Etihad Airways has unveiled its new livery design, which will be added to its entire fleet over the next three years.
The "Facets of Abu Dhabi" pattern was created by brand consultants Landor Associates in partnership with the Gulf airline.
It was inspired by "traditional Emirati design patterns, the landscapes of the desert and the geometric shapes found in the modern architecture of Abu Dhabi".
It "uses a colour palette which reflects the varying hues of the landscape of the UAE, from the darker sands of Liwa to the lighter colours seen in the Northern Emirates".
The livery was unveiled last night as Etihad's first A380 exited the paint hangar at Airbus' facility in Hamburg.
Etihad will debut its superjumbo on its Abu Dhabi to London Heathrow route from December 27 (see news, March 4). It will then roster its second and third A380s onto this route in early 2015, before operating its fourth and fifth A380s to Sydney and New York.
James Hogan, Etihad's president and CEO, said: "Only a few months ago Etihad Airways unveiled the new cabin interiors for our A380 aircraft and we are now proud to show the world how this aircraft will look on the outside.
"The striking new livery also continues our commitment to breaking from convention and doing things differently. This is a real divergence from the norms of traditional airline livery design and will stand out in the sky and at every airport we fly to."
Graham Smith
