Meet Imua One: Southwest Airlines High-Flying Tribute to Hawaii

Painting

• Imua One took 17 days to paint with a crew of 8-10 people working per shift.  
• It took more than 92 gallons of paint and primer to paint Imua One, and the aircraft features 16 different paint colors. The fuselage and engine paint includes a pearlescent mica, and the design brings five new colors to the Southwest fleet.  
• Imua One was painted in Spokane, Wash.  
• The timelapse for Imua One was created with more than 80,000 still images that were taken during the aircraft painting process.   

Design

• Imua One is designed to honor eight concepts in Hawaiian culture that align to Southwest Airlines values:
• Ohana: Family. Root in relationships. 
• Honu: Turtle. Move with perseverance. 
• Aina: Land. Find common ground. 
• Ama: Support. Connect to strengthen and balance. 
• Hoku: Star. Guide with purpose. 
• Kai: Ocean. Harness good energy. 
• Lokahi: Unity. Succeed with Teamwork. 
• Imua: Forward. Go forward with strength, courage, and strong spirit. 
• The lei near the nose of the aircraft comprises unique flowers to represent the unique Islands, including the four that Southwest serves. 
• The aircraft design features stars for each of the five airports in Hawaii Southwest serves (Honolulu, Lihue (Kauai), Kahului (Maui), Kona (Island of Hawaii), and Hilo (Island of Hawaii); six paddlers in an outrigger bring to life the concept of Imua; and six turtles in two groups of three to represent harmony and balance.   
• Reflective of the distinctive colors in the Southwest Heart livery, including bold blue, warm red, and sunrise yellow, a gradient transition from blue to yellow to represents the evolution from night to day, and honors the Hawaiian history of journeying the Pacific by using wind, and following the guidance of the sun, stars, and moon to navigate. 
• The aircraft livery was designed by Oahu-based Osaki Creative Group in partnership with a Cultural Practitioner.

About The Aircraft  

• Imua One is Southwest aircraft N8710M, which is a MAX 8 ETOPS-certified aircraft.
• It is the first aircraft in the Southwest fleet to feature in-seat power.
• Imua One is the third to MAX 8 to feature a specialty livery. The other two celebrate Southwest Airlines Founder Herb Kelleher and President Emeritus Colleen Barrett.

Imua One Dedication

• Imua One Inside the aircraft, a placard reads: Go forward with strength, courage, and strong spirit. This concept, embodied in Hawaiian language as Imua has guided generations in journeying life in the Pacific. To commemorate four years of Southwest® service among the Hawaiian Islands, Imua One is dedicated as a high-flying tribute to the People of Southwest, and to the Communities of Hawaii whose people have welcomed us with Aloha.