page_title: Condor (airline)
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Condor (airline) / History
caption_attribution_description: Condor Boeing 747-200
context_page_description: Condor, legally incorporated as Condor Flugdienst GmbH, is a German charter airline based in Frankfurt. It operates scheduled flights to leisure destinations in Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, South Asia and North America. Its main base is at Frankfurt Airport with further smaller bases at other German airports.
  The airline was originally established as Deutsche Flugdienst GmbH on 21 December 1955. Its initial fleet consisted of three 36-passenger Vickers VC.1 Viking aircraft, the airline's first tourist-orientated flight commenced on 29 March 1956. In 1961, Deutsche Flugdienst took over its rival Condor-Luftreederei and subsequently adopted Condor Flugdienst GmbH as its operating name. During 1966, Condor launched its first long-haul flights. By this time, the airline had a majority market share of Germany's tourism air travel market. During the 1990s, Condor was restructured and merged with other businesses to become an integrated tourism concern known as C&N Touristik.
  From 2000 onwards, the Condor shares held by Lufthansa were gradually acquired by both Thomas Cook AG and Thomas Cook Group.
caption: Condor Boeing 747-230 in 1976
exif: {}