note
Airline was founded in July 1955 as a state airline of DDR (East Germany). Airline commenced operations on September 16th 1955 on Berlin (SXF) - Vilnius - Moscow route using Ilyushin IL-14 aircraft. Interlug initialy used Deutsche Lufthansa der DDR name, but in 1963 it was decided by international arbitration that it was ilegal since there was already Deutsche Lufthansa in the West. Separate charter airline Interflug was set as sister company of Deutsche Lufthansa (DDR) in 1958 and its name was adopted for the full service airline. Interflug served domestic network until 1980. Its international operations included Eastern and few Western European capitals (Amsterdam, Vienna, Helsinki, Paris), Middle East, and North Africa. Its long-haul fleet served many Soviet-oriented sub-saharan countries like Angola, Mozambique, Guinea and Ethiopia as well as Beijing and Havana. During annual Leipzig industrial fair, Interflug offered daily service to most western European hubs including those in West Germany. In June 1989 Interflug introduced its first western built jet - an Airbus A310. Interflug, like its counterparts in other Comecon countries, was subsidized by government during its life. Once this subisidy was cut off, Interflug had difficulty competing with its obsolete and rigid structure and equipment. Airline was liquidated in March 1991 by German government and most of its employees were transfered to Lufthansa's new operations in the former East sector. All aircraft were sold with the only western built jets the A310s going to the Luftwaffe as VIP transports.
founded - demised (age)
July 1 1955 - April 30 1991 (36)
headquarters
, East Berlin
web
base airports
related operators
current /stored fleet (0)
