A Discover Airlines Airbus A330 has become the world’s first Airbus to enter regular scheduled service following a large-scale AeroSHARK modification. This marks a new milestone for the surface technology developed by Lufthansa Technik and Surventis. The long-haul aircraft, registered as D-AIKP, completed its inaugural flight to Florida last Thursday.

AeroSHARK is a special transparent surface film with a fine grooved structure modeled on sharkskin. Applied to the aircraft’s fuselage and engine nacelles, it reduces aerodynamic drag in flight. This can lower fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions by around one percent.

The A330 was equipped with AeroSHARK at Dresden Airport in late August. The aircraft then completed a series of extensive test flights. Analysis of the data collected during those flights confirmed that the technology can be used safely and reliably in flight operations.

“With D-AIKP, we have not only added our first AeroSHARK-equipped aircraft to the fleet, but also reached an important milestone: For the first time ever, an Airbus with AeroSHARK modification is operating in regular scheduled service. We are very proud of this achievement, together with our colleagues and partners both within and outside the Lufthansa Group. We are delighted that the ‘Discover Airlines Shark’ will carry our guests to their vacation destinations in the future,” says Sascha Unterbarnscheidt, Chief Operating Officer at Discover Airlines.

AeroSHARK is supported by Mastercard in the current project phase. As part of a strategic partnership between Mastercard and the Lufthansa Group, both companies are jointly driving innovations intended to contribute to more efficient and more sustainable aviation.

The AeroSHARK “shark skin” is coming to Airbus aircraft: An A330 from Discover Airlines will be the first Airbus aircraft worldwide to be equipped with the innovative technology. Initially for flight testing - Lufthansa Technik entered the final phase of supplemental type certification for its drag-reducing surface film on the Airbus A330-200 and -300 at the end of August. Before and after the modification at Elbe Flugzeugwerke in Dresden, the long-haul jet from Discover Airlines undergoes test flights over several weeks.

AeroSHARK is supported by Mastercard in the current project phase. As part of a strategic partnership between Mastercard and the Lufthansa Group, both companies are jointly driving innovations intended to contribute to more efficient and more sustainable aviation.

Working together for greater efficiency in long-haul travel

Grazia Vittadini, Chief Technology Officer Lufthansa Group, says: “AeroSHARK is an excellent example of how innovations from the Lufthansa Group can make concrete contributions to greater efficiency and lower emissions. With the planned certification for the Airbus A330ceo, we are tapping into the potential of another significant portion of the global long-haul fleets. The innovation alliance between Lufthansa Technik, Discover Airlines, and Mastercard demonstrates once again how strong partners can drive progress together.”

The AeroSHARK technology, developed by Lufthansa Technik and Surventis (formerly BASF Coatings), is based on the structure of shark skin. The special surface film, modeled after nature, reduces drag during flight, thereby lowering fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions. AeroSHARK is the only so-called riblet technology on the market approved for commercial aviation - currently certified for the Boeing 777F, the B777-300ER, and the B777-200ER. Following its certification for the Boeing 777, the certification process is now focused on the Airbus A330 - the world’s second-most-delivered long-haul aircraft model, which will continue to shape existing fleets for many years to come.

Plans to expand to additional aircraft models and aircraft surfaces

Every modification to an aircraft must meet the highest standards of safety, reliability, and performance. The path to certification is correspondingly demanding: it requires technical expertise, operational resources, and robust financing. For the Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for AeroSHARK on the A330-300 and -200, Lufthansa Technik is undergoing the relevant process with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. This includes extensive technical documentation, ground and flight tests, as well as final in-service validation during flight operations.

In addition to the certification currently being sought for the A330ceo, Lufthansa Technik and Surventis are also working to expand the next generation of AeroSHARK material to additional aircraft surfaces - such as wings and tail surfaces. This could double the potential savings. See the press release from July 30, 2026.

An Airbus A319 of Lufthansa City Airlines will become the world’s first test aircraft for a new generation of fuel-efficient AeroSHARK technology. On the short-haul aircraft with the registration number “D-ABGK,” Lufthansa Technik, in collaboration with its development partner Surventis (formerly BASF Coatings), will test approximately 70 transparent film patches, each measuring 20 x 20 centimeters, through February 2027. These material samples are attached to selected areas on the sides of the fuselage as well as on the inside and outside of the engine cowlings. Their performance will be analyzed over the next few months during regular flight operations between Munich and Hamburg and is expected to provide insights for the further development of the AeroSHARK technology. The long-term goal is to tap into additional efficiency potential in flight operations through the broader use of AeroSHARK, thereby contributing to greater sustainability in air travel.

For passengers aboard the Lufthansa City Airlines aircraft bearing the name of the city “Starnberg,” the test remains virtually invisible. The material is transparent and hardly noticeable to the eye. Flight operations also remain unchanged. For informational purposes, a welcome panel featuring the AeroSHARK design at the aircraft’s entrance draws the attention of interested travelers to the test.

The patch test: Research meets real-world flight operations

To date, the fuel-saving AeroSHARK film has been used on the fuselage and engine cowlings of long-haul aircraft certified for this technology. With their current research and development work, Lufthansa Technik and Surventis are now taking an important step forward. Together, they are developing the next-generation material, which could also be used on wings as well as horizontal and vertical stabilizers in the future. These areas are exposed to higher aerodynamic loads.

With the test run that has now begun, various new AeroSHARK material samples are being evaluated under real-world conditions. The 70 test patches differ in terms of their material and layer composition. The goal of the study is to identify the material that combines the highest durability with easy application, straightforward cleaning, and residue-free removal. Lufthansa Technik conducts regular material inspections during regular ground time in Hamburg.

Inspired by nature

To date, AeroSHARK is the only riblet technology approved for commercial aviation. It consists of a specially developed surface film with microscopically fine grooved structures modeled after shark skin. The skin of sharks features fine grooves aligned with the direction of flow - known as riblets - which reduce frictional drag and improve flow characteristics in water. AeroSHARK applies this effect to aviation: The functional surface film features riblets only about 50 micrometers high, precisely aligned with the airflow. It is applied to an aircraft’s fuselage and engine cowlings and reduces aerodynamic drag during flight. The technology reduces fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions on every flight—currently by about 1 percent.

22 Lufthansa Group long-haul aircraft have already been equipped with AeroSHARK

As of July 2026, the Lufthansa Group has already equipped 22 aircraft with AeroSHARK: SWISS’s entire fleet of Boeing 777-300ERs (twelve aircraft), five Boeing 777Fs from Lufthansa Cargo, four Boeing 777-200ERs from Austrian Airlines, and one Boeing 747-400 from Lufthansa. As a result, the Lufthansa Group’s AeroSHARK fleet saves 19 metric tonnes of fuel and 60 metric tonnes of CO₂ daily. AeroSHARK is also gaining traction across the industry: Airlines outside the Lufthansa Group are also already using this innovative film to increase the fuel efficiency of their long-haul aircraft.