Planespotting British Airways to repaint a 747 into BOAC colors

British Airways has announced, that the airline will paint a Boeing 747 aircraft into a much-loved design from the airline´s history. G-BYGC, a Boeing 747-436 will soon fly the world in a retro BOAC look. It is the first of further designs to be revealed in due course, announced the airline.

The aircraft will arrive in Dublin in early February. There, it will receive its special paint of coat before heading back to London-Heathrow on February 18, 2019. It is expected, that many plane spotters and aviation enthusiasts will come to UK´s biggest airport in order to witness the landing of the repainted Queen of the Skies.

Alex Cruz, British Airways’ Chairman and CEO, said: "So many British Airways customers and colleagues have fond memories of our previous liveries, regularly sharing their photos from across the globe, so it’s incredibly exciting to be re-introducing this classic BOAC design.”

Over the course of British Airways´ 100th birthday this year, the airline is celebrating its history with the new liveries. The BOAC livery was introduced in 1964 and lasted until 1974.

“Our history has shaped who we are today, so our centenary is the perfect moment to revisit our heritage and the UK’s aviation landscape through this iconic livery,” Cruz added.

The livery originates from a government review in 1939, when Imperial Airlines and British Airways were nationalised to form British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC). BOAC introduced services to various cities throughout the world from 1946 onward. In 1970 then, BOAC and British European Airlines (BEA) were combined under the new British Airways Board, with the airlines finally coming together in 1974.

British Airways stated, that the liveries will remain on the Boeing 747 until it retires from commercial aviation services in 2023. By then, the carrier has already retired a major part of the 747-fleet. They will be replaced by new long-haul aircraft like 12 Boeing 787 Dreamliner and especially the Airbus A350, which will continue to receive the current Chatham Dockyard livery.