glorious 91 year past with its drive to aim for a innovative future, creating a brand design for a premium global airline with an Indian heart. The new look reimagines the iconic Indian window shape, historically used by Air India and derived from Jharoka (a traditional window used in havelis, forts of India) into a gold window frame that becomes central to the new brand design system, which Air India says symbolising a ‘Window of Possibilities’. 

Air India New Livery

Air India’s brand-new aircraft livery and design features a palette of deep red, aubergine, and gold highlights, as well as a chakra-inspired pattern. It also boasts a striking new custom-made ‘Air India Sans’ font, which the brand says marries confidence with warmth to position Air India as premium, inclusive, and accessible. Although Air India spokeperson and management has not mentioned it officially, but the Aubergine (purple) colour is inspired from Air Vistara, which will soon merge into Air India.

Air India New Logo

The Air India’s new logo symbol - ‘The Vista’ - is inspired by the peak of the gold window frame, signifying limitless possibilities, progressiveness, and the airline’s bold, confident outlook for the future, said Campbell Wilson, Air India CEO & MD. The logo replaces the chakra design inspired white and red logo and now gets a red and gold colour pallete.

Air India New Cabin

A US$400 million programme to completely refurbish the interiors of its legacy fleet of 43 widebody aircraft commences mid-2024, which will lead to the installation of brand-new seats in every cabin, new inflight entertainment systems, and inflight Wi-Fi internet connectivity. By March 2024, 33% of the airline’s widebody fleet will be upgraded, and over the next two-and-a-half years, its entire long-haul fleet will be reborn.

Air India Transformation

Travellers will begin to see the new logo throughout their journey starting December 2023, when Air India’s first Airbus A350 enters the fleet in the new livery. “Colours, patterns, shapes and how they come together and what they represent matter, but our actions speak so much louder. We are in the midst of a total transformation to reimagine the role of India’s flagship airline”, Wilson said.  

Campbell Wilson, Air India CEO & MD said: “Our transformative new brand reflects an ambition to make Air India a world class airline serving guests from around the globe, and that represents a new India proudly on the global stage. The new Air India is bold, confident, and vibrant, but also warm and deeply rooted to its rich history and traditions that make Indian hospitality a global benchmark for standards in service.”

Air India 470 Plane Order

Air India has confirmed historic purchase agreements to acquire 470 aircraft from Airbus and Boeing at US$70 billion (based on published list prices), with deliveries of the new aircraft starting November this year. The transformation of Air India’s fleet has already begun with the airline leasing and buying 20 widebody aircraft this year.

Air India Technology Innovation

Air India has launched a new website and mobile app, offering a significantly improved web experience with new digital tools and features. The carrier will also launch a new “open all hours, every day” customer contact centre in nine Indian and foreign languages by the end of this year, as well as a completely redesigned loyalty program in early 2024 that will enable thousands of new redemption possibilities.

Air India Legacy

Founded by the legendary JRD Tata, Air India pioneered India’s aviation sector. Since its first flight on October 15, 1932, Air India has built an extensive domestic network with non-stop flights to cities around the world, across the USA, Canada, UK, Europe, Far-East, South-East Asia, Australia, and the Gulf. After 69 years as a government-owned enterprise, Air India and Air India Express were acquired back into the Tata group in January 2022.