In keeping with the new internal identity and the philosophy behind it, in the face of competition, Alia, the brand consultants for AI, in consultation with AI decided that the Centaur needed a minor change. The new logo is suposed to denote the new direction, new heights and energy that AI seeks to attain ---- once the new planes start arriving.

The Centaur was made to point upwards to symbolise this. It retains its core identity of denoting speed, movement and efficiency.

This was done after a major review of what AI is to be with a brand new fleet. It was then decided that the arched Rajasthani windows (livery) will remain along with the Maharajah as it worked in reinforcing the brand AI. It was also kept in mind the adverse reactions that AI experienced after Landor dumped a rejected Japan Airlines livery on AI for the sum it was willing to pay. That logo was the very famous red slash and sun which, fortunately, was thrown out of the window. So Thulasidas is playing safe!!   

                                                                          ***    

 

                  =                      

(Images copyright: AIR INDIA)

-- Edited by karatecatman at 23:27, 2006-08-06

New logo seems awesome but they should change their font style...

karatecatman wrote:

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In keeping with the new internal identity and the philosophy behind it, in the face of competition, Alia, the brand consultants for AI, in consultation with AI decided that the Centaur needed a minor change. The new logo is suposed to denote the new direction, new heights and energy that AI seeks to attain ---- once the new planes start arriving.

The Centaur was made to point upwards to symbolise this. It retains its core identity of denoting speed, movement and efficiency.

This was done after a major review of what AI is to be with a brand new fleet. It was then decided that the arched Rajasthani windows (livery) will remain along with the Maharajah as it worked in reinforcing the brand AI. It was also kept in mind the adverse reactions that AI experienced after Landor dumped a rejected Japan Airlines livery on AI for the sum it was willing to pay. That logo was the very famous red slash and sun which, fortunately, was thrown out of the window. So Thulasidas is playing safe!!   

                                                                          ***    

 

                  =                      

(Images copyright: AIR INDIA)

-- Edited by karatecatman at 23:27, 2006-08-06

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Without sounding pedantic, The windows are they called Rajasthani or Taj Mahal ? when i worked for AI i heard them being referred to as Taj windows.

The Centaur, Maharaja & the windows are legendary, here a link to a airline time-table website i came across recently i found the vintage AI TT truly brilliant

http://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/ai.htm

I haven't flown AI for over 10yrs now, do they still have the mughal paintings on their cabin sidewalls and bulk-heads ? that was another classic one saw on AI only. On second thoughts AI paid ALIA whatever $$$ for rotating the centaur in a skyward direction, i am sure the original designers of the centaur would have thought of this angle too, will be nice to know if they have documented their original ideas..........just a thought. Have ALIA created anything unique to further the AI brand apart from this ?

 

-- Edited by tayara mechanici at 04:19, 2006-08-07

 

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Without sounding pedantic, The windows are they called Rajasthani or Taj Mahal? 

...  haven't flown AI for over 10yrs now, do they still have the mughal paintings on their cabin sidewalls and bulk-heads ? that was another classic one saw on AI only. On second thoughts AI paid ALIA whatever $$$ for rotating the centaur in a skyward direction, i am sure the original designers of the centaur would have thought of this angle too, will be nice to know if they have documented their original ideas..........just a thought. Have ALIA created anything unique to further the AI brand apart from this ?

 

-- Edited by tayara mechanici at 04:19, 2006-08-07

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JRD Tata's bio says that they are the arched Rajasthani windows which made their advent during the Jumbo era. They were part of the new livery for the 747s, with "Emperor Akbar", AI's first B747-237B to have it.

("Emperor Akbar" was unfortunately lost over the Arabian Sea on January 1, 1978 and AI's first 747 crash. The last words of the pilot to ATC were "Wish you a happy new year". Boeing concluded that there was a problem with the altitude positioning and which sent the plane into the sea off Bandra. On board was Sharon Dinshaw, airhostess. Tragedy for this family again when her brother and sister-law, Jamshed Dinshaw and Pamela, purser and airhostess respectively, were on board "Kanishka".)   

There is also a very detailed description of how JRD used to inspect the aircraft.

Once while on a flight, he asked the cabin crew to henceforth desist wearing light coloured lipstick, lest they look like corpses.

They were also instructed to switch on cabin lights and the overhead reading lights when meal service commenced to add extra sparkle to the cutlery and visual appeal to what was being served.

There was even a rigorous inspection of even small details like the bathroom mirrors for dirt and even the tissues.    

                                   ***

The Mughal paintings and scenes from the epics all went out with the B747-237s. 

The 747-400s have elaborate designs from Calico cloth and the Calico cloth museum in Ahmedabad. AI did its research and shortlisted six designs. They were then displayed at the main booking office and at Sahar for passengers and VIPs to look at and choose.

Finally two sets of pastel shades were chosen.

                                                             ***

The new 68-aircraft fleet will have a new design, which Alia and AI are keeping a secret. This will cover all areas, although Thulasidas says it will not be an ultra radical change. He has dropped enough hints to say that there will be many elements of the old JRD era to reinforce how AI was and will be the ultimate experience in flying.   

                                  ***

The only new element was the wording "Fly Well" appended next to the AI logo. The hphen in Air-India was also removed making it just Air India. In reservation systems, this small step will also help AI move up the ranks, leading to more visibility. 

Also planned is a change in the graphics on the fleet.     

-- Edited by karatecatman at 16:21, 2006-08-07

Article that appeared in Feb 2006. 

 

http://72.14.235.104/search?q=cache:dVuKHbFo-KQJ:www.blonnet.com/2006/02/09/stories/2006020902380700.htm+alia%2Bair+india&hl=en&gl=in&ct=clnk&cd=5
Air India working on interiors of new aircraft
Tunia Cherian George

Mumbai , Feb. 8, 2006 

HAVING finally inked the deal for 68 new aircraft, Air India is keen that the new fleet reflects the best possible image of the airline. AI officials, helped by brand consultants, Alia Group, are now working against time to finalise the finer aspects of the new aircraft — details such as the ambience and look of the cabin, the colour scheme, and the amenities likely to be offered.

The aim is to arrive at a uniform look, which would immediately help identify the brand. However, the final look of the product is being kept a secret for now. Mr V. Thulasidas, Chairman, said the airline had also sought the views of its business class and first-class customers for inputs on selecting the seat of choice.

With deliveries scheduled to commence in November 2006 with B737-800 aircraft, the airline has to convey its choice to Boeing, the aircraft maker, by March.

The airline has set up several sub-committees that will co-ordinate to finalise the on-board amenities. For instance, the in-flight and materials management teams would decide on items such as the amenity kits, menu cards, meal trays and even the crockery and cutlery to be bought. (Details about this are in the thread "Trivia". AI is anyway going ahead with anti-terror cutlery sourced from the age-old British cutlery manufacturer Arthur Price, by appointment to her Highness, The Queen of England.)

The items under consideration comprise buyer and seller furnished equipment. The buyer furnished equipment consists of things such as audio-video equipment, galleys, food carts, ovens and seats. AI would issue tenders for purchase of such equipment from vendors worldwide and make its choice known to Boeing. The aircraft maker would source these articles directly from the selected vendors.

Seller-furnished equipment basically consists of things such as the wheels and the vacuum systems. The seller usually presents a catalogue of such equipment to the airline, which then indicates its preference.

According to an official, such equipment accounted for 8-10 per cent of the aircraft cost, and was included in the total project cost. "The whole exercise is not new for the airline. However, it is for the first time in 10 years that AI is undertaking such an task," he said. According to him, it was a huge exercise, given the delivery schedule under which the airline would receive 48 aircraft over a period of four years beginning 2007. "This works out to an average of one aircraft delivery every month beginning 2007 up to 2011," he said.

 

-- Edited by karatecatman at 15:21, 2006-08-07

-- Edited by karatecatman at 01:12, 2006-08-08

Seriously such a slight change in Logo, What purpose does it serve. I personally did not notice the change until i read the posts.
Cheers
Shivendra

Aug 22, 2006 

Maharajah in makeover mode
 

THE ECONOMIC TIMES
Vishakha Talreja & Sudipto Dey
NEW DELHI

The Maharajah will get to show off his new wardrobe by February 2007 — once Air-India’s new wide-bodied aircraft starts joining the fleet. As part of its re-branding exercise, the airline will sport a new-look with enhanced inflight service and improved on-ground customer facilities.

The much-talked about attire of the air hostesses will undergo a change. While the good old saree will continue, it will come with a designer touch. "Brand Air-India will continue to reflect Indian ethnicity," V Thulsidas, chairman and managing director, Air-India told ET. Maharajah, Air-India's mascot, will also undergo an evolutionary change, he added.

Mr Thulsidas said Air-India will be cautious about its makeover this time around. "Last time, when Air-India tried experimenting with its look, it was not well taken by the consumers," he said. The carrier had gone for an image change in 1987, when Maharajah’s role as mascot got relegated. But this time around, the Maharajah has returned with a bang.

The airline has already started making some cosmetic changes in its lookand-feel. Its logo, the Centaur, has the archer’s bow and arrow pointing upwards, signifying the future growth prospects of the airline. The hyphen in Air-India has also been dropped while fresh tags have been added.

Mr Thulsidas said the look of the Air-India aircraft will not see any prominent changes. In the case of Air-India Express, the low-cost subsidiary, the aircraft will continue to sport different cultural designs on their tail.

Last year, A-I hired brand-building firm Alia Group to assist in rejuvenating the brand. The airline board has sanctioned a budget of about Rs 400 crore, to be spent over two years, for re-furbishing existing aircraft fleet, upgrading lounge, ticketing and customer interaction services, and aircraft interiors.

Copyright © 2006, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Limited. All Rights Reserved.

Source: The Economic Times story

 

But AI is in a bit of a mess with Boeing pulling the plug on Connexion.

 
 

-- Edited by karatecatman at 14:14, 2006-08-22

Good! I was wondering whether AIX would run out of monuments/graphics to paint their tail with. 18 aircraft means 36 different graphics! Lets see what they put on next.

The designs on the leased planes (7) get onto the new AI owned aircraft.

Hope you budgeted for that.