AP-BAK visits London-Heathrow in new tail livery

CPH-PAKiz · Post by **CPH-PAKiz** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 11:56 am

uuuuhh veryy nicee, much better than on the drawings

flyingsystem · Post by **flyingsystem** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 1:51 pm

DATE:20/03/06
SOURCE:Flight International
Pictures: Pakistan International (PIA) to roll-out new regional liveries on Wednesday
Pictures: Pakistan International (PIA) to roll-out new regional liveries on Wednesday

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will roll out its first aircraft bearing regional tail fins later this week, in a move already sparking controversy among the country's citizens.

The largely state-owned airline unveiled four new designes, one for each province of the country last week. The tail designs have received a mixed response on Pakistani internet forums and the airline could risk repeating the controversy that affected British Airways in 1990s when the UK flag carrier replaced its Union Flag-inspired tail with ethnic designs.

The four images show artist's impressions of one of the airline's Airbus A310-300s painted in the colours of the North West Frontier province, with aircraft named after the city of Peshawar, bearing the legend "city of the Khyber Pass" (below).

Pictures: Pakistan International Airlines

The second aircraft (below), a Boeing 737-300 bears the colours of Baluchistan with aircraft named after Quetta and dubbed "NatureÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s orchard".

A 777-200 is depicted with the motif of Punjab, with aircraft named as "Lahore, Garden of the Mughal" (below).

The final aircraft's livery design is inspired by the province of Sindh painted onto the tail of a 747-200B and named after the desert city of Thar.

The Karachi-based carrier recently took delivery of a 777-200ER (AP-BGK, pictured below) painted in its current livery, based on its national flag.

Some observers have worried that the unveiling of four different liveries will undermine efforts to build a sense of national unity in the country. However, PIA says: "In our effort to portray the rich heritage PIA inherits, we have decided to change our livery partially, specifically its tail, to reflect the colours and artistic excellence of Pakistan's four provinces and proudly fly around the globe, for one and all to reflect on the country's grandeur."

The national flag will be repositioned to the main body of the fuselage, the company adds.

The first aircraft to bear the new scheme will be a 747-200B (AP-BAK), currently undergoing maintenance checks in Karachi, which will be rolled out on Wednesday, which is Pakistan's national holiday.PIA expects its total fleet aircraft to be repainted within two years.

British Airways is scheduled to complete its repainting of tails back to a national flag livery from its own experiment with ethnic tails in the second quarter. Former UK prime minister Margaret Thatcher famously draped a handkerchief over a mock-up of the BA ethnic tails to indicate her disapproval of the removal by the airline of the Union Flag.

US Airways will also have four tail fin designs following the integration of America West, with tails showing constituent carriers Allegheny Airlines, Pacific Southwest Airlines and Piedmont Airlines in addition to America West.

JUSTIN WASTNAGE / LONDON

B777240ER · Post by **B777240ER** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 4:01 pm

It looks beautiful!

pkjet · Post by **pkjet** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 6:42 pm

The interruption on the tail looks naff, but the actual tail looks superb.
One tail with all 4 provincial features would have been better, but hey, who listens to pkjet ?!!

If BAK could receive an interior upgrade then this would aircraft would truly be something else.

SalamPaks · Post by **SalamPaks** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 7:29 pm

pkjet wrote:The interruption on the tail looks naff, but the actual tail looks superb.
One tail with all 4 provincial features would have been better, but hey, who listens to pkjet ?!!

If BAK could receive an interior upgrade then this would aircraft would truly be something else.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't BAK pretty much knackered and ready for the junkyard?

pkjet · Post by **pkjet** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 8:11 pm

spot on salaampaks !

Moin · Post by **Moin** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 8:11 pm

One tail with all 4 provincial themes???? What on earth are you talking about? There should be unity in the theme and not a mixed up khitchri. You bet no one will listen to that idea.

If you want all 4 provinces to be represented then there is only one design for that........... the star and crescent.

Amaad Lone · Post by **Amaad Lone** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 8:17 pm

If you want all 4 provinces to be represented then there is only one design for that........... the star and crescent.

THANK YOU MOIN. PERFECTLY SAID.

pkjet · Post by **pkjet** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 8:19 pm

I agree with you too Moin, but what I meant was some sort of patterned tail with a motif of each province.

Moin · Post by **Moin** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 5:52 am

Look lets not give them too many more ideas ok? PIA's track record isn't quite perfect when it comes to designing new liveries. Several themes were experimented with over the years and none lasted very long. The more they finger it the more they'll botch it up even more. Unfortunately the term 'practice makes perfect' doesn't apply here, it only gets worse.

cheetah · Post by **cheetah** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 7:38 am

This Tail may just be in Houston on the 25th. B74M is doing PK719 to IAH.

AP-BGL · Post by **AP-BGL** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 10:56 am

cheetah wrote:This Tail may just be in Houston on the 25th. B74M is doing PK719 to IAH.

74M in Houston? I thought 777s were used for it, Isn't it for the very first time that 74M are being used for that destination?

pkjet · Post by **pkjet** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 11:30 am

Abbas, you will get your wish one day Inshallah.

I know that PIA 's next scheme will surely be something to be proud of.

If only management viewed the HOP forums..................

By the way guys, The BA Union Jack scheme was applied to all BA aircraft by 2004.
What's this business about Maggie drpaing a hankie over a BA tail.
That was so 1997 !

PK777 · Post by **PK777** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 10:05 pm

Moin wrote:One tail with all 4 provincial themes???? What on earth are you talking about? There should be unity in the theme and not a mixed up khitchri. You bet no one will listen to that idea.

If you want all 4 provinces to be represented then there is only one design for that........... the star and crescent.

True, maybe only decorating four aircraft in a one off special scheme and have the rest of the fleet in the ordinary colours would have been nice.

Very similiar to the current Malaysia Airline idea with the red and blue colours but the tail remains the same, i think thats what pkjet is getting at ?

http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=0917810
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1017465/M/

In two or three years time, maybe PIA's management will come up with something to truly represent Pakistan as one

History of PIA - Forum

AP-BAK visits London-Heathrow in new tail livery

Article on Flightglobal.com about new livery