British Airways is celebrating 100 years of flying this year. They have some impressive celebrations lined up. As a part of these, British Airways is reliving with their history by repainting some of their aircraft in British Airways Retro Livery (ies!). We already saw a Boeing 747-400 (G-BYGC) being unveiled in a stunning BOAC livery earlier this week.
Stunning retro BOAC livery on a Boeing 747 (G-BYGC)
Today, British Airways announced their plans to repaint an Airbus A319 (G-EUPJ) in a BEA (British European Airways) livery. The A319 is 18.8 years old and will carry the livery till its retirement next year.
BEA Vanguard aircraft G-APEI at London Heathrow Airport, 1962
British European Airways (BEA) was a British airline which existed from 1946 until 1974, operating to Europe, North Africa and the Middle East from airports around the United Kingdom. It was the largest UK domestic operator. So, it’s only befitting that this short haul plane takes on a retro livery for short haul routes.
British Airways shared that the BEA livery on the A319 will have some significant changes,
However, there will be a significant difference with the replica; the aircraft will have a grey upper wing, rather than the traditional red, to meet current wing paint reflectivity requirements.
British Airways retro livery BEA on A319
According to Alex Cruz, British Airways’ Chairman and CEO,
There’s been plenty of speculation about our next heritage livery, so it’s great to finally be able to make this exciting announcement. BEA is an important part of our history, and many customers and colleagues will have fond memories flying on its aircraft. We’re sure this latest livery will bring back a flood of emotions and pride in not only British Airways, but the UK’s impressive aviation history – and what better time to do that than in our centenary year as we celebrate our past and look to the future. I can’t wait to see this classic design taking back to the skies.
G-EUPJ will be heading to IAC Paint Bay at Shannon airport this weekend where it will be stripped of its current British Airways Chatham Dockyard design before being repainted with the BEA livery. It will return to London next month. It will fly on Domestic and European routes just like old times when the BEA livery flew predominantly on domestic and European routes between 1959 and 1968.
Can you guess the next retro livery that British Airways will introduce?
I love this livery. My Dad was a flight engineer for BEA / BA from 1959 to 1982. I remember the Vanguards, Comet, Viscount, Tridents and BAC111’s.butthe one l loved most was the Argosy on startup. What an incredible sound it made as one engine started up after another.. The Comet was simply fabulous. The Vanguard and Viscount were seriously special passenger aircraft too. What a history. Dad had licences on their engines, frames and electrics. And no ear defenders in those days either. He ended up being deaf. He lived to three months short of being 101 in 2017..RIP. Ronald Thorne.