Virgin Australia's first ever retro livery arrives in Brisbane

Yesterday, I made my way to the airport for the second day in a row, but this time my wife and daughter came along. Something exciting was happening, and none of us wanted to miss such a truly special occasion. The eagerly awaited Virgin Australia Retro livery was arriving from Seattle with a stopover in Honolulu.

Virgin Australia is celebrating a big moment in its 25-year history, rolling out its first-ever retro livery on a new Boeing 737-8, signaling an exciting new era for the airline. The bold all-red design, unveiled at Boeing’s Seattle facility, pays tribute to the carrier’s Virgin Blue roots while looking forward to fleet upgrades and steady expansion.

Named Lake Centenary, the jet is the 150th Boeing 737 delivered to the airline since Virgin Blue launched in 2000, and the 100th 737 flying in Australia’s active fleet. Its vivid red paintwork recalls the branding that defined its early years and helped build its identity. The retro look “pays homage to the airline’s Virgin Blue days (2000–2011), a legacy that shaped the brand today.” 

After spending an hour at the international terminal, the aircraft was towed to the Virgin hangar, where a staff party was underway.

Registered VH‑8VI (MSN 67039), it’s one of twelve 737‑8s arriving this year, part of a wider renewal plan that also brings four Embraer E190‑E2s to its Virgin Australia Regional Airlines (VARA), showing the group’s focus on a modern, efficient, and adaptable fleet.

The last original Virgin Blue aircraft registered VH-VUL (MSN 36603, completed its repainting into the standard Virgin Australia livery in February 2015

VUL TAKEN JULY 2014

Virgin Australia has gone from having no special liveries to unveiling two at once. The latest is the Toy Story livery, which has finally arrived in Brisbane, so I’ll be heading to the airport for the third day in a row to catch it.