Belgian carrier Brussels Airlines this week changed its 13-ball logo, after receiving a flurry of complaints from superstitious passengers.

The airline, which won't begin making flights until March 25, has announced plans to alter its logo – a stylized B made of 13 circles. The new emblem will be made of 14 circles.

"[People] said they were not pleased with an aircraft with a logo with 13 balls because they think it brings them bad luck," said Brussels Airlines spokesman Geert Sciot.

When the company logo was unveiled last year, the airline immediately began receiving phone calls and e-mails from people complaining that the number 13 was unlucky. Designer Ronane Hoet says she was unprepared for the flood of criticisms.

"We are never surprised by reactions - but that it was that bad?" she said. "It really took us aback."

Bruce Hood, a psychology professor at Bristol University in England, says intuitive and irrational reasoning has influenced many business decisions. But, he notes that sometimes, companies have to give in to superstitions.

"Why make a decision which flies in the face of what everyone else perceives to be real forces?" he said. "Why buck the trend?"

With files from the Associated Press