British Airways has revealed the fourth – and the final design – in its “heritage” series. A Boeing 747 is painted in the Negus design, which reflects 1974-1980 British Airways fleet.
This specific period is the one in which modern British Airways was created, after a merger of BOAC and BEA. “When it initially flew, the Negus livery was the first time an aircraft had carried “British Airways“ since 1939, when the original British Airways Limited merged with Imperial Airways to form BOAC,” BA statement reads.
Image: British Airways
The Union Flag is not present on the side of the aircraft as, like the final BEA aircraft livery, the flag began to be fully celebrated on the aircraft’s tailfin instead.
As with other aircraft in the heritage series, the design is to remain on the aircraft until it retires in 2022.
British Airways is celebrating centenary with a series of heritage liveries. Since February 2019, BA is rolling out aircraft painted in distinct designs of airlines no longer in existence, but firmly in its own DNA.Other aircraft with special heritage liveries are already in passenger service and include:
- Boeing 747 in British Overseas Airways Corporate (BOAC) livery
- Airbus 319 in British European Airways (BEA) livery
- Boeing 747 in British Airways Landor design