British Airways

:For the 1930s airline of similar name see British Airways Ltd.

Tail fins

See full article: British Airways ethnic liveries

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For a long time British Airways aeroplanes had the Union Flag painted on their tail fins. In 1997, they were repainted (and the planes re-named) with abstract world images, Delft pottery or Chinese calligraphy for example, relating to countries they fly to. This caused problems with air traffic control: previously controllers had been able to tell pilots to follow a BA plane, but because they were each painted in different colours they were harder to identify.

Related Topics:
Union Flag - Tail fin - 1997 - Delft pottery - Chinese calligraphy - Air traffic control

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Margaret Thatcher famously covered the tail fin of a model aircraft with the new design using her handkerchief at the 1997 Conservative Party conference. She claimed they made it look like a third world airline. "We fly the British flag, not these awful things."

Related Topics:
Margaret Thatcher - Handkerchief - Conservative Party - Third world

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In May 2001, chief executive Rod Eddington declared that all BA planes would be repainted with the Chatham Dockyard Union Flag, a design first used on Concorde.

Related Topics:
May 2001 - Rod Eddington - Chatham Dockyard Union Flag - Concorde

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