Lufthansa Deploys Its Centennial Fleet: A320 and A350 Join the 787 with Special Livery for 100 Years

Dergam Mousa

6 hours ago

Lufthansa is accelerating the visibility of its 100th anniversary (1926–2026) by expanding its “anniversary fleet,” incorporating two new aircraft with a special livery that join the already delivered Boeing 787-9. In the coming days, an Airbus A320neo and an Airbus A350-900 will roll out of the painting workshops in Norwich (United Kingdom) and Châteauroux (France), respectively, showcasing the design the airline has chosen as the emblem of its centennial.

Far from being a cosmetic gesture, this initiative reinforces a clear corporate narrative: turning the fleet into a global ambassador during a key year for the company, combining operational reach, visual consistency, and high media impact.

Centennial Livery: Identity, Continuity, and Scale

The design maintains a common line across all models in the program:

A blue fuselage with a white crane whose wings integrate visually with the aircraft’s wings.

A “100” integrated on the left side of the fuselage.

The inscription “1926 | 2026” on the right side.

An additional “100” on the belly of the aircraft, visible from the ground.

The choice of an extra-large (XXL) graphic maximizes legibility on the ground and in flight, a relevant decision for the general public as well as for spotters and the specialized aviation community.

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A320neo D-AING

The Airbus A320neo, registration D-AING, is scheduled to arrive in Frankfurt on January 19, 2026. After its incorporation, it will enter regular service directly, with Larnaca (Cyprus) as its first commercial destination.

The choice of the A320neo is not random. It is the workhorse for short and medium-haul routes, where daily exposure is maximized and brand impact is multiplied by frequency.

A350-900 D-AIXL

The Airbus A350-900, registration D-AIXL, is scheduled to arrive in Munich on February 3, 2026. Its incorporation extends the intercontinental reach of the anniversary livery, reinforcing the brand’s presence in strategic long-haul markets.

The Precursor: The Boeing 787-9 “Berlin”

The program builds on a previous milestone: the Boeing 787-9 “Papa Uniform” (D-ABPU), christened “Berlin,” which landed in Frankfurt on December 23. This aircraft will begin regular service on January 20, 2026, with Mumbai (India) as its first destination.

Lufthansa explicitly defines it as the “flying ambassador of the anniversary year,” a role that combines the Dreamliner’s operational efficiency with strong symbolic weight on intercontinental routes.

What’s Next: A380, 747-8, and the First A350-1000

The expansion of the anniversary fleet does not stop here. For the autumn of 2026, Lufthansa plans to paint three additional aircraft with the special design:

An Airbus A380

A Boeing 747-8

The first Airbus A350-1000 delivered to the airline, whose arrival is scheduled for October.

With the incorporation of the A320neo and the A350-900, Lufthansa is consolidating a cross-cutting visibility strategy that covers short, medium, and long-haul routes and sets the stage for an even more ambitious second phase with the A380, 747-8, and A350-1000. In a sector where differentiation is increasingly complex, the German airline is betting on historical coherence, operational scale, and an unmistakable visual message to celebrate its first hundred years.