Berlin - Germany

What if the way to say “thank you” to someone who changed your life was to see his name written on a plane crossing the skies of Europe?

This is what the German company Eurowings decided to do, after opening the door for nominations to the residents of Europe to choose ordinary people, four of whom will receive an unusual honor: putting their first names on four Airbus A320 aircraft.

Don't look for celebrities...but for those who make life easier

But the Name a Plane competition isn't looking for a celebrity or TV star. Rather, the company wants stories of people who make a difference in the lives of others; Within the family, among friends, in clubs, associations, volunteer work, and even through simple daily situations.

Therefore, anyone who wants to participate must nominate a person and explain in a short text why this person makes his life or the lives of others better. Nominations continue until October 11, 2026, and are open to European residents aged 18 and over.

Four tales will fly at an altitude of 10 thousand metres

After closing the door for entries, the submitted stories committee will review the submissions and select four people, with Eurowings revealing the names of the winners and their stories in December.
As for the award, it is not placed on a shelf at home; The first name of each winner will appear prominently on one of the company's Airbus A320 aircraft, and the names will then travel between airports and European cities.

The name will not be written on a thank you card... but on an Airbus A320

Max Kovnatsky, CEO of Eurowings, says that the company's aircraft connect people with those who care about them, explaining that the campaign wants to celebrate people who make the lives of others easier, especially through small daily actions that may make a big difference.

Thus, a simple marketing competition turned into a funny idea: Instead of naming planes after cities or famous personalities, a plane bearing the name of a mother, father, friend, or volunteer that the world has never heard of before may soon take off from a European airport.