Nordavia (Arkhangelsk Talagi) has confirmed to Russian news site Vedemosti that it will change its name to smartavia (5N, Arkhangelsk Talagi) from the end of October. It also unveiled plans for a new livery.
On the name, Nordavia owner Sergei Kuznetsov says it will help the company to position itself in the market. "The brand reflects the message of passengers; we want to ensure that our services are smart," he is reported as saying.
The airline is also hoping that by removing 'north' from its name, it will more easily stand out from competitors Nordwind Airlines and NordStar.
The new livery will still be in NordAvia's colours – blue, orange and grey – but with a design that moves away from its Aeroflot ancestry. It is set to be utilised immediately on Nordavia/SmartAvia's four new A320-200s which are due to join the fleet this month.
Nordavia currently operates a fleet of nine B737-500s on flights throughout western Russia.
