Austria: "Christmas 2024" - 63rd "Weihnachtsballonpost" ("Christmas Balloon Post")

 Merry Christmas to everyone!

Like last year, I'm happy to show this year's Weihnachtsballonpost ("Christmas Balloon Post"), too. As a reminder, this is an annual tradition and philatelic charity champaigne of sending specially designed Christmas covers and postcards via hot air balloon from Sonthofen, Germany to the town of Christkindl in Austria. The envelope bears a pictorial cancellation from the Christkindl post office on the right and on the left the black Cachet of the Ballon including a customized stamp celebrating the 63rd Weihnachts-ballonpost and depicts a festive scene with St. Nicholas and a postal worker. The green-framed flight label provides detailed information about the balloon transport. 

Stamp:

Christmas – the Traismauer Nativity Play - Issued: 14-11-2024

India: First Commercial Flight of Lufthansa LH 753 from Hyderabad to Frankfurt

In January 2024 Lufthansa has launched a new direct service between Frankfurt, Germany and Hyderabad, India. Serviced by Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, the new route operates five times weekly on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. The cover below shows the first commercial flight from January 16, 2024 on its way from Hyderabad to Frankfurt with a Frankfurt Airport arrival postmark dated January 17, 2024.The turquoise inscription highlights this First Commercial Flight of  LH 753, a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner (D-ABYT).

 

Stamps:

Surya Namaskar (from a set of 12) - Issued: 20-06-2016

 

 

 

Germany: First Flight of Lufthansa LH2426 from Munich Airport to Trondheim <-> Trondheim to Munich Airport

Starting April 28 2024, Lufthansa commenced twice-weekly flights from Munich to Trondheim (TRD), Norway’s third-largest city. The covers below document both very first flights. The first one from Munich-Airport to Trondheim on April 28 2024 with Airbus A319 D-AILS "Heide". Also to note the arrival postmark of Trondheim on the left. The second cover the Way back from Trondheim to Munich-Airport.

Flight Munich-Airport -> Trondheim

Stamps:

2x Four Seasons "Summer" - Issued: 13-07-2006

 

Flight Trondheim -> Munich-Airport

With a arrival postmark of "Briefzentrum 85" (= Freising, Munich Airport) of April 29th 2024

Stamp:

Norway Memories (from a set of 6) - Issued: 21-04-2023

 

 

Austria: "Christmas 2023" - 62nd "Weihnachtsballonpost" ("Christmas Balloon Post")

This cover was supposed to be transported by hot-air balloon from Sonthofen, Germany (southernmost town in Germany) to the town of Christkindl in Austria. It was part of the annual and perhaps oldest philatelic charity campaign. Due to strong winds, the balloon could not take off. As can be read on the rectangular Cachet at the bottom left. Also to note is the green Cachet of the Ballon at top left and the both special postmarks applied by Austrian Post.

Stamp:

Christmas (from a set of 3) - Issued: 17-11-2023
 

Germany: Lufthansa Inaugural Flights Frankfurt a.M. -> Asturias (Oviedo) -> Munich

On April 23, 2023 Lufthansa expanded its operations in Spain with the start of a new non-stop service between Frankfurt am Main (FRA) and Asturias (OVD). The Cover below shows the Flight LH 1552 on Airbus A319 from Frankfurt a. M. to Ovideo on April 23, 2023 with a arrival postmark of April 24, 2023 (Oviedo Post Office). 

Stamps:

Diversity in Germany - Issued: 02-11-2022

2x Hyacinthoides non-scripta (20 ct.) - Issued: 08-06-2017

World of Letters (05 ct.) - Issued: 02-12-2021

This second cover shows another new operating Lufthansa route. This time Flight LH 1793 on Airbus A319 on April 29, 2023 from Ovideo to Munich Airport. With a arrival postmark of "Briefzentrum 85" (= Freising, Munich Airport) on May 2, 2023 (cover was processed this late maybe because of May the 1st, a day off in Germany).

Stamp:

Spain with Ukraine - Issued: 30-05-2022

Germany: Lufthansa's new Boeing 787-900 "Dreamliner" Testflights Frankfurt a.M. <-> Munich

Between 2022 and 2027, the Lufthansa Group will receive a total of 32 Boeing 787-900 "Dreamliners". The first were delivered in late August 2022 and tested on flights between Frankfurt a.M. and Munich Airport. The first Dreamliner was christened on October 17th 2022 and the inaugural flight took place from Berlin via Paderborn to Frankfurt. Later, the first public test flight was LH 96 on October, 19th 2022 from Frankfurt to Munich as shown on the cover below. The cancellation on the stamp shows "Frankfurt - Flughafen - IPZ 1" (Frankfurt Airport), after a flight of about an hour the cover arrived at Munich Airport which can be seen on the added "Briefzentrum 85" cancel. The red special postmark was applied to indicate this testflight.

Stamp:

For the Youth 2022 - "Amphibians" (from a set of 3) - Issued: 04-08-2022

 

I'm also happy about this cover below showing the flight the other way back from Munich to Frankfurt Airport.

Stamp:

For the Youth 2022 - "Amphibians" (from a set of 3) - Issued: 04-08-2022

Germany: Inaugural flight Lufthansa Cargo (LH8084) B777F from Frankfurt a. M. -> Mumbai -> Hanoi

Lufthansa Cargo has added Hanoi as a new destination to its global B777F route network for the winter flight schedule 2022/2023. The inaugural flight took place on November 2nd in Frankfurt. With a stop in Mumbai, India, the Boeing 777F reached Hanoi, Vietnam on schedule on November 3rd. The covers below document these flights.

Flight Frankfurt to Mumbai, India on 2nd November 2022 with special postmark from Germany and arrivial postmark from Mumbai (Viel Parle, East) on 3rd November 2022.

Stamps:

Definitves Stamps "World of letters" - Issued: 01-03-2022

Definitves Stamps "Flowers - Eranthis hyemalis" - Issued: 08-06-2017

Definitves Stamps "Flowers" - Issued: 03-01-2022

 

Flight LH8088/9 from Mumbai, India to Hanoi, Vietnam. The red cachet postmark indicates this flight. Arrival postmark from Hanoi, Vietnam 3rd November 2022 on the back. Unfortunately I don't have the flight back from Hanoi to Frankfurt.

Stamp:

The 70th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations with Germany - Issued: 10-06-2021

Germany: Christening of Lufthansa's first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

The first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner in the Lufthansa fleet, with the registration D-ABPA, was christened on 17th October 2022 at Berlin Brandenburg Airport by Governing Mayor Franziska Giffey. The first flight afterwards went from Berlin via Paderborn to Frankfurt am Main. The cover below was cancelled with a postmark from the "Sonderstempelstelle" in Berlin. It has two cachet postmarks: One from the Christening and one from the first flight. On the back you can see an arrival postmark from Frankfurt am Main Airport.

Stamp:

EUROPA 2022 "Stories and Myths" - Issued: 05-05-2022

Germany: Inaugural Flight Lufthansa Airbus A330 (LH449) Frankfurt a. Main <-> St. Louis, MO, USA

 Flight from Frankfurt a. Main to St. Louis, MO on 1st June 2022:

Special Postmark (US side) on the back:

Stamps:

1x New Defintive Stamps "World of Letters" - Issued: 01-03-222

2x Hyacinthoides non-scripta - Issued: 08-06-2017

 

Flight from St. Louis, MO to Frankfurt a. Main on 1st June 2022 with arrival postmark on 2nd June 2022 Frankfurt Airport IPZ:

 

Stamps:

Forever Stamp - Lady Liberty and U.S. Flag - Issued: 01-12-2010

Germany: Airbus A340-600 on Flight from Munich Airport to Palma de Mallorca <-> Palma de Mallorca to Munich Airport

Munich Airport -> Palma de Mallorca, Spain (first flight)

 

Stamp:

Personalized Stamp Airbus A340

Because of high demand two large Airbus A340-600 were used during the time from 18th May and 3rd June 2018 for Flights from Munich Airport to Palma de Mallorca, Spain. This Cover shows the first flight from Munich to Palma de Mallorca (with arrival postmark on 18 May 2018).

Palma de Mallorca -> Munich Airport (last flight)

Stamp:

EUROPA 2018 "Bridges" - Issued: 23-04-2018

Germany: First Flight of Lufthansa LH726 from Munich Airport to Shanghai <-> Shanghai to Munich Airport

 

Stamp:

Personalized Stamp of Airbus A350-900

 

A unusual cover in my collction. This cover is real circulated, addressed to me and recorded the First Flight of Lufthansa LH726 called "Magdeburg" from Munich Airport, Germany to Shanghai, China on May 31st 2018. With arrival postmark from Shanghai (上海) on June 1st 2018.

 

Flight Back from Shanghai to Munich Airport

 Stamp:

High-speed Railway Development  - Issued: 25-11-2017

This cover is from the same Flight just back from Shanghai to Munich Airport. With Arrival Postmark from "Briefzentrum 85" (Freising, Munich Airport) on 04th June 2018.