Air India has taken a significant stride in its transition as a private airline under the Tata Group, revealing a fresh emblem and exterior design. The airline, formerly government-owned, underwent privatization in early 2021 and is striving to establish itself as a premium global carrier.
The iconic ‘Maharaja’ symbol, synonymous with Air India since 1946, will play a less prominent role. While not entirely eliminated, the familiar red and white color scheme along with the rising sun tail design will be replaced.
All About the New Air India Logo
The airline’s expansion ambitions are underlined by a historic order for 1,100 aircraft, leading the world’s plane manufacturers. As Air India’s reach grows, CEO Campbell Wilson noted a desire to move beyond the Maharaja, a symbol less recognized beyond India. However, the company aims to retain aspects of the mascot that signify hospitality and service.
The new airline logo employs a custom font and incorporates golden, deep red, and aubergine purple hues. This design will replace the former logo featuring a red swan with orange spokes, and it will be known as ‘The Vista’. Chairperson N Chandrasekaran highlighted the airline’s vision against the backdrop of a resurgent India where limitless aspirations prevail.
Much like Emirates and Etihad, the revamped aircraft exterior functions as a flying advertisement for the airline. The prominent placement of the new logo on the belly and fuselage sides is reminiscent of this approach. The tail design blends the golden window frame, iconic red, and purple from Vistara, acknowledging both the airline’s past and future. Notably, the planes will showcase red wingtips and gold accents on the belly.
The redesigned look transforms the longstanding Indian window motif into a gold window frame, symbolizing a ‘Window of Possibilities’. This visual transformation is set to be introduced in December, debuting on the first Airbus A350 received as part of the record-breaking order of 470 planes from both Airbus and Boeing.
Wilson added that the transformative brand overhaul embodies Air India’s ambition to become a world-class carrier serving passengers globally. The new Air India exudes boldness, confidence, and vibrancy while remaining deeply rooted in its rich historical traditions that have made Indian hospitality a global benchmark for service standards.
Regarding the new emblem, a statement from Air India elaborated: The fresh design reimagines the iconic Indian window shape, historically associated with the airline, as a gold window frame that takes center stage in the new brand design system. This embodies a ‘Window of Possibilities’. The newly introduced emblem of the airline, named ‘The Vista’, is inspired by the apex of the gold window frame, representing limitless opportunities, forward-thinking, and the airline’s optimistic perspective on what lies ahead.
