Virgin Australia has celebrated the inaugural flight home of Virgin Samoa’s aircraft, Tapu’itea, carrying its new colours, the Virgin Samoa brand and upgraded interior.
A formal welcome celebration was hosted by the Government of Samoa and joint venture partner, Virgin Australia, to mark the historic event.
“(With the launch) we take the national airline of Samoa into the future,” said Mark Pitt, Chief Executive Officer of Virgin Samoa.
“The new livery will increase the airline’s visibility in the eyes of local Samoans and those living abroad, as Samoa’s national flag carrier. Since announcing the new name in December last year, the response from the Samoan people has been overwhelmingly positive.”
The development of Virgin Samoa’s new livery and interior design elements were guided by renowned brand and identity designer, Hans Hulsbosch, and Virgin Australia’s in-house brand team.
“The new look and feel of Virgin Samoa is consistent with the Virgin Australia brand while underlining the special, uniquely Samoan, cultural elements that make it the people’s airline of Samoa,” Virgin Australia General Manager, Marketing, Michael Betteridge said.
“This is represented on the aircraft through the palm tree design and the ‘Airline of Samoa’ tag line on the fuselage; and a key element of the airline’s new visual language is the tatau designed by Samoan master tattooist, Tulouena Sua Tuifasisina Letelemaa’ana. It features on the aircraft’s engines and on the scarves and ties worn by Virgin Samoa Cabin Crew.
“Mr Sua originally developed the unique tatau design in 2007 to represent the coming together of Polynesian Airlines and Virgin Australia to form their new joint venture and it felt only right that our future should carry a respectful reference to our past.”