The “Discover Airlines Shark” takes flight: world’s first Airbus equipped with AeroSHARK enters scheduled service
First A330 featuring “sharkskin” technology on the fuselage and engine nacelles
D-AIKP has already been in regular scheduled service since last week
Innovation developed by Lufthansa Technik and Surventis can reduce fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions by around one percent
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.
Background on AeroSHARK: inspired by sharks, developed for aviation
AeroSHARK is a functional surface film with microscopically fine grooved structures modeled after shark skin. Shark skin features fine grooves aligned in the direction of flow, known as riblets. These reduce frictional drag and improve flow characteristics in water. AeroSHARK applies this effect to aviation: The 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, reducing drag during flight. The technology cuts fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions on every flight—currently by about 1 percent.
As of September 2026, the Lufthansa Group had already equipped 23 aircraft with AeroSHARK. Each day, the Lufthansa Group’s AeroSHARK fleet saves more than 20 metric tons of jet fuel and approximately 64 metric tons of CO₂. Airlines outside the Lufthansa Group are also already using the innovative film to increase the fuel efficiency of their long-haul aircraft.
Ab out Lufthansa Technik:
The Lufthansa Technik Group is one of the leading providers of technical aircraft services in the world. Certified internationally as a maintenance, production and design organization, the company employs around 23,000 people in locations around the globe. Lufthansa Technik offers the full range of services for commercial, VIP and special mission aircraft. The portfolio includes maintenance, repair, overhaul and modification of airframes, engines, components and landing gears, as well as the manufacture of innovative cabin products and digital fleet support.
About Discover Airlines:
Discover Airlines is the Lufthansa Group's leisure airline in Germany, flying travelers from Frankfurt and Munich to the most beautiful holiday destinations in the world. A cutting-edge product tailored to the needs of leisure travelers and the crew’s welcoming service, make flying with Discover Airlines a real pleasure. Since the summer of 2021, Discover Airlines has complemented the Lufthansa Group's offering in the growing segment of leisure travel. Guests benefit from an end-to-end booking process and seamless transfers at the Frankfurt and Munich hubs as well as at many global destinations of the Lufthansa Group and its partner airlines. Discover Airlines is headquartered in Frankfurt, currently operates a fleet of 33 aircraft and employs around 2,200 people. The flights can be booked on discover-airlines.com, via all booking channels and websites of the Lufthansa Group, and in travel agencies.
About Mastercard:
Mastercard strengthens the economy and supports people in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. Together with its customers, the company works toward a sustainable economy where everyone can succeed. Mastercard offers a wide range of digital payment options that make transactions simple, secure, smart, and easily accessible. Mastercard’s technologies and innovations, partnerships, and networks form a unique combination of products and solutions that help consumers, businesses, and governments reach their full potential.
About Surventis (formerly BASF Coatings):
For more than 130 years, Surventis has combined science and passion to prepare, protect, and seal metal and plastic surfaces across a wide range of industries, to paint new vehicles in vibrant colors, and to repair them with precise color matching. Through brands such as Chemetall®, Glasurit®, and R-M®, Surventis works side by side with more than 42,000 customers in over 140 countries to develop solutions for their most complex surface-related challenges. The company employs approximately 10,700 people, generated revenue of around 3.9 billion euros in 2025, and is headquartered in Münster, Germany. Surventis is owned by funds managed by Carlyle; BASF continues to hold a 40 percent stake.