Condor Flugdienst (Frankfurt) today (December 5) formally unveiled this 1961 retrojet color scheme on its Airbus A320-212 D-AICA (msn 774) at a ceremony at Berlin’s Schönefeld Airport. D-AICA is named “Hans” after travel entrepreneur Hans Geisler.

The company was originally founded on December 21, 1955 as Deutsche Flugdienst GmbH by the four original partners: Norddeutscher Lloyd (27.75%), Hamburg-Amerika-Linie (27.75%), Deutsche Lufthansa (26%) and Deutsche Bundesbahn (18.5%). Based at Frankfurt am Main, the original fleet consists of three British-made Vickers Viking two-engine propeller aircraft, each with 36 seats. The first charter flight is operated on March 29, 1956 with a pilgrimage flight to the Holy Land. Within the first year of operation, Majorca and the Canary Island of Tenerife are added to the flight schedule.

In 1959 Lufthansa takes over 95.5 percent of the stock.

In 1961 Deutsche Flugdienst GmbH takes over and merges with Condor-Luftreederei, another charter airline founded in 1957 by Oetker (Hamburg). As a result of the merger, the name changes to the current day Condor Flugdienst GmbH.

Copyright Photo: Malcolm Nason. D-AICA was painted by Eirtech at Shannon in November 2011. It is pictured at SNN on December 3 before ferrying to Berlin for the ceremony.

Condor Slide Show: CLICK HERE