After 33 years of service, Condor has retired its last commercially active Boeing 767, marking the end of long-haul flights with the American manufacturer. The German airline, one of the few in Europe to operate the passenger version of the 767, has replaced it with Airbus A330neo aircraft.
On March 12, under flight DE 2185, the last Boeing 767-300 (ER) with registration D-ABUK landed at Frankfurt International Airport (FRA) at 12:11, concluding its journey from Havana (HAV), Cuba, with 193 passengers on board. This marked the farewell to Condor’s flagship aircraft.
Condor initially received its first three Boeing 767-300ER aircraft in July 1991. In its original configuration, the B767 had 24 seats in Comfort class and 245 seats in Economy class. Over the years, the layout evolved, reaching the current configuration with up to 259 seats in three classes: Business Class, Premium Economy Class, and Economy Class. The aircraft displayed several liveries during its operations, with a total of 13 different designs, including special liveries like «JA zu FRA» and «Janosch», as well as the retro livery «Achim».
«Condor has successfully operated the Boeing 767 for over 30 years. The recently retired D-ABUC even holds the Boeing flight hour record for this type. With advances in technology, products, and sustainability, modernization has become necessary,» stated Christian Schmitt, Operations Director and Condor’s CEO. «The aircraft has a very special meaning for Condor and its numerous employees. We are convinced that its reliability and robustness have been essential aspects of Condor’s success in recent years. The last passenger flight marks the end of an era,» he added.
Condor, which once operated a fleet of up to 21 Boeing 767s, has gradually retired 16 B767s since 2022, progressively replacing them with Airbus A330-900 aircraft, the larger variant of the A330neo. D-ABUK will cease to be part of the German airline in mid-April 2024, as it will be returned to its lessor.
Condor as an Exclusive Airbus Airline in Germany
After almost 60 years as one of Boeing’s flagship operators in Germany, Condor will retire all models from the American manufacturer and become an exclusive Airbus operator. In its commitment to focus on aircraft with lower fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, Condor will retire its Boeing 757s in 2025.
Given market volatility due to fuel prices, the airline is forced to improve its performance, especially since its business is leisure and depends on the winter and summer seasons to sustain its operations for the rest of the year. Currently, Condor operates seven Boeing 757-300s, the largest variant of the 757. In 2006, it eliminated all Boeing 757-200s. The airline once operated up to 35 of these iconic aircraft.
The Boeing 757s will be replaced by Airbus A321neo aircraft, with 32 orders, which will begin to be delivered by the end of 2024.
Passenger Boeing 767s in Europe
According to the CiriumFleet platform, there are currently sixteen operational passenger Boeing 767s in Europe across five airlines. However, they are gradually being phased out for more efficient aircraft with lower fuel consumption.
- One Boeing 767-300 (ER) at TUI fly Netherlands, to be replaced by Boeing 787.
- 3 Boeing 767-300 (ER) at Icelandair (Iceland), to be replaced by Airbus A321XLR.
- 3 Boeing 767-300 (ER) at EuroAtlantic Airways (Portugal).
- 3 Boeing 767-300 (ER) at Austrian Airlines, to be replaced by Boeing 787.
- 6 Boeing 767-300 (ER) at Azur Air (Russia).
