Lufthansa, A Century Since Takeoff

In 2026, Lufthansa marks exactly 100 years since the original Deutsche Luft Hansa commenced operations in April 1926. While the German flag carrier is rolling out a massive fleet of aircraft painted in a striking blue XXL crane livery to celebrate, one specific airframe has caught the immediate attention of the aviation photography community: the "A Century Since Takeoff" Employee Livery.

If you are tracking European short-haul movements, here is the authoritative guide to logging and photographing this highly unique centenary aircraft.

The Aircraft Specifications

• Aircraft Type: Airbus A321-271NX (A321neo)

• Registration: D-AIEM

• Livery Name: 100th Anniversary Employee Livery / "A Century Since Takeoff"

Livery Details: What to Look For
Unlike the rest of the 2026 anniversary fleet, D-AIEM wears a stark white base heavily decorated with historical decals. Photographers should focus on the mid-to-aft section of the fuselage. Lufthansa has applied high-resolution, staggered stickers resembling vintage travel posters from the 1920s and 1930s. Key visual elements include:

• The original, highly detailed 1926 Luft Hansa crane insignia.

• Stylized "100 Years" badging.

• "A Century Since Takeoff" handwritten-style placards.

Where to Catch D-AIEM
As an A321neo, D-AIEM is the workhorse of Lufthansa’s high-density, intra-European network. It does not operate long-haul transatlantic routes.

The Primary Hubs: The aircraft cycles continuously out of Frankfurt (FRA), and serves moslty airports in Spain, Portugal and Istanbul.

Stop Missing the Fleet
Lufthansa’s 100th-anniversary fleet is vast, including the A321neo, A350-900, Boeing 787-9, and the flagship Boeing 747-8i "Queen of the Skies." Tracking each registration manually across standard radar applications often results in missed approaches.