Lufthansa

Retro skies: Lufthansa unveils historic “Parabol” livery for Centenary

Share

As part of its 100th-anniversary celebrations, Lufthansa is bringing a touch of the 1950s back to the modern era. Today, an Airbus A321 (registration D-AISZ) is scheduled to touch down at Frankfurt Airport sporting the iconic “parabol” design, a tribute to the golden age of aviation and the legendary Lockheed Super Star.


A Nod to the “Super Star” Era

The distinctive parable line—a streamlined design element that defined Lufthansa’s visual identity in the mid-1950s—was originally inspired by the speed and dynamism of 1930s aesthetics.

  • The Legacy: This design was famously carried by the Lockheed L-1649A Super Star, which joined the fleet in 1957 and introduced the ultra-exclusive Senator Class for non-stop Atlantic crossings to New York.

  • Heritage Preservation: Fans of aviation history will soon be able to see a restored Super Star in person when the new Lufthansa Group Hangar One visitor centre opens at Frankfurt Airport this April.

The Growing Anniversary Fleet

Lufthansa isn’t stopping with just one retro jet. The airline is rolling out a series of aircraft featuring an XXL crane and unique anniversary branding across its hubs:

Aircraft TypeRegistrationStatus/Base
Airbus A321D-AISZArriving today in Frankfurt (Retro Parabol)
Airbus A350-900D-AIXLJust landed in Munich (Blue XXL design)
Boeing 787-9—Already in service (Frankfurt)
Airbus A320neo—Already in service (Frankfurt)

Coming Soon: Lufthansa has confirmed that the anniversary fleet will continue to expand in the coming weeks to include the Airbus A380, Boeing 747-8, and the new Airbus A350-1000.

This post was published on 3 February 2026 22:20

André Orban

M. Sc. Engineering

Published by
André Orban

Recent Posts

ITA Airways to launch Rome–Caracas flights in March 2027

ITA Airways will launch a direct service between Rome Fiumicino and Caracas on 30 March…

14 October 2026

JAL orders up to 26 Embraer E190-E2s to renew J-Air’s regional fleet

Japan Airlines has ordered up to 26 Embraer E190-E2 aircraft for its regional subsidiary J-Air,…

14 October 2026

Air Tahiti receives 26-seat all-business ATR 72-600 for premium island services

Air Tahiti has taken delivery of an ATR 72-600 fitted with a HighLine All-Business Class…

14 October 2026

Liège Airport passes one million tonnes as exports offset parcel-tax impact

Liège Airport handled more than one million tonnes of cargo in the first nine months…

14 October 2026

Air Canada to launch Montréal–Seville flights with A321XLR in September 2027

Air Canada will launch seasonal non-stop flights between Montréal and Seville on 8 September 2027,…

14 October 2026

LOT and Thai Airways plan codeshare partnership for summer 2027

LOT Polish Airlines and Thai Airways have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish codeshare…

14 October 2026