American Airlines original designer Massimo Vignelli hates its redesign

Skift Take

Good design is good forever is his contention, and says AA's new design won't last the next 25 years.

Q&A in BusinessWeek with designer Massimo Vignelli, the creator of the American Airlines' outgoing logo.

What do you think of the redesign?
It has no sense of permanence. The American flag is great...But the American flag has 13 stripes, right? Not 11. Did American add only 11 stripes [to the flag on the tail] because they are in Chapter 11? I don’t think two more stripes would have been a disaster. And there are only two colors shown instead of all three. So is it a different flag?

What about the new logo?
Now they have something other than Helvetica that’s not as good or as powerful. Then they did a funny thing: Some may see an eagle [next to it], some may see something else. And they don’t even say it’s the eagle—they say it could be the eagle.

Rafat Ali

January 20th, 2013 at 4:04 AM EST

Tags: american airlines

Photo Credit: Massimo Vignelli in DC, talks about his DC Metro map design, which he originally did in 1976. Flickr.com / Jason

Up Next

Hotels

How Data Quality Issues Impact Global Hospitality Operations

There are wide discrepancies in data quality for hotel transactions across global regions, with the largest occurring in Asia-Pacific. Because hotels and agencies need to harness data quality to thrive, they must take a more nuanced regional approach to monitoring potential issues.

Onyx CenterSource + Skift | 1 week ago

Corporate Travel, Flying Taxis: Startups Raise $300 Million Over Three Weeks

Travel startups have raised about $400 million so far this year. By this time in 2024, travel startups had raised more than twice that.

Justin Dawes | 10 hours ago

Airlines

JetBlue Targets High-Spending Flyers as Industry Competition for Premium Travelers Heats Up

As airlines race to expand premium offerings, this move is a key part of JetBlue’s strategy to enhance loyalty and drive profitability.

Christine Mao | 15 hours ago

Tourism

America's National Parks May Face Summer Worker Shortage

The U.S. National Parks Service hasn't seen staffing increase in tandem with surging visitation at many locations. The Trump's Administration's rescinding of job offers to temporary workers, plus other actions, may compromise the ability of rangers to manage crowds this summer.

Jade Wilson | 16 hours ago

Airlines

EU Policymakers Raise Concerns Over Slow Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production

The EU has big goals for sustainable aviation fuel, but big goals alone won’t solve the problem. Without major investment to produce more SAF and make it cheaper, these targets may end up being more talk than action.

Darin Graham | 17 hours ago

First read is on us.

American Airlines original designer Massimo Vignelli hates its redesign

Skift Take

Up Next

How Data Quality Issues Impact Global Hospitality Operations

Corporate Travel, Flying Taxis: Startups Raise $300 Million Over Three Weeks

JetBlue Targets High-Spending Flyers as Industry Competition for Premium Travelers Heats Up

America's National Parks May Face Summer Worker Shortage

EU Policymakers Raise Concerns Over Slow Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production

First read is on us.
Subscribe to read more essential travel industry news.

First read is on us.

American Airlines original designer Massimo Vignelli hates its redesign

Skift Take

Up Next

How Data Quality Issues Impact Global Hospitality Operations

Corporate Travel, Flying Taxis: Startups Raise $300 Million Over Three Weeks

JetBlue Targets High-Spending Flyers as Industry Competition for Premium Travelers Heats Up

America's National Parks May Face Summer Worker Shortage

EU Policymakers Raise Concerns Over Slow Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production

First read is on us.Subscribe to read more essential travel industry news.

First read is on us.
Subscribe to read more essential travel industry news.