The first ‘new Germanwings’ Airbus A319 has been unveiled bearing Germanwings’s new typeface and on its tail the new logo – a stylised W in dark purple and yellow, making the ‘wings’ in Germanwings a swish new motif. The new design embodies Germanwings’ steadily growing position as a quality carrier amongst low cost airlines.

From the middle of next year, the airline will gradually take over all peripheral European routes from its parent company Lufthansa. Germanwings’s fleet will then grow to almost 90 aeroplanes.

The A319 Airbus, affectionately called ‘Whiskey Tango’ – after its registration D-AGWT – arrived early on Wednesday from the aeroplane lacquering factory in Shannon, Ireland. ‘Whiskey Tango’ is the first plane chosen to bear the airline’s new colours. The Airbus, built in 2012, will immediately be representing the ‘new Germanwings’ right across Europe, and will be flown from Cologne. Germanwings’s remaining planes will gradually get the new design.