Air Canada's 80th-birthday livery put its maple-leaf roundel back on the tail

Update the aircraft livery for the mainline fleet to mark the airline's 80th birthday and strengthen its flag carrier position.

Take the look from Canada's natural landscapes: a black-and-white fuselage with the red maple leaf in a roundel on the tail.

London consultancy Winkreative used a black and white palette on the exterior and the red maple leaf logo inside a roundel on the tail. It added updated international cabin interiors and staff uniforms in charcoal grey with red accents, a film, new printed collateral and a new on-board menu.

The source reports no results. It notes the roundel on the tail is the first since 1992, when it appeared in white against red; a reader comment on the article objected to a UK agency being used.

In February 2017 Design Week reported that London-based consultancy Winkreative had updated the aircraft livery for Air Canada's mainline fleet, marking the airline's 80th birthday. The design is inspired by Canada's natural landscapes and aims to strengthen the airline's position as Canada's flag carrier, according to Winkreative.

The plane exterior uses a black and white palette, with Air Canada's red maple leaf logo on the tail within a roundel of the same colour. It is the first time Air Canada has used the roundel on the tail since 1992, when it appeared in white against a red background.

The new livery is complemented by updated cabin interiors for the international fleet and new staff uniforms, both in charcoal grey with red accents. The new brand identity appears in a film and has rolled out across all printed collateral, alongside a new on-board menu.

Reviving the roundel ties a modern look to the airline's own history and makes the maple leaf the tail's main sign.

Changing planes, cabins, uniforms and menus together made the identity feel like one system instead of a repaint.

Anchoring the look in landscape and flag-carrier language supports the national role the airline wants.

An anniversary is a reason to revive a heritage mark, and a livery change works best when planes, cabins and uniforms all change together.

The source reports no results. A reader comment under the article objected that a UK agency had been chosen for Canada's national carrier.