I recently wrote about how images leaked of a new Qatar Airways Boeing 777 in a retro livery, which might be one of my favorite retro liveries ever. Watar Airways has now officially unveiled this aircraft, as the plane has entered service.
Continue reading: Gorgeous: Qatar Airways Retro Livery Boeing 777
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Hopefully it’s not jinxed. Airplanes with anniversary liveries, often get into trouble. Non the less, it looks good.
I flew on this exact plane a little over two years ago. Hopefully I will get to fly it again soon!
@ wpcoe -- That's a good question. I noticed that as well, but Qatar Airways has also been promoting a 25th anniversary sale the past few weeks, so clearly the airline considers it to be the 25th anniversary of something.
For all the airlines, there is just something classic about all the old liveries. Reminds me of the good old days when airlines had great service.
That is indeed a beautiful plain. Simple but
Inspiring in honor of nature and the wonder of such diversification of life. Love the color
as well. Side by side with New Zealand Airlines both are eye taking in design.
For what it’s worth, Akbar Al Baker came aboard in 1997…would you put it past him to call for a 25 year anniversary for him?
In 1997, AAB was appointed to lead the airline, so that's something. The current airline is a successor to the 1994-1997 operations in name and code only, entirely new corporate staff and legal structure beginning that year.
This is a very tasteful retro livery, very flawlessly executed. I'm glad that QR elected to paint the anniversary celebration titles and year rather small, unlike some livery with huge '70th' decals that takes away the feel. The fact that it is on a 777 just makes it better!
I am flying with Qatar Airways in 3 weeks from now, and am hoping that my flight might be on this plane.
However if its not then I hope to catch a glimpse of it at Doha International Airport as qatar airways is one of my favourite airlines.
As ive always had good service with them and have only positive memories of the last time I flew with them in 2009.
Lovely new legacy look. Flying with them in three weeks will be on the lookout.
It's easy to call it slave labour but in reality it is not that unusual. I've seen foreign workers all over the world in better or worse conditions - from Singapore to the Middle East to Africa.
People I have known have worked for 10 years then gone home to purchase a house, a business, and be set up for the rest of their lives. They are not conscripted. They see a better life in their future.
Nice retro look, but I still prefer the newer livery, and have appreciated QR's service since I lived in Doha...will be flying back there next month from TLS (via BA, unfortunately) -- hmm, getting your 777 repainted in Toulouse just to spite Airbus? Trust that this will not be a flaky paint job.
Happy 25th Anniversary Qatar Airways, hopefully i can fly with your B777 soon to US
I think Qatar has always done a very good job with branding. Generally I think retro liveries work because of nostalgia rather than being better than modern liveries but this one is gorgeous.
Stunning livery!
1997 is typically seen as the 'real' start date of the airline, when it was relaunched after starting operations in 1994. This livery pre-dates the 25th anniversary, since it is actually from a Boeing 727 in 1996.
LOVE the Livery! Hope they bring this plane to DFW someday, I love as a OneWorld Emerald flying with Qatar and Doha is such an underrated city!!!
So many of their A350s need repainting, why didn't they choose one of those for the retro livery
Although Qatar Airways was originally launched on January 1 st 1994…. I was there with the first CEO, Sheikh Hamad bin Ali bin Jabor Al Thani! This date seems to have been forgotten…
The livery looks great but "gorgeous" may be an overstatement. This was pretty much the standard livery for most airlines few decades ago, but I know everyone has a personal preference. I am really hoping the Tata's can bring back the retro Air India Livery on one of their planes. The 747 in AI retro livery was my favorite!
Some of those birds are going to need a little more than fresh paint. From closeups I've seen, they look to be de-laminating.
I didn’t know Qatar Airways was renaming themselves to Watar Airways! Quite a subtle change. Expected a press release or something discussing this. I suppose it’s because their home base DOH is right next to the water, and “Watar” sounds close enough? I thought they had great name recognition when they just used the country name, as they’ve basically helped put that country on the map. And “W-suites” doesn’t sound as classy. And it’s misleading to avgeeks, since the 77W isn’t the only aircraft type that has them.
Anyhow, I really like this retro livery. I agree that it could even work as a current livery nowadays. Just like Singapore Airlines, it’s a cheatline design with a luxurious and almost timeless quality to it, and I can see their whole fleet looking great in it. When done right, cheatlines can be future-proof. Their current normal livery is excellent enough, though.
I love the tail on the retro; keep the current two-toned body with the large maroon Qatar, but swap in the retro maroon tail.
I find this choice by AAB (Al Baker) interesting. It wasn't the original 1993 livery, nor the 1997 Re-Launch livery, which was the 'Grey Top and Tail with Burgundy Oryx'. This 'double cheat line' livery was first applied to only two 727 aircraft, ex Emirates machines if I recall. A later 727 had only a 'single cheat line' which was the livery of the two 747's. The 747SP from Air Mauritius was never painted, it flew in that livery minus the wording until it was moved on. Also, AAB was appointed CEO in what can be considered a boardroom coup, as early as October 1996, I had a meeting with him a week after Sheik Hamad was ousted. I'm guessing the 25th celebration only really refers to the relaunch, when the A300's in the new'Grey Top' livery were introduced in 1997.