Condor is founded on December 21st as “Deutsche Flugdienst GmbH” by the four partners Norddeutscher Lloyd (27.75 %), Hamburg-Amerika-Linie (27.75 %), Deutsche Lufthansa (26 %) and Deutsche Bundesbahn (18.5 %). Condor’s hub is Frankfurt am Main. The fleet consists of three British-made Vickers Viking two-engine propeller aircraft, each with 36 seats.
The company’s tourism flight operation begins on March 29th with a pilgrimage flight to the “Holy Land”. Within the first year of operation, Majorca and the Canary Island of Tenerife are already added to the flight schedule.
Deutsche Lufthansa AG takes over 100 percent of the capital.
Deutsche Flugdienst GmbH takes over “Condor-Luftreederei”, founded in 1957 by the Hamburg-based Oetker concern, and changes its name to Condor Flugdienst GmbH.
Condor Flugdienst GmbH has a 63.3 % market share of all German tourism air travel. Some 66,000 passengers are transported in this year – Majorca is the leading destination with 36 000 passengers.
The first long-haul flights go to Thailand, Sri Lanka, Kenya and the Dominican Republic.
Condor is the world’s first leisure airline to use a Boeing 747, “Jumbo”, the worlds’ biggest aircraft during that time, in its fleet.
With turnover of 291 million Deutschmarks, Condor is the world’s leading vacation airline. The fleet consists of a total of 14 Boeing aircraft: Two Boeing 747s, two Boeing 707s and ten Boeing 727s.
"Condor Flüge Individuell" (today Condor Individuell): Condor no longer markets only charter capacities, but now also uses its individual seat business to sell airline seats directly to customers.
Condor takes modern Boeing 757 and Boeing 767 jets into service. They had been initially operated by the production company Südflug, a 100 percent subsidiary of Condor. Condor is the first tourism airline to introduce a separate, more comfortable class into its aircraft: The new Condor Comfort Class creates new quality standards. In fall 92 the subsidiary Südflug is integrated into Condor.
Condor expands its shareholdings. Meanwhile Condor-Touristik-Verbund owns holdings in alpha Holding GmbH (30 percent), Kreutzer Touristik GmbH (37.5 percent), Fischer Reisen GmbH (100 percent) and 10 percent of Öger Tours GmbH. Condor additionally assumes the 40 percent owned by Lufthansa in the Turkish charter airline SunExpress, which will be later extended to 50 percent.
For Condor’s 40th birthday celebration, American artist James Rizzi creates a Boeing 757 as a flying work of art, the so-called “Rizzi-Bird”. With twelve firm orders, Condor Flugdienst GmbH is the launch customer for the Boeing 757-300.
Condor Flugdienst GmbH belongs to C&N Touristic AG (today Thomas Cook AG): With the merger of Condor Flugdienst GmbH and NUR Touristic GmbH, Deutsche Lufthansa AG and KarstadtQuelle AG have created the basis for an integrated tourism concern with a European format – both partners each hold 50 percent in the company.
Condor founds “Condor Berlin GmbH”, a 100 percent subsidiary with its headquarters in Berlin Schönefeld. By the end of the year, Condor is awaiting six Airbus A320-200 aircraft, the most technologically modern short-haul aircraft in the world. During the next couple of years the fleet expands to twelve aircraft.
Condor redesigns the Comfort Class in its Boeing 767-300 aircraft, featuring new seats with significantly increased space between seats and an on-board entertainment system equipped with portable DVD players.
Thomas Cook becomes the integrated international tourism brand: Condor is transformed into the new brand, “Thomas Cook powered by Condor”. In Germany, the Condor and Condor Berlin airplanes gradually bear the new Thomas Cook design: The fuselage sections of the aircraft feature the Thomas Cook name, and the tail unit displays the Thomas Cook logo. The reference “powered by Condor” makes it clear that the new airline brand is relying on the tried-and-true Condor quality. In June of 2002, the first aircraft takes off displaying the new livery.
Beginning in May, the Thomas Cook AG airline in Germany returns to the skies under the Condor brand name. As the first and up to now only German airline, the new Condor also begins offering discount prices on long-haul flights: Starting at 99 Euros, guests can fly with Condor to America, to the Caribbean, to Africa and to Asia.
In March, Condor Flugdienst GmbH celebrates its fiftieth birthday. Its exciting history is relived through a number of different campaigns. In the anniversary year of 2006, Condor flies a declaration of love around the world, the uniquely designed Boeing 757-300 called “Willi”, after Wilfried Meyer, who for 30 years was the defining influence for Condor’s image. On October 16, Condor welcomes on board its 15 millionth passenger since 1956.
While overhauling the cabins in its Boeing 767 long-haul fleet, Condor introduces a new Premium Economy Class in addition to the regular Economy Class. A separate technical unit, Condor Technik GmbH, is set up to perform the highly demanding repair and maintenance work on the Condor Boeing fleet at Frankfurt Airport.
Condor retrofits its Boeing 767 long-haul aircraft with newly developed aerodynamic winglets. This wingtip extension reduces fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Aircraft of the type Boeing 757-300 are being equipped with winglets as well.
After the devastating earthquake in Haiti and successful transport of relief supplies, Condor and the aid organisation “Luftfahrt ohne Grenzen e. V. – Wings of help” set up a partnership in June. Condor furnishes its Airbus A320 fleet with a new cabin interior. Condor provides the latest news, travel tips and more on Facebook.
The Thomas Cook Group plc decides to renew all short – and long-haul distance fleets of all airlines. In September, Condor integrates an additional Boeing 767 in its long-haul fleet. In December, the Airbus A320 with the registration D-AICA is painted in nostalgic design of the 1960s, and named Hans in commenoration to the first tour operator chartering Condor, Hans Geisler.
In spring 2012 Condor moves into its new company headquarters in Gateway Gardens, in May the first Airbus A321-200 is registered. Condor extends its fleet to twelve long-haul airplanes of the type Boeing 767. According to a customer satisfaction survey of the German Institute of Service Quality (DISQ) in December 2012, Condor is awarded the most popular airline among German travelers. As test winner, Condor carries the official seal "very good".
Condor merges with the airlines Thomas Cook Airlines UK, Thomas Cook Airlines Scandinavia and Thomas Cook Airlines Belgium to form the Thomas Cook Group Airline Since October 1st, all companies within the Thomas Cook Group plc. are united under a common symbol: The Sunny Heart.
All Condor long-haul aircraft undergo an extensive cabin refurbishment. The cabin refurbishment includes the installation of a completely new cabin with in-seat entertainment in all classes and new fully automated, comfortable angled-lie-flat seats in the new Condor Business Class. In February and April, the first new Airbus A321-211 with Sunny Heart design and extended wings, so called Sharklets, are delivered to Condor. In a survey by Focus and Focus Money, Condor is awarded as sustainable airline. Condor receives the gold seal.
Condor offers a Germany-wide unique concept Airshoppen. Guests can use Condor's Airshoppen service with more than 950 products at home before their flight to shop tax-free and save up to 60 percent. The goods will be brought to the passenger's seat on the booked outbound or return flight Portland, Oregon, and Providence, Rhode Island, are new Condor destinations for summer 2015.
Germany's most popular leisure airline celebrates 60th anniversary. On March 29, 1956, the first Condor aircraft took off from Frankfurt.
For already the third time in succession, Condor has been chosen as the airline with the most satisfied customers in Germany and can claim the title of “Germany’s most popular airline” for itself. With three new US destinations; New Orleans, Pittsburgh and San Diego, the North America portfolio for the leisure airline has been extended.