From flying pudding to catwalk shows at 30,000 ft and world records: explore the most extraordinary moments from 70 years of Condor history.
Flying pudding, in-flight movies, world records and iconic stripes: many of these stories show how Condor has repeatedly broken new ground over the decades. The desire to make travel special continues to shape the airline to this day.
When borders suddenly closed worldwide and travel came to a halt in spring 2020, Condor became part of one of the largest repatriation operations in German aviation history.
On behalf of the German foreign office, the airline operated almost 400 special flights from 34 countries and 48 destinations to bring around 78,000 travelers back to Germany – including three dogs and three cats.
Condor’s long-haul aircraft were deployed around the globe for this purpose: from the Caribbean to Africa, from Asia to North America.
But that wasn’t all: after the last vacationers had been brought home, the aircraft suddenly began transporting medical protective equipment from China and later assisting in the transport of seasonal farm workers to secure Germany’s food supply.
When Condor first flew to Mallorca with a Boeing 747 on May 1, 1971, the Jumbo Jet suddenly became a flying catwalk.
Together with Triumph, the airline presented the swimwear collection ’71 directly on board during the flight – an extraordinary moment that combined a vacation flight, a fashion show and the jet-set glamour of the 1970s.
But that's not all: For many years, a “Miss Condor” was even elected at special events. The finalists presented their outfits – from swimwear to evening wear – in front of passengers and jury in the middle of the aircraft cabin.
The flying fashion shows reflected the spirit of an era in which flying meant not only travel, but also experience, glamour and big vacation dreams.
For guests, the flight itself became an experience — long before “experience marketing” became a trend.
With the special paint finishes "Hans" and "Achim", Condor revived formative periods in its own history.
While "Hans" brought back the style of the early 1960s and the beginnings of vacation flights, "Achim" with its design was reminiscent of the colorful travel and vacation world of the 1970s.
The two aircraft became flying time capsules of Condor history – and special eye-catchers for aviation fans all over the world.
This campaign made planes ambassadors of their time and created memories that went far beyond just the flight.
With the introduction of the Boeing 747, Condor also set new standards in safety drills. More than 470 people evacuated the Jumbo Jet in less than 70 seconds – significantly faster than internationally prescribed.
Worldwide, the rule still applies that a fully occupied plane must be evacuated within 90 seconds — even if only half of the emergency exits can be used. Safety has always been a top priority at Condor and still is today.
The record was primarily driven by one goal: to continuously improve safety and processes for passengers.
With its 17 distinctive stripes, the new Condor A330neo is one of the most eye-catching aircraft in the sky today. Inspired by umbrellas and beach towels, the striped look quickly became the airline's unmistakable trademark.
While many aircraft look similar in the sky, you can often spot a Condor at first glance.
More than many think: In the early years of Condor, there was a connection to the Dr. Oetker Group. Together with the classic on-board dessert of that time, this gave rise to the charming nickname “Pudding Airline” — a name that is still remembered today.
In 1957, Rudolf-August Oetker was involved in the founding of the then "Condor Luftreederei". Over the decades, the small vacation airline developed into today's Condor — with a modern fleet, international connections and millions of passengers every year.
The action may have been unusual, but even back then it showed that flying with Condor should be about more than just the transportation.
In November 2025, Condor said goodbye to the Boeing 757-300 with a special flight from Frankfurt to Vienna and back. Employees, aviation fans and long-time companions together celebrated an aircraft that had shaped the airline's vacation travel for decades.
An emotional highlight was the last joint flyby of the legendary "757" – a special moment for many guests, crews and aviation fans who share countless memories with this aircraft.
A modern Airbus A320 contains approximately 2,395 light sources. With an average of around 25 lamps per household, this is equivalent to the lighting in almost 100 apartments.
The lighting system on board our A330/A32Xneo fleet can do much more than just illuminate the way to the seat. It supports alertness and orientation, but can also promote relaxation, recovery and sleep. The mood lighting influences the atmosphere on board depending on the situation and contributes to the general well-being of our guests in all travel classes.
For special or extraordinary occasions, Party Mood Light with dynamic colors provides special accents and makes unique moments on board even more tangible. Because sometimes it's the unexpected things that make a travel experience special.
The new cabin concept should not only look modern but also make your time on board more pleasant.
Condor long-haul flights offer over 800 hours of entertainment. If you watch the entire program in one go, you could fly back between Frankfurt and New York approximately 50 times in that time.
The experience is particularly impressive in the Prime Seats: with 24-inch 4K monitors, the screens are among the largest in Business Class worldwide. Many airlines use screens between 17 and 18 inches, but Condor offers an experience in Prime Seats that is almost on a par with First Class. The other Business Class seats also offer excellent entertainment above the clouds with 17.3-inch 4K monitors.
The movie experience is particularly beautiful at night over the Atlantic. The lights are dimmed, the headphones are on — and suddenly the flight feels less like traveling and more like a private theater at 30,000 feet.
These ideas show how important entertainment and comfort have become for travel.
Not every special livery tells just a brand story. Some also speak of courage, hope and solidarity.
With the "FlyPink Plane", Condor and the international FlyPink Initiative are making a visible statement for breast cancer awareness and solidarity with those affected.
However, it's not just the exterior of the aircraft that is pink:
Special safety cards, pink accessories for the crews and information campaigns on board also make the theme visible – and serve as a reminder of how important early detection is.
An aircraft that not only stands out, but also draws attention to an important topic.