Eurowings Discover has shared that its Air Operator Certificate was issued yesterday. Now, the carrier is ready to hit the skies for the first time, with its first flight scheduled to leave Frankfurt, Germany, on July 24th.

All coming together

The foundations of Eurowings Discover were first laid in 2020 when Lufthansa shared that it was looking to launch a long-haul leisure outfit named Ocean. At the turn of the year, it was revealed that this brand would now be known as Eurowings Discover, borrowing the name from low-cost subsidiary Eurowings.

The airline will be relying on Airbus A330 aircraft to get it off the ground. The existing stronghold that parent Lufthansa has will undoubtedly help it hit the ground running as it launches in the same period as other new names such as PLAY and Flyr.

Lufthansa, COVID-19, Q1 Results
The airline will be hoping for a similar result in its case against Lufthansa. Photo: Getty Images

The right time

Eurowings Discover Wolfgang Raebiger shared his excitement for the new venture. He is also proud of the quick turnaround from his airline.

"The timing could not be better. People can finally travel again and we are all set to fly them to the world's most beautiful destinations," Raebiger shared in a statement.

"We have built an airline in just one year – an ambitious goal that we have achieved with the great support from the entire Lufthansa Group, a motivated team and in close cooperation with the German Federal Aviation Authority. We wish to express our sincere gratitude to everyone."

The first operation will be to Mombasa, Kenya, with an onward flight to Zanzibar, Tanzania. Mombasa sits on the coastline of Kenya and is the country's main tourism location due to factors such as its Indian Ocean beaches and diverse marine life.

Eurowings Discover
There will be two weekly frequencies to Mombasa/Zanzibar. Photo: Lufthansa

Additionally, the semi-autonomous region of Zanzibar has long been a hot spot. The Zanzibar Archipelago, consisting of several small islands and two large ones, has a unique history and warm beaches. Overall, tourism is the prime income generator for the area. So, Eurowings Discover will be getting operations off to a flying start with such popular choices for its launch.

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A diverse approach

Eurowings Discover won't be concentrating on one region, with summer services to Punta Cana, Windhoek, Las Vegas, and Mauritius on the cards. It also has ambitions to keep expanding throughout the months.

For instance, from next March, it will be flying to the US sites of Fort Myers, Panama City, and Salt Lake City. Then, from the summer of 2022, it will be heading to Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Furthermore, the airline has plans to wet lease for Air Dolomiti on certain continental flights.

Many regions are still seeing significant downturns when it comes to long-haul passenger activity. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel, especially with the EU relaxing restrictions for those who are fully vaccinated. Thus, as Raebiger shares, it could be timing to launch a carrier.

What are your thoughts about Eurowings Discover? Are you looking forward to flying with the airline? Also, what do you make of the carrier’s overall prospects? Let us know what you think of the operations in the comment section.