New American Airlines paint scheme makes first appearance in Tulsa

The first plane with the new American Airlines paint scheme landed in Tulsa today.

A Boeing 737-800 landed at Tulsa International Airport Tuesday morning.

The plane's new look, the first for American in 40 years, removes the familiar red, white and blue stripes along the side of the fuselage.

They are replaced by a new logo and "American" in large letters on the silver body. Red and blue horizontal bars are emblazoned on the tail.

Bill Collins, head of Tulsa's American Airlines maintenance base, tells KRMG that all new planes put into service by American will have the new paint scheme. All current aircraft that are not being phased out of service will have to be repainted.

That repainting won't be done in Tulsa but maintenance on many of the new and current planes will continue to be done at Tulsa's maintenance base. Collins says, "The maintenance for 737's is done right here, as is MD-80's and some 767's."

Collins tells KRMG that, although painting of new planes and repainting of old ones won't happen in Tulsa, it is being done in the United States.