Friday, February 15, 2013

Parker non-committal about new American livery

US Airways CEO Doug Parker was non-committal when asked about American Airline's new livery at an employee meeting Thursday regarding the merger, a transcript shows.

"I just don’t know. I think that’s the kind of thing you want to go spend some time on, talk about what’s the right branding for the combined airline," Parker told employees Thursday.
The new American Airlines brand, unveiled just weeks before the merger, has drawn a lot of derision. So far, Parker and AMR Corp. chief executive Tom Horton have suggested in public that the new livery would stay with the new merged airline.

Horton was pretty firm on Thursday with my colleague Andrea Ahles in Fort Worth. Here's what he said about keeping the livery:

"Horton: It looks like something you would design if you were going to put American and US Airways together. But it is a new look. We are rolling it out very quickly. In fact, we have 60 new airplanes coming this year that will be delivered with the new livery. ... And I think it's a great presentation of the new American going forward.

But with US Airways employees Thursday, a securities filing shows Parker isn't so sure. Here's what he told employees: 

John McDonald:
Doug, lots of questions about that tail and that design right behind you.

Doug Parker:
That is the American Airlines livery and that’s the US Airways livery. I got a lot of questions on this today and I don’t have a great answer, mainly because this is the kind of – kind of a detail we just don’t have answers to yet. I’m not suggesting by any means that we won’t be able to [inaudible]. I just don’t know. I think that’s the kind of thing you want to go spend some time on, talk about what’s the right branding for the combined airline. I haven’t seen the work they’ve done to come up with the branding they have, but I know they spent a lot of time on it and they’re proud of it, so I don’t want to prejudge one way or another. I just want to – that’s a detail that still needs to be worked out and one that we’ll work out together.


Read more here: http://blogs.star-telegram.com/sky_talk/2013/02/between-jokes-tom-horton-and-doug-parker-answered-a-few-questions-about-the-merger-of-american-and-u.html#storylink=cpy

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

My suggestion: Keep most of the new branding, just change the tail of the new livery.

Mark said...

The best of both is needed...the subtle swoosh design of US Airways starting at the tail and extending down and across the rear part of the fusalage is a subtle but clear communication of a company and people on the move. It is refined and not in your face...though. The tail design of the new American should is just too much...it is in your face and much too bold and hard feeling. I kind of like the subtle eagle design at the front but not sure how it would look on the tail. The new livery should have the swoosh design since after all, this is a company on the move and it just looks good. This design is on the dividers on the inside of the newer US Airways aircraft and this should be retained with the simple change of logo. The American aircraft fleet overall needs a facelift and they are at the beginning of their fleet renewal vs. US which is nearly done.

Anonymous said...

Do you trust your employees?

If so, then let the employees decide. Show your leadership by trusting your workers.

Present three, new innovative tail designs and let the new workforce decide.