British Airways is the national carrier of the United Kingdom, which came into existence in 1974 after the merger of two companies, the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) and the British European Airways (BEA). Today, it is credited with carrying a greater number of international passengers than any other airline in the world.
The evolution of the British Airways logo reflects the airline’s journey through various mergers and changes in ownership. The minimalist logo reflects the essence of the airline and represents a reliable global brand. This article explores the history and evolution of the British Airways logo over the years.
The Genesis of the British Airways Logo (1974-1984)
The initial logo of British Airways was created by designers, Negus & Negus, who tried to combine the branding ideas of the two major airlines that formed BA. Consequently, it featured the wordmark “British Airways” in a combination of title case and lowercase: red “British” in the title case and blue “airways” in lowercase. Interestingly, there was no dot sign above the letter “i” of “airways.” The font used was bold serif, which was largely similar to Aldine 721 Std Bold.
(1984-1997)
In 1984, British Airways unveiled the “Landor livery,” designed by Landor Associates. This logo iteration marked a significant evolution in the branding of the airline and aimed to position British Airways as a world-class airline. The design featured the brand name in grey capitals placed over a red line, aka “Speedwing,” that curled to its right like an arrow representing a tail fin.
The line came to form an essential segment of BA’s visual identity and represented power, speed, and freedom. The Landor livery was used until 1997 and played a crucial role in establishing the airline’s image as synonymous with quality and global reach.
(1997-2008)
This logo iteration was created by the designer firm Newell & Sorrell and was unveiled on June 10, 1997. Here, the “Speedwing” was done away with, and in its place came a curved ribbon-like element in red and blue on the upper right corner of the wordmark “BRITISH AIRWAYS. The wordmark was given a dark blue shade and executed in Mylius, a customised floating serif typeface. The ribbon was called the “Speedmarque,” which was placed on every aeroplane of BA and represented power, speed, and safety. The use of Union Jack colours in the logo reflected the values of the company and its rich legacy.
(2008-Present)
In 2008, subtle changes in colour were made to the British Airways logo. Further, the red and blue colours adorning the “Speedmarque” were given a shade lighter, and the wordmark was made to appear in a softer sky-blue tone.
The Elements of the British Airways Logo
Symbol
The graphic element of the British Airways logo is called the Speedmarque. This unique symbol represents friendliness, flexibility, and speed, which is in contrast to the more “rigid” arrow used from 1984 to 1997. The Speedmarque evolved from the Speedwing, a similar symbol originally used by Imperial Airways, which later merged into the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC).
Designed by Theyre Lee-Elliott in 1932, the Speedwing was later adopted by BOAC and eventually served as the foundation for the Speedmarque when British Airways was established in 1974.
Font
The wordmark in the logo is executed using a custom-designed typeface, which is a modified version of Mylius Modern. This typeface, with its subtle serifs and rounded ends, was chosen for its readability, clarity, and elegance.
Colour
The colour scheme follows the corporate palette of British Airways and reflects the strong British heritage of the airline. The combination of blue, white, and red represents the colours of the national flag, with shades of Signal Red P485 and Blue P286.
The History of British Airways
British Airways began in 1919 as Aircraft Transport and Travel Limited (AT&T) and pioneered scheduled international flights from London to Paris. In 1924, Imperial Airways, the first national airline in the UK, was formed from a merger of smaller airlines. In 1935, British Airways Ltd. was created by merging private British airlines. It coexisted with Imperial Airways until both were nationalised and merged in 1939 to form the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC).
During WWII, BOAC transported military supplies and troops and expanded its passenger services after the war. In 1946, the government founded British European Airways (BEA) for regional and European routes, while BOAC handled long-haul flights. Both airlines grew rapidly in the 1950s and 1960s.
In 1974, BOAC and BEA merged into a single state-owned airline, the British Airways. This led to the streamlining of operations and improvement in routes. The airline expanded in the 1970s by adding wide-body aircraft like the Boeing 747 and Lockheed L-1011 TriStar. The 1980s marked a transformation into a customer-focused airline, wherein BA was privatised in 1987.
The 2000s saw continued global expansion with the introduction of Boeing 787, Airbus A380, and A350 aircraft. In 2011, British Airways merged with Spanish airline Iberia to form the International Airlines Group (IAG). The merger allowed both airlines to operate independently while optimising routes. IAG later acquired Vueling and Aer Lingus. In 2013, British Airways became the first European airline to operate the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
In 2015, the airline added Airbus A380 and Boeing 787-9 aircraft to enhance its long-haul service. The following year, it refurbished Boeing 777 cabins, introduced in-flight Wi-Fi, and launched a luggage tracking service. 2017 saw the delivery of the Boeing 787-10 and the debut of a redesigned First-Class cabin. Throughout the 2010s, the airline focused on collaborations within IAG and the Oneworld alliance, renewing its fleet, and expanding services. In 2018, it formed a joint venture with American Airlines for transatlantic routes to enhance flight schedules and connections.
Interesting Facts About British Airways
- British Airways is arguably the largest airline in the UK based on the number of international flights operated and fleet strength.
- The airline launched the first daily international scheduled air service in the world between London and Paris on 25 August 1919. Interestingly, the airline carried only one passenger in its inaugural flight.
- British Airways was officially founded in 1974 after the merger of four airlines: British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC), Cambrian Airways, and Northeast Airlines, and British European Airways (BEA).
- British Airways reportedly flies more international passengers than any other airline in the world.
- British Airways operates flight services to more than 170 destinations globally.
- The domain name of British Airways (BA.com) was not available at first. It was bought by British Airways for a princely sum of 5 million pounds.
- Between April 2017 and March 2018, British Airways earned a revenue of $1 billion by operating flight services between JFK Airport in New York and Heathrow Airport in London.
- British Airways is a member of the OneWorld Alliance, wherein it has partnerships with several other airlines. This ensures better connectivity and route options for passengers.
- British Airways has a range of aircraft. These include Boeing 787, Boeing 777, and Airbus A320, among others.
- British Airways is known for running high-profile TV commercials. For instance, the “Face” campaign created by Saatchi and Saatchi is said to have cost 1 million pounds.
- British Airways is known to have introduced fully flat beds in business class for discerning travellers.
- British Airways has a team of experts who fine-tune the wine lists served in first class. The team uses a hyperbaric chamber to test the wine, which otherwise undergoes a change in taste due to the change in atmospheric pressure while flying.
- British Airways has earned its stripes by winning several awards and accolades. It has been named the “World’s Best Airline” at the Skytrax Awards.
- British Airways has in its fleet the Airbus A380, arguably the largest commercial passenger aircraft in the world. This double-decker aircraft is known the world over for superior in-flight amenities and spaciousness.
- British Airways was the first to operate a supersonic flight between Heathrow and Bahrain in 1975.
- The loyalty program of British Airways is called the Executive Club. Members of this club can avail exclusive benefits, which include access to airport lounges and other priority services.
- British Airways has a dedicated terminal (Terminal 5) at London’s Heathrow Airport.
- British Airways is committed to reducing its carbon impact.
- British Airways operates a cargo division as well.
Finally
The evolution of the British Airways logo showcases the airline’s adaptability and responsiveness to changing market conditions and design trends. Each logo iteration has played a crucial role in defining the identity of British Airways as one of the world’s leading airlines. The BA logo’s journey is a testament to the importance of visual identity in the airline industry and reflects the brand’s heritage and its aspirations for the future.