Connecting Skies • Bridging Continents
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South Africa’s homegrown airline, LIFT, is celebrating its fifth birthday by giving travellers a chance to make their mark in the sky. The airline has launched a nationwide design competition inviting the public to create a limited-edition birthday tail livery — with the winning designer earning free flights for an entire year.
The initiative has already captured national attention, with more than 1,200 entries submitted. True to its inclusive spirit, LIFT is calling on South Africans of all ages and backgrounds to take part — no design experience required.
“In honour of our 5th birthday celebration coming up on 10 December 2025, we’re calling on all South Africans to join in the celebration and submit designs for our celebratory tail design,” says Haydn Henning, LIFT’s Brand Manager.
From its very beginning, LIFT has been a brand built by and for South Africans. The airline famously invited the public to name it back in 2020, resulting in “LIFT” — a name proposed by eight South Africans, whose contributions were proudly displayed on the aircraft fuselage beside the entry door.
Henning explains that this latest design competition continues that founding tradition. “We knew back then already that LIFT was destined to be different, not just another airline. LIFT calls for travellers to be part of our journey, and we believe the airline experience should reignite the love of flying.”
LIFT’s creative collaborations have become part of its brand identity — from partnerships with Disney and Checkers Sixty60, to in-flight experiences featuring local artists, musicians, and chefs. Travellers have embraced this sense of connection, often taking selfies beside the aircraft tails featuring these special liveries.
“This is a full-circle moment,” Henning says. “As we mark our fifth year in the domestic aviation industry, it feels right to invite our passengers once again to shape what LIFT looks like.”
Launching during one of the toughest periods in aviation history, LIFT took flight amid the pandemic and has since become a daily fixture in South African skies. With up to 28 daily flights, the airline prides itself on customer flexibility, comfort, and local partnerships — from vida e caffè coffee and Grumpy Snacks to premium cabin options and its innovative LIFT Wallet.
A panel will shortlist the best designs before opening public voting, where South Africans can help choose the winner. One lucky voter will also win a R5,000 LIFT Wallet prize.
Henning concludes, “We’re eager to see South Africa’s creativity and what inspires people. It’s about celebrating how far we’ve come — together.” To follow the campaign and vote for your favourite design, visit @lift__sa on Instagram.
About LIFT:
LIFT is operated by Global Aviation Operations (Pty) LTD trading as LIFT. LIFT is SA’s first fully flexible airline, offering hassle-free changes and cancellations, generous legroom, and complimentary vida e caffè coffee and snacks at no extra charge. LIFT’s goal is to make travel comfortable, convenient, and stress-free.
2003 – Concorde makes its last scheduled commercial flight from New York JFK to London Heathrow, landing in sequence with 2 other Concorde’s in a spectacular but very sad finale to a wonderful 27 years of service.
2000 First Flight: Lockheed Martin X-35
1994 – US Navy Grumman F-14A-95-GR Tomcat, BuNo 160390, ‘NH 103’, of VF-213 crashed on approach to the carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, operating 40 miles (65 km.) off the Southern California coast, killing Lt. Kara Hultgreen, the first female Tomcat-qualified pilot in the Navy. RIO Lt. Matthew P. Klemish ejected and was rescued. Due to low-speed rolling turn, the ejections were on the edge of the seat capabilities, and Hultgreen’s did not have time to fully sequence. Her body was recovered by a Navy salvage team, still strapped into her seat less than 100 yards (90 m.) from her F-14 on the seabed.
1984 – First flight of the PZL-130 Orlik
1957 – The USAF starts the X-20 Dyna-Soar program. “Dynamic Soarer” was a United States Air Force program to develop a spaceplane that could be used for a variety of military missions, including reconnaissance, bombing, space rescue, satellite maintenance, and sabotage of enemy satellites. The program was canceled just after spacecraft construction had begun 1963.
1956 – The last Boeing-produced B-47 is delivered to the Air Force from Wichita. Douglas and Lockheed will continue to produce B-47 s for several more months.
1955 – Eleventh of 13 North American X-10s, GM-52-4, c/n 11, on Navaho X-10 flight number 17, out of Cape Canaveral, Florida, an engine problem results in a mission abort. After autolanding the nose wheel develops a shimmy, the vehicle runs off the skid strip, catches fire, and is destroyed.
1953 – First flight of the Convair F-102 Delta Dagger
1947 – First flight of the Grumman HU-16 Albatross
1945 – Using a Douglas C-54 Skymaster, American Overseas Airlines begins the first scheduled commercial transatlantic airline service by a landplane, operating between New York City and London. Since the new London-Heathrow airport is not yet available for commercial operations, AOA uses Bournemouth-Hurn Airport.
1937 – During engine start at an airfield on Saishuto Island (now Cheju Do) off of the southern coast of South Korea, a Hirosho G2H1 (Hiro Navy Type 95 Twin-engined Land-based Attacker) catches fire and soon explodes. Fire spreads to other G2Hs, armed with bombs, destroying four and damaging a fifth. Only eight G2H1s were built, six by Hirosho and two by Mitsubishi, the Imperial Japanese Navy deciding to standardize on the slightly smaller Mitsubishi G3M Navy Type 96 twin-engined land-based bomber, Allied codename “Nell”.
1919 – The first trio-mortored airliner was the Curtiss Eagle which carried eight passengers from Garden City, Long Island, New York, to Washington, D. C.
1919 – Frank Piasecki is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Piasecki becomes the second man in the United States to fly a helicopter in 1943. Piasecki’s company develops many of the world’s most successful tandem rotor helicopters including the H-21 Shawnee, CH-46 Sea Knight and CH-47 Chinook.
1912 – Harry Hawker wins the British Empire Michelin Cup for endurance. He flies for over 8 hours in a Burgess-Wright airplane. Harry Hawker went on to co-found Hawker Aircraft, the firm that would later be responsible for a long series of successful military aircraft, including the Fury, Sea Fury, Hurricane, Hunter and Harrier. Hawker Aircraft is now part of Raytheon Inc. along with Beachcraft aircraft.
1911 – Orville Wright soars in a glider 9 min and 45 seconds over dunes near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.
