A look back at Singapore Airlines' enduring livery design

This week's installment of a recurring livery feature looks at Singapore Airlines, whose dark blue and gold color scheme has stayed largely unchanged since the carrier became independent in 1972.

The design centers on a stylized yellow bird called the SilverKris, shown on the tail against a dark blue background. The piece traces the emblem back to Malaysia-Singapore Airlines, the joint carrier that came before Singapore Airlines, and says it carried over into the new airline's identity after that carrier split into separate Malaysian and Singaporean operations.

The fuselage is mostly white, with the airline's name written in dark blue letters along the forward section. A pair of blue and gold cheatlines runs the length of the aircraft. The article points out that this has persisted even as many other carriers have moved toward simplified or minimalist branding in recent years.

The piece frames the livery as one of commercial aviation's more recognizable and durable designs. It notes that repainting a jet can cost well over $200,000, a cost that has helped give rise to a dedicated aircraft-painting industry.

No new changes to the livery are reported. The article is presented as an editorial retrospective rather than coverage of a new development at the airline.