Summary
- KLM Royal Dutch Airlines unveiled a revised “Orange Pride” livery on its Boeing 777-300ER.
- The updated design features a split between orange and blue colors, with red and blue stripes running from the top of the fuselage to the aircraft’s nose.
- The new livery has received mixed reactions, with some praising the upgrade while others prefer the previous design.
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines unveiled a revised version of its “Orange Pride” livery over the weekend. Photos surfaced online showing subtle changes to the eye-catching paint scheme featured on one of its Boeing 777-300ERs.
It is the first update to the plane’s unique half-blue and half-orange look since it was introduced seven years ago. The carrier said the design emphasizes its roots and pride in the Netherlands’ national color.
Adding orange for a touch of Dutch
The aircraft, registered PH-BVA, was seen fresh outside the paint hangar at Malta International Airport on Saturday, according to JetPhotos.
The back and front halves of the aircraft appear to remain the same, with the minor redesign taking place in the middle section of the fuselage. The well-known KLM Blue is now split with orange by the colors of the Dutch flag, red and blue stripes with white in the middle, running from the top of the fuselage to the aircraft’s nose. The belly, tail, and engines remain the same, painted in pale gray with the KLM emblems. Previously, the livery featured an orange and blue ombré in the center of the fuselage.
What are people saying about it?
KLM has not formally announced the redesigned look, but it has sparked different opinions from onlookers on social media.
One person on X was excited to see the updated scheme.
“One of my favorite special liveries got an upgrade I love it,” they explained.
Another said the update is less exciting but still looks great.
“The gradient was more interesting to see,” they commented. “But this one is also beautiful.”
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying
On the contrary, others did not favor the new livery.
“Sorry, liked the old one better,” one person explained. “That’s one wacky flag “cheat” line.”
Another commented, “Yuk. It’s like KLM has merged with easyJet.”
“A tricky one”
The Dutch flag carrier introduced the unique paint scheme in 2016. Over 330 liters of paint were used to spray the 777, with the orange fading into its iconic blue color. To achieve the look, the colors were applied multiple times in thin layers, which allowed the airline to use less paint. 35 people worked to repaint the plane over four days.
“The Orange livery was a tricky one. It was hard to get the colour transition right,” said Hans Murris, a Livery Design Engineer involved with four different KLM liveries over the years. “We had to get the measurements absolutely precise. That took longer than usual.”
The process of updating the look into its current design likely took less time than the original job, as KLM said the “sustainable” and “chromate-free paint can be easily washed off.” Additionally, multiple layers would not need to be applied, considering the scheme no longer features an ombré effect.
KLM’s standard blue livery has widely remained the same, with only a few changes over the years. In 2014, the airline rolled out a newer generation of the livery, known as “drop-nose.” The revision, designed by René Kemper, subtly shifted the traditional blue pinstripe that separates the top of the fuselage from the bottom to “swoosh” across the aircraft, running down toward the nose.
It is not unusual for aircraft to be briefly taken out of service to receive shiny new paint. According to Murris, each layer of paint typically lasts about eight years.
What are your thoughts on KLM’s revised “Orange Pride” livery? Let us know in the comments!