American Airlines has unveiled two retro liveries paying homage to classic Piedmont Airlines and Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA) paint schemes.
The airline unveiled the two Airbus A321s with the new paint schemes on September 14, 2023, revealing that both aircraft left the paint shop during the week.
According to flightradar24.com data, the PSA-liveried Airbus A321, registered as N581UW, arrived at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) on August 31, 2023, and was subsequently moved to Amarillo Rick Husband International Airport (AMA) the following day.
It left AMA, arriving back at DFW on September 14, 2023, immediately returning to passenger service on flight AA1455 to New Orleans Louis Armstrong International Airport (MSY).
The Piedmont Airlines-liveried A321, registered as N582UW, followed a similar journey: it arrived at DFW on August 31, 2023, subsequently flying to AMA the next day. On September 14, 2023, it went back to DFW, from where it proceeded to return to commercial service on flight AA2439 to Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC).
Previously, American Airlines had a Piedmont Airlines heritage livery painted onto an Airbus A319, registered as N744P. According to planespotters.net data, the carrier removed the livery in April 2023. Meanwhile, another Airbus A319 belonging to the airline, registered as N742PS, bore the PSA livery until April 2023.
The two Airbus A319s were initially delivered to US Airways in August 2000 and July 2000, respectively. They were transferred to American Airlines when the two carriers merged in October 2015.
The pair of Airbus A321s, which were recently repainted in the two heritage liveries, were originally delivered to US Airways in June and July 2023, according to ch-aviation.com data.
PSA was integrated into US Airways in 1988, after the purchase of Piedmont Airlines by US Airways in 1987. However, the latter’s brand name has survived until this day, with the carrier now operating flights for American Airlines under its own Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) though under the brand of American Eagle, which is a regional branch of American Airlines.
