American Airlines’ new CEO, Doug Parker, has asked employees of the airline created by the merger of American and US Airways for their input on whether the airline's new livery should retain the stylized American flag on the tail or revert to the traditional AA and eagle logo.
Employees were given until Jan. 2 to cast their votes.
American rolled out the new livery, which features more vibrant shades of its red, white and blue color palette on Jan. 17, just a few weeks before it formally announced its merger in February. About 200 planes with the new livery are in the air now, with another 1,000 to be painted once employees decide which livery wins.
Parker said that he thinks either option — the new flag or the old logo — is “fantastic.”
No matter what employees decide, however, there still will be planes sporting what American is calling “heritage” liveries.
US Airways has several aircraft in the paint schemes of predecessor companies, including Piedmont and the PSA livery, complete with smile. American is picking up that tradition by introducing a TWA aircraft in the future and keeping a US Airways livery aircraft.