German airline Lufthansa has unveiled an Airbus A380 aircraft in a special anniversary livery to mark the company's 100th anniversary. The aircraft, featuring a large white crane on a blue background, landed at Munich Airport and is part of a plan to paint six aircraft in the fleet with commemorative colors. The carrier emphasizes that while it has no legal connection to its Nazi-era predecessor, it is drawing on aviation and technical traditions, which form the basis of the anniversary. The main celebrations are planned for April, referencing the date of the first official flight.
XXL crane on A380
The Airbus A380, one of the world's largest passenger aircraft, has received a special livery for Lufthansa's 100th anniversary. The distinctive white crane on a blue background was painted in an enlarged scale on the fuselage of the aircraft, which landed at Munich Airport.
Six aircraft in new look
The A380 is another aircraft to receive the anniversary look. The plan envisages that a total of six aircraft in Lufthansa's fleet will be painted in this way. The entire fleet in the new colors is to be ready by autumn of this year.
Historical context of the anniversary
Lufthansa is celebrating its centenary by referencing the date of January 6, 1926, when the first 'Deutsche Luft Hansa Aktiengesellschaft' was founded. The current carrier emphasizes the lack of a legal connection to its Nazi-era predecessor but points to the continuation of aviation and technical traditions as the basis for the celebration.
The German aviation group Lufthansa has begun celebrating its centenary by unveiling the first Airbus A380 aircraft in a special anniversary livery. The aircraft, featuring a distinctive, enlarged image of a white crane on a blue background, landed at Munich Airport on Wednesday. This is part of a broader fleet image refresh plan, under which a total of six aircraft are to receive commemorative colors. All work is scheduled to be completed by autumn 2026. The crane symbol (German: Kranich) has been Lufthansa's hallmark for decades and is one of the oldest, still-used logos in commercial aviation. The airline itself has a complex history, as the modern Deutsche Lufthansa AG, founded in 1953, is not the direct legal successor of the original Deutsche Luft Hansa from 1926, which was heavily involved in the activities of the Third Reich. The carrier explains that the anniversary refers to the date of January 6, 1926, when the first "Deutsche Luft Hansa Aktiengesellschaft" was established. In its communications, the company emphasizes the lack of a legal connection to this predecessor burdened by a Nazi past. At the same time, Lufthansa indicates that it is celebrating due to its connection to aviation and technical traditions that originate from that period. The main, more formal celebrations are planned for April, which is related to the date of April 6, 1926, when the first official flight was conducted under the banner of the newly established company.