AirAsia unveils UPM livery on its aircraft
SEPANG: AirAsia has marked its collaboration with Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) in a unique way when for the first time in the world, a university's livery was painted on a plane.
The livery depicting the words “Universiti Putra Malaysia”, its motto “With Knowledge We Serve” and icon, a rain tree designed by its Faculty of Design and Architecture were painted on AirAsia's Airbus A320-200 aircraft with the registration number 9MAQD.
The aircraft livery was launched by Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh at the Sepang Aircraft Engineering New Hangar here yesterday.
Speaking to reporters after the launch, AirAsia Group Chief Executive Officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said the aircraft would rotate and change its destination to fly to several Asia destinations to enable as many Asians as possible to see it.
He said the cost of designing and painting the livery was about USD$50,000 and in future, there were plans to put pictures of students and programmes offered by UPM on the cabin wall inside the aircraft.
Earlier in her speech, UPM Vice-Chancellor Datin Paduka Aini Ideris said UPM was very pleased to be the first university to have a special livery on an AirAsia aircraft.
“Through this noncommercial initiative, AirAsia provides a platform for UPM in the field of design, creativity and art for high-impact projects,” she added.
Meanwhile, Idris told reporters that the UPM-AirAsia collaboration emanated from the ministry's CEO@Faculty programme in UPM, which was launched two years ago, where chief executive officers were invited to give talks at universities and establish networks with lecturers and students.