World's Most Creative Airplane Paint Jobs (PHOTOS)

The flying public may know them generally as "paint jobs," but airlines call their colors liveries, a charmingly old-fashioned word drawn from Latin by way of France that originally described the uniforms of feudal lords. Commercial aviation: More regal than it seems!

While some airlines go the stately and reserved route -- British Airways' "Speedbird" and Union Jack, American Airlines silver skin and stylized eagle -- others have livened up their liveries in an effort to attract attention and build their brands. Most obvious case in point: There's only one hue you'll find on the side of a JetBlue Airbus.

But more and more, airlines are experimenting with their colors and partnering with advertisers, celebrities and even entire states to turn liveries technicolor. Even Hello Kitty is now on the side of not one but three Eva Air planes.

Who said airports had to be dreary.

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Comments

[pizanarocker]

11:30 AM on 11/13/2011

Remember the classic Led Zeppelin airplane that they used while on their tour across the pond during their concert and movie, "The Song Remains the Same?" Iron Maiden's lead singer is also trained as a commercial pilot and that band also has their own jet liner, which they used to help rescue trapped hikers or something like that recently. Also, how many songs are also written referencing airlines, aviation, jets, planes, etc.? Paul Pena's song, "Jet Airliner," made popular by The Steve Miller Band, Elton John's, "Benny and the Jets," Paul McCartney & Wings, "Jet," and more I am sure. Share your favorites with me.

[emncaity]

03:47 AM on 11/08/2011

I've seen better shots of Danica Patrick.

[emncaity]

03:46 AM on 11/08/2011

Kulula was friggin' awesome.

[Stephanie71]

02:49 AM on 11/08/2011

Awww I wanted to see the Powderpuff Girls paint job on that list. I always smiled whenever I saw that one.

[veggiemom]

03:00 PM on 11/07/2011

Where is the Simpsons plane? http://www.simpsoncrazy.com/content/gallery/photos/plane1.jpg

[Shyla22]

10:47 AM on 11/07/2011

I'm not sure what I was expecting.... but I feel decidedly let-down by this one.

[Rooster Coburn]

01:10 PM on 11/07/2011

They said "Airplane" not "Airliner" so http://www.mrprophead.com/WWII1202/P40A2.jpg

[mangohombre]

03:17 PM on 11/06/2011

I stumbled onto this site looking for planes.

http://www.lockett-photography.com/Calendar_Catalog_Aviation_2008.htm

[BuckyJamesDio]

02:37 PM on 11/06/2011

What kind of plane is it?

Oh, it's a big pretty white plane with red stripes, curtains in the windows and wheels and it looks like a big Tylenol!

[Tandin]

11:03 AM on 11/06/2011

For me, one of the perks of working on the Everett flightline is seeing a lot of these. Although, I generally think the 737's down at Boeing Field tend to be a bit more creative on average.

[ewb11]

12:05 AM on 11/06/2011

On the standard Boeing 747 Jet, full paint jobs add 555 pounds of weight to the plane - the extra costs and oil usage associated with that is just outrageous. I'd take a plain, polished jet any day

[rambot02]

04:39 PM on 11/07/2011

Agreed. And it looks great.

http://www.boeing.com/companyoffices/aboutus/wonder_of_flight/images/dc3_500.jpg

[woodbutcherjohn]

02:46 PM on 11/05/2011

The flying orca should be in this line up.

[belldn3]

04:13 PM on 11/05/2011

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. Where is it?????

[Mr Anonymous]

10:53 PM on 11/05/2011

It probably died a couple years after it was set free, because it was in captivity for too long.

[rwc24908]

02:35 PM on 11/13/2011

What happened to Alaska Airlines Salmon-Thirty-Salmon? Very creative!

[fjrizzu]

01:24 PM on 11/05/2011

As a couple of others have posted, have to include Braniff and their, "End of the plain plane" campaign with Calder paint jobs. But how does this not include the single most iconic paint job in aviation, the blue globe of Pan American World Airways? It was the greatest airline in the history of aviation and at one time, after the US flag and Coca Cola's red script, the most recognized symbol on Earth was Pan Am's globe.

[cliff53]

12:43 PM on 11/05/2011

Anyone remember Western Pacific Airlines? They started in Colorado Springs when the new airport opened in Denver. As I recall, the one that started the airline is the same person that started America West Airlines out of Phoenix. Western Pacific Airlines painted some of their planes, like the Simpsons, Stardust Hotel and Casino in Vegas, the Broadmoor hotel in Colorado Springs, and a few others I cannot recall. They were a fun to fly airline, but just could not survive flying out of Colorado Springs.

[woodbutcherjohn]

02:45 PM on 11/05/2011

When you become an airline ceo you can advertise the way you want to. Until then, if you don't like it don't fly on their planes. That's what I do.

[woodbutcherjohn]

02:48 PM on 11/05/2011

^ This was in reply to "Ibatt's" comment, not sure what happened.

[lbatt]

12:22 PM on 11/05/2011

So THAT is where the outrageous baggage fees are going. Paint. No more magazines, pillows, pretzels, as they are too expensive and takes gas to fly their weight... but it's OK to put hundreds if not thousands of pounds of PAINT on plane.

[Mr Anonymous]

10:55 PM on 11/05/2011

If you look at the captions, most of those planes were in the 90's and early 2000's, before all of those baggage fees started showing up.

[LiberalBuzz]

01:40 PM on 11/06/2011

You do know that was a while ago, right?

[lbatt]

02:34 PM on 11/06/2011

Well yesterday was "a while ago". Some were in 2007, 2010, and UAL celebrating Oprah's last season would be, gee, THIS YEAR?

Those a/c with the wingtips pointing up are 2007 or more recent.

Too bad they didn't show the Hooter's planes. Those paint jobs were a real HOOT.

[No7]

11:16 AM on 11/05/2011

...can't believe they forgot thr Ryanair duct tape paint scheme.....