With all the attention given to airplanes with black liveries (i.e. Air New Zealand’s All Blacks 777), it’s hard to believe I’d never heard of StarFlyer before today.
Where have I been? Not Japan, I guess.
StarFlyer is a small Japanese low-cost carrier that paints its Airbus A320s with a unique, mostly-black design. I must say it’s striking, and one of the more attractive paint schemes I’ve seen on an A320.
Until recently, those A320s—seven in all—have been leased from GECAS and AWAS. But in late December, StarFlyer took delivery of its first directly purchased Airbus. StarFlyer has two more on order directly from Airbus, and will receive another three from lessors over the next couple of years.
StarFlyer serves four routes with its current fleet, a number that will likely expand once more new planes come online.
Founded in 2002 as Kobe Airlines, StarFlyer adopted its current name in 2003. It’s based at Kitakyushu Airport in Southern Japan. Passenger experience is said to be inspired by that of JetBlue Airways, with seatback TVs at every one of the plane’s 150 seats—a low number to allow for greater legroom.
I think it’s time for a roundup of black airplane liveries. What are your favorites?
