Brussels Airlines unveiled its latest Belgian Icon, a tribute to Tintin. The airline revealed its freshly painted Airbus A320 (OO‑SNJ), inspired by Hergé’s universe and the famous adventures on the Moon and in Space.
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The new design was developed in close collaboration with Tintinimaginatio, who explored several creative directions. 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 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.
A tribute to Hergé’s universe
The two sides of the aircraft are different, which makes it possible to feature several characters (Tintin and the Moon on one side, Snowy and Captain Haddock on the other) without overloading the visual design of the livery. The cherry under the cake is the moon-rocket on the belly of the aircraft, which will take off, fly, and land “for real”. The background of the livery is a gradient going from midnight blue to black.
Inside the cabin, the Belgian Icon experience continues, where the lunar atmosphere is extended through various design elements. The overhead compartments tell a story with a sequence of visuals following one another like comic-book panels: the rocket taking off from Earth, the risk of encountering an asteroid… All of it framed by 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 and the digitally printed floor carpet by Lantal Textiles is a subtle reference to outer space. The painting of the aircraft was carried out entirely by Airbourne Colors, a long‑standing partner of Brussels Airlines.
About the Belgian Icons
As with every Belgian Icon, the new aircraft embodies the airline’s ambition to bring a little piece of Belgium in the air and sharing the best of the country with the world.
Brussels Airlines introduced its very first Belgian Icon, Rackham (OO‑SNB), in 2015. More than a decade later, Rackham remains one of the most photographed aircraft in the world and will continue flying in the airline’s fleet until 2027.
With OO‑SNJ, Brussels Airlines expands its homage to Tintin, adding a second aircraft celebrating the timeless universe created by Hergé.
In November 2022, the new version of Trident – the aircraft dedicated to the Belgian Red Devils and Red Flames, the Belgian male and female national football teams – was presented. In April 2024, the second edition of Amare was revealed, which is a collaboration with the world-famous music festival Tomorrowland. Atomium, the fourth Belgian Icon, was unveiled in March 2025.
Previous Belgian Icons include:
Magritte, part of the fleet between 2016 and 2021, paying homage to René Magritte, the Belgian surrealistic painter.
Aerosmurf, which smurfed the fleet between 2018 and 2023, created following a design contest organized by Brussels Airlines.
Bruegel, celebrating Flemish painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder, which traveled the world between 2019 and 2023.
