Often when transiting through a larger airport like Heathrow I’ve spotted airplanes that have “Star Alliance” branding rather than the branding of an individual airline. And I’ve wondered what exactly these airplanes are. Thanks to the excellent Star Alliance Brand Book, I now have my answer:

Here you can download the specification sheets for the Star Alliance promotional livery that need to appear on 3% of each carrier’s international fleet.

The so-called “promotional livery” is explained in more detail in this 2002 press release:

Star Alliance is the only airline alliance that consistently displays a promotional aircraft livery. The flying billboards, featuring Star Alliance’s unique symbol, are highly visible at airports and in the air, and serve to build Star Alliance awareness and stature around the world.