Air China is the name of one of the most popular Chinese airlines, which was founded in 1988. The company carries over a hundred million passengers a year and is based in Beijing.
Air China was established on July 1, 1988. Its creation was the result of the government’s decision to separate the divisions of the Chinese Ministry of Civil Aviation (CAAC) into independent airlines.
When Air China began operations in 1988, it had 6,000 employees and served 31 international and 30 domestic destinations. Air China was China’s largest airline and its flagship carrier.
Today, the airline flies to all regions of China, popular world resorts, Europe, America, Asia and Australia. The company’s flight map covers about 40 countries.
What is Air China?
Air China is the name of the flagship state-owned airline of China, one of the largest air carriers in the world. The company began flying in 1988, is now part of the Star Alliance and has one of the largest fleets in the world – more than 380 aircraft. Skytrax rated the company 3 stars in 2017.
The initial Air China badge was introduced in 1988 and stayed with the Asian air carrier for almost twenty years. It was actually pretty much the same as the logo we all can see today, but still with some differences. The iconic elegant red bird, drawn in the sun-shape, was executed in a bit muted shade of red and set on the left from the bold blue logotype. The inscription was set in a massive and solid sans-serif typeface, which gained lightness due to a slight inclination of its uppercase letters. The first level was underlined with the name of the company in Chinese, set in thin and elongated black lines, and looking like it was just handwritten with an ink pen.
Air China is a very reputable and powerful company not only in Asia but across the globe. It boasts a very modern and strong visual identity, which is composed of a wordmark and an emblem.
The Air China wordmark is split into two parts: the upper one features the company’s name in English and is written in all-caps using an italicized bold sans-serif typeface. The left corners of the letters “A” are rounded, which adds a sense of smooth and safe movement.
Below the English nameplate, there is an inscription in Chinese. It features handwritten styled hieroglyphs with fine elegant lines. The lettering balances the boldness on the upper part and adds lightness and sophistication.
Air China emblem is the brightest element of the brand’s logo. It is composed of a graphical interpretation of a Phoenix bird in scarlet red. The bird has a U-shape and three curves representing the wings and tail of the Phoenix. The symbol is also considered to be a hidden word “VIP”.
The Air China logo is a representation of a powerful and confident company, which values progress and safety. The red and black color palette reflects passion and strength, evoking a sense of reliability and professionalism. The bird on the Air China emblem is a symbol of good luck, eternal moving, dynamics, and longevity.
The bolt italicized lettering from the primary badge of Air China is set in a custom sans-serif font with some contours of the characters modified. The closest typefaces to the one, used in this insignia, are, probably, Lobby Card Oblique JNL, or Liquorstore Bold Italic, with some shapes changed.
As for the color palette of the Air China visual identity, it is based on a combination of red and black, which makes up a very powerful and elegant image, and shows the company as a strong and professional one, evoking a sense of expertise and precision.