The first Condor flight in more than two years has touched down in Phoenix after a COVID-19 caused hiatus.

Condor back in Phoenix and the states

The first Condor flight from Frankfurt landed at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport at 7:34 pm local time on Saturday 21st. It is the German company's first flight to the city in 26-months. The airline will operate two weekly flights using a Boeing 767-300ER aircraft, offering up to 508 seats per week on each leg.

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The airline has recently overhauled the products it offers onboard its flights. Photo: Condor

The restoration of flights to Phoenix comes weeks after the airline resumed flights to other major US cities. The airline reinstated flights to New York's JFK on May 6th, with flights to Portland coming back on May 13th.

As well as restarting many of its US routes, the airline also recently overhauled its onboard store assortment, adding over 100 new products. Customers will also now have access to hot beverages from Starbucks while up in the sky.

The changes come ahead of the appointment of a new Chief Financial Officer on June 1st. Björn Walther will replace Frank Hundt, who was the acting officer, and will become the Director Controlling. Walther has previously worked at other big-name travel firms such as ÖGER Tours and the TUI Group.

Condor recently made headlines after it revealed its controversial new livery plans.

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The airline's new livery has certainly turned heads. Photo: Condor

An airline you'll be able to spot

Condor recently rolled out its new livery, which somewhat resembles a beach towel-like design along its entire fuselage. According to the carrier, the stripy design set to adorn its aircraft is inspired by "parasols, bath towels, and beach chairs." The livery will be applied to aircraft in five colors:

  • Yellow (Sunshine)
  • Red (Passion)
  • Blue (Sea)
  • Green (Island)
  • Beige (Beach)

Those who are fans or critics of the new livery will still have plenty of time before the whole fleet carries it. The livery will be rolled out across the fleet gradually. Around 80% of the airline's aircraft will have it by 2024. It's not just the outside of the planes that are changing, however. The airline announced that everything from crew uniforms to boarding passes and even staff ID cards would find their way to the new branding.

Commenting on the change, Condor's CEO, Ralf Teckentrup, remarked,

"Condor has undergone a transformation over the past two and a half years: From a subsidiary of a vertically integrated travel group to an independent airline that looks back proudly on its history and tradition while at the same time embarking on the path to the future. We want to express this unmistakably through our corporate identity: Condor is vacation, and Condor is unmistakable - like our new design, with which we are now launching into the future."

The new design is part of a series of moves to put distance between the corporate's new identity and its Thomas Cook history. The Thomas Cook brand collapsed in 2019, but Condor was able to keep flying.

What do you think of Condor resuming flights to America and its new livery? Let us know in the comments below!