Aer Lingus prepares for takeoff with €2m brand refresh

Aer Lingus plans a rebrand this year that is likely to cost the Irish airline less than €2 million.

The Irish carrier, which is part of the Willie Walsh-led International Consolidated Airlines Group, will later this year begin taking delivery of the nine A321LR aircraft that it has ordered from European manufacturer Airbus.

It is also planning an extensive rebrand involving some changes to its shamrock logo, aircraft livery and uniforms. Aer Lingus is due to give details of the changes next week.

While sources estimate that such an extensive rebrand could cost up to €20 million to complete, including repainting its fleet, it is understood that it will cost Aer Lingus less than €2 million.

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Repainting the airline’s 50-odd aircraft would be the most expensive element of the exercise.

However, the new A321LRs will come in the new livery, while the others will be repainted as this falls due to be done as part of their normal maintenance schedule, so Aer Lingus would be paying for this work as a matter of course.

Safety rules require aircraft to be repainted regularly in order to protect them from corrosion and the elements.

Aer Lingus briefed some tourism industry chiefs on its rebrand plans before Christmas, although the airline did not reveal many details.

‘Sustainable’

The company would not say what it was spending on the rebrand beyond that it would be done in a “cost-effective and sustainable manner”.

“The total investment in the brand refresh is modest when the return on that investment will be securing long-term, sustained employment at Aer Lingus into the future, as we realise our ambition to be the leading value carrier on the North Atlantic,” the airline said.

In March, Aer Lingus revealed that fashion designer Louise Kennedy had been engaged to create a new uniform for staff, replacing a look that dates back to 1998. The new uniforms are expected to land in the spring of this year.

Seán Doyle succeeded Stephen Kavanagh as Aer Lingus chief executive on January 1st. Mr Doyle formerly worked in several senior roles in British Airways.

Aer Lingus has been focusing on building its transatlantic business in recent years, offering passengers from British and European airports transfers through Dublin to North America.

Most recently it announced plans to fly from the capital to Minneapolis in the US and Montreal in Canada.