On Thursday 12 February 2026 Brussels Airlines hosted a special event at Brussels Airport to introduce its latest Belgian Icon Gravity, dedicated to Belgium’s most cherished creation Tintin. The new special livery was inspired by the world-renowned reporter’s famous adventures on the Moon and in space. With Airbus A320-214 OO-SNJ, Brussels Airlines expands its homage to Tintin, adding a second aircraft celebrating the timeless universe created by Hergé.
Special Event
During a special event hosted by Brussels Airlines at Hangar 8 at Brussels Airport, the new Belgian Icon livery was officially presented to Brussels Airlines employees, special guests and various media. The brand new design was developed in collaboration with Tintinimaginatio, a limited company under Belgian law responsible for the commercial exploitation of Hergé’s work. Tintinimaginatio explored several creative directions but the Moon and space theme quickly emerged as the strongest choice as it is instantly recognizable, emotionally powerful, and visually striking. Its connection to aviation through flight, altitude, and exploration made it quite a natural fit, while its clean aesthetic ensured a refined and balanced livery. The final concept features Tintin’s characters in weightlessness, creating a light and dynamic visual effect across the fuselage.
Dorothea von Boxberg, CEO of Brussels Airlines
Creating a new Belgian Icon.
Repainting Airbus A320-214 OO-SNJ in the new Belgian Icon livery was carried out entirely by Airbourne Colours, a long-lasting and trusted partner of Brussels Airlines as it already marks the company’s sixth special livery completed for Brussels Airlines. Airbourne Colours was founded in 2010 and has rapidly gained an industry-leading reputation for high-quality aircraft repaintings with an extensive client list of aircraft operators worldwide. The company already had two narrow body paint facilities at East Midlands Airport (EMA/EGNX) in the United Kingdom and in late 2024 it opened a brand new paint facility at Teesside International Airport (MME/EGNV), also in the United Kingdom.
On the early morning of Thursday 29 January 2026, Brussels Airlines Airbus A320-214 OO-SNJ (still wearing the airline’s old livery at that time), was ferried to Teesside International Airport as flight SN9901. From there, Airbourne Colours’s talented team of aircraft painters, graphic department Airbourne Graphics & Signs as well as Aerospace Engineering Solutions (for the Part 21J exterior livery drawing and EASA-approved certification) took over and the repainting work began.
On the evening of Wednesday 11 February 2026, Airbus A320-214 OO-SNB, now wearing the brand new special Belgian Icon livery, was ferried back from Teesside International Airport to Brussels Airport as SN9904. the aircraft made an uneventful landing on RWY 25R at Brussels Airport in complete darkness at 23:21 LT (CET), to avoid an early revealing to local residents living in the surroundings of Brussels Airport. After landing, the aircraft was towed into Hangar 8 at Brussels Airport to make final preparations for the official unveiling ceremony on Thursday 12 February 2026.
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- Captain Haddock
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- Snowy
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- Moon rocket
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- Tintin
A tribute to Hergé’s universe
The two sides of the new Belgian Icon livery on Airbus A320-214 OO-SNJ Gravity are different: the port side of the aircraft features Tintin (wearing his famous orange space suit) and the Moon, while the starboard side features Snowy and Captain Haddock (both also wearing their orange space suit). The cherry ‘under’ the cake is the Moon rocket on the belly of the aircraft. The background of the livery is a gradient going from midnight blue to black.
The Tintin experience continues inside the aircraft as the entire cabin interior (including the overhead compartments) was decorated with various Tintin visuals representing the reporter’s lunar endeavours (like a comic-book panel: the rocket taking off from Earth, the risk of encountering an asteroid,…), as well as Hergé’s handwritten quote “A force de croire en ses rêves, l’Homme en fait une réalité” (“By believing in his dreams long enough, Man turns them into reality“).
Passengers will also encounter Snowy and Tintin again, as well as Thomson and Thompson on the bulkheads. The digitally printed floor carpet (created by Lantal Textiles) is also a subtle reference to outer space.
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- Overhead compartment
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- Seat headrest cover
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- Cockpit close-up
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- Belgian and European flag
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- Flight recorder
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- Cockpit close-up
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- Starboard engine
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- Moon
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- Bulkhead
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- Floor carpet
Airbus A320-214 OO-SNJ Gravity
About the Brussels Airlines Belgian Icons
Since 2015 Brussels Airlines has introduced ten special Belgian Icons liveries:
- Rackham: Airbus A320-214 OO-SNB Rackham was introduced in 2015 and pays tribute to the world-famous Belgian comic Tintin.
- Magritte: Airbus A320-214 OO-SNC Magritte was introduced in 2016 and got a new Star Alliance livery in 2021. It left the Brussels Airlines fleet in early 2024.The aircraft was a homage to the Belgian surrealistic painter René Magritte.
- Trident: Airbus A320-214 OO-SNA Trident was introduced in 2016 and operated its final Brussels Airlines flight in 2022. The aircraft was the official plane of the Belgian Red Devils, the Belgian national football team.
- Trident: Airbus A320-214 OO-SNO Trident entered the Brussels Airlines fleet in 2022 and became the new Trident in late 2022, this time also proudly representing the Belgian Red Flames, the Belgian female national football team.
- Amare: Airbus A320-214 OO-SNF Amare became the first Belgian Icon to pay tribute to Tomorrowland in 2017 until it was repainted in early 2024.
- Amare: Airbus A320-251N OO-SBB Amare entered the Brussels Airlines fleet in late 2023 and became the new Amare in April 2024.
- Aerosmurf: Airbus A320-214 OO-SND Aerosmurf was introduced in 2018 and operated its final Brussels Airlines flight in early 2024.
- Bruegel: Airbus A320-214 OO-SNE Bruegel was introduced in 2019 and has been repainted in late 2023.
- Atomium: Airbus A320-214 OO-SNM Atomium entered the Brussels Airlines fleet in April 2018 and became a Belgian Icon in March 2025, paying tribute to the renowned Belgian landmark.
- Gravity: Airbus A320-214 OO-SNJ entered the Brussels Airlines fleet in January 2018 and became a Belgian Icon in February 2026, paying tribute to the world-famous Belgian comic Tintin.
Five Belgian Icons are still flying at moment of writing: Rackham, the new Trident, the new Amare, Atomium and Gravity.
The idea behind the Belgian Icons is to bring a little piece of Belgium in the air and to share the best of the country with the world. The Belgian Icons are known all over the world and make flying even more fun.
12 February 2026