a large airplane on a runway

Coming in for #Landor…

British Airways is turning 100 the best way to do it, by looking back through the airlines distinguished flying past. You care, because that means cool retro liveries plane for us. As modern aviation began to take shape, beloved flying companies such as BOAC and BAE merged to create what’s now one of the world’s largest airline brands. British Airways, in a series of four retro liveries has unveiled two classics to celebrate BEA and BOAC, but there’s one everyone has been waiting for. Seriously. It’s Landor.


Of all the great paint jobs, this is the one which gets aviation enthusiasts buzzing and rightfully so. At the IAC Paint Shop in Dublin, GSTP was able to spend time with the Queen of The Skies ahead of her maiden flight in Landor glory. Here’s what the beauty looks like today, in 2019…

a jet engine and a plane in a hangara large airplane in a hangar two men in uniform standing in front of an airplaneUp Close, And Personal

First, seeing a 747 up close from the outside is an experience in itself. Any view from a terminal or boarding gate completely obscures just how powerful its unique design is up close. Landor radiates classic nostalgia with retro lines, and the distinctive crest upon the gigantic tail. It may not be the first retro livery, but it’s surely a fan favourite.

a large airplane in a hangar an airplane in a hangar the tail of an airplane in a swingerSo Where Is The Landor 747 Flying?

So where to? British Airways G-BNLY will touch down at London Heathrow today, March 9th at 10:25 local time after leaving the IAC Paint Shop in Dublin this morning. The jumbo jet, which can be tracked on FlightRadar24, using the G-BNLY registration in the search box; will then depart London Heathrow circa 16:05 to Miami. It’s fair to say it will likely be boarded by a crowd of people who mostly have no clue how lucky they are. But you do, and that’s all that matters.

a close up of a plane a large airplane in a hangar an airplane in a hangarPast, Present And BA Beyond…

G-BNLY is the third British Airways livery celebrating the retro heritage, with BOAC and BAE already in the skies. The airline is embarking on 100 acts of kindness to celebrate 100 years in the friendly skies, and even for skeptics, the festivities have been fun to watch.

a large airplane on a runwayEveryone loves a surprise flight upgrade and lately, British Airways has been giving out lots. It’s only March, but with this gorgeous 747 leaving the paint factory and the A350 being teased around in the next few weeks, there’s hardly ever been a more popcorn worthy time at British Airways…

Gilbert Ott

Gilbert Ott is an ever curious traveler and one of the world's leading travel experts. His adventures take him all over the globe, often spanning over 200,000 miles a year and his travel exploits are regularly...

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1 Comment

  1. Landor is my favourite livery, on one hand for its drop dead beauty and the other being that this is the BA livery I knew growing up (90s kid so I only saw Landor and Chapham Dock).

    Thanks for sharing this Gilbert ! Brought back some good memories.

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