Dirk Grothe | Aviation Photography

Freelance Aviation Photojournalist -

[Dirk Grothe | Aviation Photography @digro65]

The first of five Airbus A321 XLR for @MEAAIRLIBAN msn 13085 will be OD-XLR and had its customer acceptance flight today at Airbus Hamburg, cabin configuration is 22 business and 138 economy class.

[Dirk Grothe | Aviation Photography @digro65]

Well, this special livery of the 30th anniversary "Dreamer Plane" RP-C4137 of @CebuPacificAir is definitely the best special livery of 2026 here at @Airbus Hamburg and we were blessed with this stunning light today before and after its test-flight. As you can see, both sides have a slightly different paint.

[Dirk Grothe | Aviation Photography @digro65]

We have @emirates with the Airbus A350-900 since July 1st at @HamburgAirport on the evening flight from Dubai. Now arrival is in the dark but we had great opportunities to catch this beauty in wonderful summer evening sunlight...

[Dirk Grothe | Aviation Photography @digro65]

Long awaited and finally out of the paint hangar at Airbus Hamburg, the @CebuPacificAir "Dreamer Plane" A321neo RP-C4137 in the 30th anniversary livery.
Created by Cebu-based artistic studio @happygaraje , featuring signature colors of sky blue, ocean blue, sunny yellow, and tropical green. The special livery was unveiled last February 2026 at the Singapore Airshow to celebrate the airlines three decades of making air travel accessible to all Filipinos.

[Dirk Grothe | Aviation Photography @digro65]

Fantastic news regarding the former A340-300 16+01 of the @Team_Luftwaffe :
The Militärhistorisches Museum der Bundeswehr - Flugplatz Berlin Gatow (Museum of Military History at Berlin-Gatow Airfield) is set to receive a prominent new addition for its future permanent exhibition. The Airbus A340-300, which had the name "Konrad Adenauer" served as a government transport aircraft from 2011 to 2023. This future exhibit is being provided by @LHTechnik .
The 2,500-kilometer journey — covering the forward and upper section of the Airbus fuselage (approximately 30 meters in length), complete with the cockpit and the fully equipped government cabin — will be made via sea and land, traveling from Teruel/Spain via Hamburg to Berlin-Gatow Airfield, where it is expected to arrive in late October or early November.
Photo at Teruel (c) Lufthansa Technik / ITO Logistics

[Dirk Grothe | Aviation Photography @digro65]

@Tobias_Gudat LR in 2027, XLR in 2028

[Dirk Grothe | Aviation Photography @digro65]

"Connecting people. Uniting the world." The first Coastliner A321neo N74751 for @united on a testflight today at @Airbus Hamburg prior to delivery. United will use this new premium product on routes between New York and Los Angeles / San Francisco and plans with 50 Coastliner with the first entering service in summer 2026. Seatconfiguration will be 161 seats in total with 20 Polaris Suites as business class in a 1-1 herringbone configuration, 12 Premium Plus seats and 129 economy seats. Passengers flying Polaris on Coastliner routes will have access to United Polaris Lounges.

[Dirk Grothe | Aviation Photography @digro65]

The first Airbus A220 in @staralliance livery is this brand-new @croatiaairlines A220-300 9A-CAS, delivered 28.07.2026 Montreal-Copenhagen-Zagreb and this evening at @HamburgAirport

[Dirk Grothe | Aviation Photography @digro65]

@BobFranklin3 @staralliance @croatiaairlines @HamburgAirport thanks @BobFranklin3 you are right, planespotters says 22.07. but the delivery flight was 28.07. Montreal-Copenhagen-Zagreb

[Dirk Grothe | Aviation Photography @digro65]

Cathay’s first A321neo aircraft with the new economy cabin spotted today at @Airbus Hamburg. It does not only feature larger titles; this is also the first A321neo with an economy cabin reduced by seven seats to a total of 183 for more space and comfort. It's also offering the world’s first 4K HDR10+ content on 13.3-inch OLED monitors in economy class, along with dual USB-C charging ports and Bluetooth audio. This is part of another Cathay retrofit program (beside the 777-300ER "Aria Suite" and the A330-300 "Aria Studio") for the entire A321neo fleet to improve the comfort for economy passengers. @cathaypacific was awarded "World's best economy class" at the Skytrax World Airlines Awards 2024 and 2025.

[Dirk Grothe | Aviation Photography @digro65]

First visit today for the @emirates A350 at @HamburgAirport, A6-EXI arrived in amazing evening light after the thunderstorm with the landmark of the city, the 279m tall TV-Tower "Heinrich Herz Turm" in the background.
Passengers on the evening flights EK61/EK62 between HAM and DXB can enjoy the latest aircraft type in the fleet with 32 state-of-the-art business class seats in a 1-2-1 configuration, 21 premium economy and 259 economy seats until the end of July. Emirates has a total of 73 A350-900 ordered and already 24 A350 are delivered.

[Dirk Grothe | Aviation Photography @digro65]

Finally I was able to catch the beautiful @lufthansa A321 D-AISZ in the 1950s retro livery, same which is on the Lockheed L-1649A Super Star D-ALAN in the Hangar One in Frankfurt...

[Dirk Grothe | Aviation Photography @digro65]

From eastcoast to westcoast - the new @united Airlines Coastliner A321neo is coming soon. Two aircraft seen here already at Airbus Hamburg (msn 13054 will be N94750 and msn 13170 will be N74751).
United will use this new premium product on routes between New York and Los Angeles / San Francisco with over 10,000 passengers daily on these routes and plans with 50 Coastliner with the first entering service in summer 2026.
Seatconfiguration will be 161 seats in total with 20 Polaris Suites as business class in a 1-1 herringbone configuration, 12 Premium Plus seats and 129 economy seats. Passengers flying Polaris on Coastliner routes will have access to United Polaris Lounges.

[Dirk Grothe | Aviation Photography @digro65]

The 3rd A321 #XLR for @IndiGo6E VT-NLC had its first flight today at @Airbus Hamburg

[Dirk Grothe | Aviation Photography @digro65]

The next @Qantas A321 XLR VH-OGG has a special livery for the Great Barrier Reef Foundation with some corals on it - a bit disappointing if you expected it would be like the legendary "Wunala Dreaming" or the actual "'Yam Dreaming" livery, but at least another special livery which is always a pleasure to see!

[Dirk Grothe | Aviation Photography @digro65]

The @lufthansa Group's new conference and visitor center at Frankfurt Airport is now home to the Lockheed L-1649A Super Star "D-ALAN." Hangar One will open to the public in summer 2026. The exhibition will be open several days a week. It is also planned, that the visitors can access the 1950s styled cabin and have a look to the flightdeck.
As regrettable as it is that the Super Star was not made airworthy, it is nevertheless gratifying to be able to admire this historic aviation gem in all its beauty in the future.

[Dirk Grothe | Aviation Photography @digro65]

Sad news today, after the colorful WOW and Play, now Spirit has ceased operations today. After 34 years, it's now the end of the yellow birds...
It was always nice to see them here at Airbus Hamburg!

[Dirk Grothe | Aviation Photography @digro65]

The first A321 #XLR for @united Airlines N64321 had its first flight today at Airbus Hamburg. United has an order of 50 XLR which will replace the aging Boeing 757-200 fleet.

[Dirk Grothe | Aviation Photography @digro65]

Special livery on this @vueling A320 EC-MJB promoting the @LeTour de France 2026 from Barcelona to Paris 04.07. - 26.07.2026, seen here at @HamburgAirport on a flight from Barcelona