The airline maintains a contemporary livery.
A TAP Air Portugal A321neo (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)
Editor’s Note: AirlineGeeks is proud to present our ‘Livery of the Week’ series. Every Friday, a team member will share an airline livery, which can be from the past, present, or even a special scheme. Some airline liveries are works of art. The complexity associated with painting around critical flight components and the added weight requires outside-the-box thinking from designers. The average airliner can cost upwards of $200,000 to repaint, creating a separate aircraft repainting industry as a result.
Have an idea for a livery that we should highlight? Drop us a line.
TAP Air Portugal, the flag carrier of Portugal, has sported a series of distinctive liveries throughout its long history, reflecting both its national identity and evolving branding strategies. The airline’s visual presentation on its aircraft has transitioned through various designs, with the current iteration emphasizing a modern look while retaining strong ties to Portuguese heritage.
The contemporary livery prominently features the name “TAP Air Portugal” in a stylized, typically sans-serif font along the forward fuselage. The airline’s logo, a key element, is displayed on the tail fin and often incorporates the colors of the Portuguese flag – green and red – alongside white.
The main body of the aircraft is predominantly white, a common choice in the aviation industry for its thermal and maintenance advantages.
Historically, TAP’s aircraft have showcased several livery changes since its inception as Transportes Aéreos Portugueses in 1945. Early designs featured simpler cheatlines and the full company name. A significant visual identity was established in the mid-20th century, characterized by a white upper fuselage, a cheatline in the airline’s colors, and prominent “Transportes Aéreos Portugueses” titles. The tail often featured a distinctive logo of the era.
In 1979, coinciding with a modernization program and a name change to TAP Air Portugal, a new livery was introduced. This era saw variations, but generally maintained a clean look with the updated branding. Later, in 2005, the airline rebranded as “TAP Portugal,” a change that was also reflected in its aircraft livery, before reverting to “TAP Air Portugal” in 2017, accompanied by the current livery design.
TAP’s newly minted A330 retro jet (Photo: TAP Portugal)
The airline has also embraced its heritage through the use of retro liveries on some of its modern aircraft. Notably, the airline has painted select Airbus aircraft, including an A330 and an A321neo, in a design reminiscent of its livery from the 1950s and 1960s. This popular retro scheme typically features the historic “Transportes Aéreos Portugueses” titles in a classic font along the fuselage.
Looking for a new airplane model? Head over to our friends at the Midwest Model Store for a wide selection of airlines and liveries.
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Editor’s Note: AirlineGeeks is proud to present our ‘Livery of the Week’ series. Every Friday, a team member will share an airline…
Editor’s Note: AirlineGeeks is proud to present our ‘Livery of the Week’ series. Every Friday, a team member will share an airline…
Editor’s Note: AirlineGeeks is proud to present our ‘Livery of the Week’ series. Every Friday, a team member will share an airline…
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