Flygende foppaler

[CK]

Heavenly header
Nosing a football above the clouds puts Lufthansa one up

26.07.2005
As the World Cup 2006 heads Germany’s way next year, the temperatures of soccer fans are nearing fever pitch. Reason enough for Lufthansa to kick off football year 2006 today by launching its first Airbus with a "football nose" onto a heavenly pitch. Painted in black and white, the nose-tip of the Lufthansa Airbus A340-300 automatically has all the semblance of a football above the clouds. And the message it heralds to soccer fans around the world from all at Lufthansa is "Welcome to Germany".

"Germany is again hosting the World Cup for the first time in 32 years. Fans the world over will be coming to Germany to support their national teams playing at soccer stadiums around the country. The Lufthansa aircraft with the football nose will act as football’s ambassadors inviting all to enjoy their stay here," said Lufthansa Executive Vice President Marketing and Sales Thierry Antinori.

The first A340-300 with the football nose operates on all long-haul routes in the Lufthansa global network. About 30 other aircraft of different types in the Lufthansa fleet will have their nose similarly painted in the next few weeks prior to resuming scheduled flights to destinations within Germany and the rest of Europe.

The maiden flight of the freshly painted Airbus takes off tonight on a trip to Tokyo. The first guests on board are players in the FC Bayern Munich squad, who are heading to Japan to play two friendship games and take part in diverse PR events over the next four days.

Deutsche Lufthansa AG
Corporate Communications