DALLAS — Condor Airlines (DE) is taking America by storm with its thrice-weekly Miami service, adding another jewel to the crown.

Rebranded in 2022, DE now flies with a livery designed to mimic the stripes on a beach chair or towel in honor of its leisure carrier heritage. Beyond sending German travelers to sunny destinations, DE hopes to capture American tourists and business travelers needing strategic European connections. 

Condor expressed optimism with a Tuesday event celebrating their new service to South Florida's Miami International Airport (MIA), with Airways in attendance.

After an ahead-of-time arrival from Frankfurt Airport (FRA), Airways was treated to airside views and a tour of D-ANRF, one of DE’s state-of-the-art Airbus A330neos (A330-941). 

Outside, the A330neo’s longer wingspan, courtesy of upgraded composite winglets and Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines coupled with the new livery made for a breathtaking sight!

A State-of-the-Art Cabin

Stepping aboard, DE’s newly revamped cabin showed that the carrier was up to class and perhaps even ahead of the game.

Entering, passengers are greeted by a welcome sign and a striped ceiling. Turning to the right, the homey premium economy cabin is highlighted by striped headrests and an increased 6” recline. 

As the striped headrests disappeared, the regular economy cabin began with the same 18” wide Alcantara seats at a slightly smaller 4” recline, giving the cabin a cozy aura appropriate for nighttime flights to Europe. 

Dimitri Mougoyannis, DE’s Director of Ground Operations, told Airways the aircraft will eventually feature a partition between its 64 premium economy seats and 216 economy seats.

Moving up front, Airways was treated to the same homey aura in the A330neo’s business class cabin, albeit with an understated luxury. 

The 26 business class seats feature full lie-flat seats with a 78” bedding area and 19” seat width.

Your Airways correspondent checked out one of the business class seats and found it to be not only comfortable but roomy, with a throne-like quality, which fully made up for the lack of a door.

Once inside a DE business class seat, one feels like one is in a different world. They are guaranteed privacy, and understated wood panels and an Alcantara seat give a feeling of understated Bavarian luxury.

At the front of the business class cabin sat four prime seats, similar to regular business class seats but at an increased 82” bedding area with extra space for a chair, allowing couples to dine together inflight. 

All cabins featured 4K monitors and USB A/C ports. 

A Continental Vision

Speaking on DE’s future prospects, Mougoyannis highlighted that beyond Germany, the carrier offers connections across Europe either on its own aircraft or with a partner carrier. 

Mikko Turtiainen, DE’s Director of Sales for the Americas, told Airways that the airline stands out by providing a high-quality customer experience and lower fares than the legacy competition on transatlantic routes. He added that the airline hopes to capture business travelers with competitively linked fares, linking American tech hubs like Seattle and Germany.

Questioned on whether fares will stay low for the long term, Turtiainen told Airways he can’t guarantee they won’t go up but expressed confidence that DE’s consistency, courtesy of an all-A330neo long-haul fleet, should keep the carrier’s fares lower than the competition's. 

Mougoyannis also said the A330neo's low fuel consumption—half a gallon of fuel per passenger per 160 miles—will ensure that DE keeps costs down and maintains an environmentally friendly presence.

Condor will offer 18 North American connections from FRA in the summer of 2024, with MIA remaining a year-round route.

“The stripes are in Miami baby, we’re here,” Turtainen later exclaimed at a gate-side photo op. It looks like Condor will be here to stay punctually and with style!