Category Archives: Austrian Airlines

Austrian Airlines starts summer season 2022 with broad destination portfolio

Austrian Airlines made this announcement:

Around 90 destinations in the flight program for the Easter break
• Flight offer will be successively increased until midsummer
• Almost 110 attractive destinations worldwide will be offered during the summer season with around 1,300 weekly frequencies

Those who are already tired of freezing temperatures, can start planning their 2022 summer holiday with Austrian Airlines as of today, 14 December 2021 with the ramp up of the airline’s summer flight schedule. “The focus is clearly on tourist destinations. With 110 destinations, 35 of them warm-water destinations in Greece, Spain or Italy, and up to 1,300 weekly flights in peak summer 2022, we will not only significantly expand our flight program compared to 2021, but also provide an attractive holiday offer for our passengers,” says Austrian Airlines Chief Sales Officer Michael Trestl. The premium carrier will fly to the most beautiful places in Europe several times a day in summer and significantly increase its offer. For example, Austrian Airlines will offer several flights a day to Palma de Mallorca, four daily connections to Milan, Stockholm or Amsterdam, two flights a day to Larnaca, Athens or Tel Aviv and up to nine weekly connections to Heraklion.

In addition, popular holiday destinations such as Catania, Ibiza, Palma de Mallorca, Keflavík or Mykonos, which were previously part of the airline’s charter program, can be booked as regular Austrian Airlines flights for the 2022 summer season (Palma already for the 2021/22 winter season). “Our passengers will benefit from additional customer advantages. On the one hand, a closer integration with the rest of the Austrian Airlines route network, and on the other hand, customers can now also choose between the booking categories Economy and Business Class on these scheduled routes,” says Michael Trestl.

Up to 1,030 frequencies to holiday destinations in Easter week
For those who are already drawn to the sun in spring, Austrian Airlines offers a comprehensive range of flights to around 90 destinations around Easter until May. In continental Europe only, around 16 warm-water destinations in Spain, Italy, the Canary Islands and the Greek islands are on the flight schedule over Easter. From Vienna, destinations such as Palma de Mallorca, Málaga, Catania or Larnaca are served with more than 50 departures per week. Also long-haul routes, such as the popular destinations Cancún, Mauritius or the Maldives are ideal for a beach holiday in spring 2022. Austrian Airlines will serve all three destinations until after the Easter holidays.

Top Copyright Photo: Austrian Airlines Airbus A321-211 OE-LBE (msn 935) MUC (Gunter Mayer). Image: 956145.

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Austrian Airlines bolsters Cancun service with an additional flight, signs SAF fuel agreement with OMV

Austrian Airlines made this announcement:

Additional weekly flight to the popular destination in the Caribbean starting on January 25, 2022
• Direct flights from Vienna to Cancun on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday
• Three additional frequencies during Christmas holidays

With the successful launch of its Mexican service, Austrian Airlines will add an additional weekly flight to its direct connection to Cancún. Commencing on January 25, 2022, the Austrian flag carrier will fly to the sunny Mexican holiday destination with an additional frequency on Tuesdays, on top of the already existing connections on Thursday and Sunday,

Due to the high demand during the Christmas holidays, Austrian Airlines’ offer to Cancún had already been increased to ten instead of seven round trips between December 19 and January. 9 The newest destination in Austrian Airlines’ route network is served by a Boeing 777-200 offering a total of 306 passengers direct service from Vienna to Mexico’s Caribbean coast. Being Mexico’s second largest airport, the connection to Cancún also functions as an ideal starting point for onward travel with our partner airlines. When traveling to Cancun, or any Austrian Airlines long haul flight, customers can choose between three cabins of service: Economy, Premium Economy and the spacious Business Class. Return ticket prices from Vienna begin at 570 euros.

In other news, for the first time ever, OMV and Austrian Airlines (AUA) are producing and using regional Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in Austria. The two companies agreed on the production and fueling of 1,500 metric tons of SAF in the coming year 2022.

The sustainable fuel is produced at the OMV Schwechat Refinery by co-processing Austrian used cooking oil in the fuel production process. This approach makes the entire production chain as regional as possible and keeps transport routes to a minimum. Compared to conventional kerosene, SAF makes for a CO2 reduction of more than 80% over the entire lifecycle. One technical key advantage of the sustainable aviation fuel is that the existing infrastructure can be used for storage and refueling. With the direct pipeline connection to the Vienna International Airport, SAF will be available for fueling Austrian Airlines aircraft as of March 2022.

The use of 1,500 metric tons of SAF by Austrian Airlines will save around 3,750 metric tons of CO2. This compares to the CO2 emissions of 333 Vienna-London flights with a typical short to medium-haul AUA aircraft (Airbus A320). The additional costs for Sustainable Aviation Fuel are financed with the support of environmentally conscious passengers. All Austrian Airlines customers can use the Compensaid platform to support flights with SAF and thus contribute to more sustainable air traffic.

Austrian Airlines expands its Premium Economy Class

Austrian Airlines made this announcement:

Enlargement of the travel class on the entire Boeing 767 fleet
• New offer starting in spring 2022 on long-haul routes
• CCO Michael Trestl: “As a genuinely Austrian airline, we carry ‘Premium’ in our hearts. With the expansion of the Premium Economy Class, we want to offer better travel comfort to even more passengers”

Starting next spring, even more Austrian Airlines passengers will be able to fly long-haul flights in the Premium Economy Class booking category. The travel class, which was introduced in 2018, will be expanded on the domestic airline’s entire Boeing 767 fleet from its current 18 to 30 seats per aircraft.

The conversion of the Austrian Boeing 767 fleet will be carried out in the first quarter of 2022. With the summer flight schedule of 2022, the three B767 aircraft that primarily serve destinations in North America will fly in the new cabin configuration. The heart of the Premium Economy Class is a seat specially made for the Lufthansa Group, which offers passengers more legroom and comfort on their journey compared to Economy Class. In addition, passengers in this travel class can check in two pieces of luggage, each weighing up to 23 kilograms, free of charge and enjoy a culinary high-class program with a three- to four-course menu on board.

The Premium Economy Class at a glance:

• Premium seat with a broader seat surface and generous seat spacing

• Footrest starting in the second row or leg support with integrated footrest in the first row

• Always a separate central armrest with fold-out table and cocktail table

• 12-inch screen with remote control for the in-flight entertainment system

• Own power outlet and USB port on the seat

• 2 x 23 kg free baggage

• Three to four course menu
• Welcome drink

• Amenity kit with useful travel accessories

Top Copyright Photo: Austrian Airlines Boeing 767-3Z9 ER WL OE-LAX (msn 27095) IAD (Brian McDonough). Image: 949334.

Austrian Airlines aircraft slide show:

Austrian to fly to Cancún, Mauritius and the Maldives

Austrian Airlines has announced flights again to Cancún, Mauritius and the Maldives in time for the winter.

With a direct connection to the Maldives, the red-white-red home carrier will fly to Malé three times a week from October 21, 2021.

Additionally, Mauritius will be reintroduced into the flight schedule. The Austrian home carrier will take off to the sunny island in the Indian Ocean up to three times a week from October 23, 2021.

To immerse in the history of the Maya and simply unwind on the Mexican Caribbean coast, Austrian Airlines takes off to Cancún in sunny Mexico twice a week from October 24, 2021. The last flight to this holiday destination was back in 2006.

To all three destinations, Austrian Airlines operates a long-haul Boeing 777 aircraft.

In other news, Austrian will restore the Montreal route on October 1.

Top Copyright Photo: Austrian Airlines Boeing 777-2Z9 ER OE-LPA (msn 28698) VIE (Ton Jochems). Image: 955327.

Austrian Airlines aircraft slide show:

Eurowings and Austrian Airlines optimize connections between Germany and Austria

Eurowings and Austrian Airlines have made this announcement:

Eurowings and Austrian Airlines are flying in a new formation and optimizing their intra group offer between Austria and Germany for passengers. Eurowings has taken over the route from Stuttgart to Graz from its Group sister and now flies the route at least five times a week. Eurowings flies to Linz five times a week from its largest location, Düsseldorf. From the capital of North Rhine-Westphalia, Eurowings will also offer three weekly connections to Graz from 10 January 2022.

From summer 2022, Eurowings will operate even more frequent flights on all three routes and will then fly to Graz and Linz twice daily from Monday to Friday. Passengers will benefit from a large number of attractive connecting flights thanks to the major Eurowings bases in Düsseldorf and Stuttgart.

Austrian Airlines has already taken over the Vienna – Hanover route previously served by Eurowings since the 2021 summer flight schedule. The direct flights are offered with a daily frequency of up to two flights and can be booked as of now. With the permanent start of the rotation to Hanover, Austrian Airlines is strengthening the hub at its home airport of Vienna. The hub connection is ideal for both tourists and business travelers for further connecting flights. Passengers benefit from numerous transfer options, for example to Central and South-Eastern Europe or the Middle East.

Austrian outlines its upcoming leisure and business routes

Austrian Airlines made this announcement:

In the coming summer season, Austrian Airlines will be offering a selection of charter destinations that are currently available via Austrian Holidays as scheduled flights. The destinations Antalya, Catania, Ibiza, Palma de Mallorca, Keflavik and Mykonos, which were part of the domestic airline’s charter program this year, can now be booked as regular Austrian Airlines flights for the summer season 2022 (Palma de Mallorca is already available as a scheduled flight for the winter season 2021/22). Flights to Málaga and partly also flights to Naples have been changed to scheduled flights already.

This adjustment enables closer integration with the rest of the Austrian Airlines route network. All customer benefits of the Austrian Airlines range of scheduled services apply to the new routes offered as scheduled flights. Passengers can now choose between Economy and Business Class booking categories for these popular holiday destinations. As on all Austrian Airlines continental flights under three hours, Economy Class customers will also benefit from the products of the Austrian Melangerie on these routes.

As of the end of October, Austrian Airlines will once again fly to popular warm water destinations such as Mauritius and the Maldives several times a week as part of the 2021/22 winter flight schedule. From 24 October, Cancún on the Mexican Caribbean coast will be added as a new destination.

On the business side, the airline made this announcement:

After a year and a half of pandemic, work from home, remote tools, hybrid working and video conferencing are part of the familiar working world. Even if new working methods have established themselves, personal contact with customers, business partners and employees in international branches is missing. This is why many business professionals are now increasingly taking business trips again. At Austrian Airlines, demand is increasing, especially for destinations in neighboring countries like Germany and Switzerland.

“With our route network, private and business travelers can fly to over 70 destinations within Europe with more than 700 departures per week since the beginning of September. We also offer intercontinental flights, for example to the US, and we hope that Europeans will soon be able to enter the country,” says Austrian Airlines COO Michael Trestl.

In addition to hygiene and security measures, suitable flight times are particularly relevant for business travelers within Europe. The majority of European business destinations are available daily, in some cases up to three times a day, and are served by Austrian Airlines at the start and end of the day with direct connections from the Vienna hub. With New York, Washington, Chicago, Bangkok, Shanghai, Tokyo, Tel Aviv and, starting from October, Montreal, Austrian Airlines also has long-haul destinations for business travelers in its flight program. In addition, the other airlines within the Lufthansa Group and their hubs provide access to further attractive destinations worldwide. However, with a few exceptions, travel restrictions still apply to Austrians to many intercontinental destinations.

With the AIRail offer from Linz, Salzburg or Graz central station, the provincial capitals are intermodally connected to the hub at Vienna Airport. AIRail passengers can now also check in their luggage during the train journey from Linz and Salzburg and proceed directly to the gate at Vienna Airport as part of a pilot phase until the end of October.

Top Copyright Photo: Austrian Airlines Airbus A320-214 OE-LBP (msn 797) AYT (Ton Jochems). Image: 954986.

Austrian Airlines aircraft slide show:

Austrian Airlines records rising booking figures

Austrian Airlines has made this announcement:

• CCO Michael Trestl: “Eased travel regulations and rising vaccination rates have quadrupled our bookings”
• Greece, Spain and Italy among the most popular destinations
• Austrian Airlines continues to offer full flexibility in rebooking and security

With a rising vaccination rate and easings of entry regulations in many European countries, Austrians are feeling the urge to travel again. The desire of finally putting their feet in the sand again is big. This was also made clear during the Corpus Christi weekend, which many passengers used for a short holiday in the south. Greece, Spain and Italy were the top three destinations. Because of the increased demand in flights, Austrian Airlines deployed larger aircraft than planned on short notice and added extra flights.

A glance at the months from June to August also gives the red-white-red home carrier cause for optimism. “Demand is increasing daily, and new bookings on many routes have quadrupled since mid-May. It is also noticeable that bookings are increasingly being made on a longer-term basis,” reports Austrian Airlines Sales Director Michael Trestl. For summer holidays, Mediterranean destinations such as Greece, Cyprus, Italy and Spain including Mallorca are among the most popular destinations. “The booking dynamics show that we are meeting the travel needs of Austrians very well with our summer flight schedule, which mainly serves inner-European destinations in the Mediterranean. With a total of more than 100 destinations, we are offering a variety of destinations at pre-crisis levels in midsummer,” says CCO Michael Trestl. Of course, not all destinations are yet served with the usual frequency again, but the production level in the tourist sector is back at the pre-crisis level. “With the recently announced travel easings for the return from Cyprus, Croatia, the Netherlands and Sweden, as well as with the Green Pass coming into effect, we are expecting further growth in bookings,” says Trestl.

Top Copyright Photo: Austrian Airlines Airbus A320-214 OE-LBI (msn 1937) ZRH (Rolf Wallner). Image: 953896.

Austrian Airlines aircraft slide show:

Austrian Airlines operates the last turboprop flight, retires the last DHC-8-402 (Q400)

Austrian Airlines on May 31, 2021 operated the last Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) turboprop flight from Innsbruck to Vienna.

Austrian Airlines made this announcement:

• The last turboprop flight was the OS 905/6 from Vienna to Innsbruck and back
• Dash aircraft were an integral part of Austrian aviation for over 40 years
• “The Dash is and will remain part of our history”, says Austrian Airlines COO Francesco Sciortino

It is the end of an impressive era. On May 31, 2021 Austrian Airlines operated a passenger flight with a turboprop aircraft for the last time. The Dash 8-Q400 with the registration OE-LGI flew as OS 905/6 from Vienna to Innsbruck and back. After more than 40 years, this marks the end of the Dash’s time in Austria. The future Austrian Airlines fleet will consist entirely of Airbus, Boeing and Embraer aircraft.

https://twitter.com/_austrian/status/1399410627060326401?s=20

“The Dash has had an impressive career in our company, it is and will remain part of our history. We will not forget that. I would like to thank everyone who has served the Dash aircraft over the past decades, from the cabin and cockpit crews, to the technician team and many more”, says Austrian Airlines COO Francesco Sciortino.

“At peak times, the Dash 8-Q400 completed up to 44,000 individual flights per year”, says Austrian Airlines Dash fleet manager Thomas Bleimuth. “With this type of aircraft, it was also possible to fly to particularly demanding locations. For example, Tyrolean Airways used to fly the four-engined Dash 7 to Courchevel in the French Alps, an airfield at over 2,000 meters above sea level.”

Above Copyright Photo: Tyrolean Austrian Regional (Tyrolean Airways) de Havilland Canada DHC-7-102 Dash 7 OE-LLU (msn 113) INN (Jacques Guillem Collection). Image: 946654.

On April 9, 1980, the story of the Dash began not only in Austria, but all of Europe. At that time, Tyrolean Airways was the first European airline to take delivery of the first Dash 8 predecessor, a De Havilland Canada DHC-7 Dash 7. With its excellent short-landing characteristics, the 50-seat regional aircraft was ideally suited for use at difficult airports such as Innsbruck or Courchevel.

Above Copyright Photo: Tyrolean Airways de Havilland Canada DHC-8-311 Dash 8 OE-LTM (msn 527) ZRH (Richard Vandervord). Image: 946656.

From 1985, Tyrolean Airways used the twin-engined successor model Dash 8-100 on flights to Graz, Frankfurt and Zurich. Until the complete takeover of the Tyrolean carrier by Austrian Airlines in 1998, a total of 44 different Dash 8s of the -100, -300 and -400 series flew for Tyrolean.

At Austrian Airlines, 18 Dash 8-Q400s were last in service on short-haul routes, for example on flights from Vienna to Milan, Warsaw or Zagreb. After almost 20 years of operation at Austria’s home carrier, this aircraft type alone can boast some impressive figures:

• Over 20 million passengers have flown on the Dash 8-Q400 in the last 20 years.
• The Dash 8-Q400 has flown 237 million kilometers – accident-free. That is 310 flights to the moon and back.
• Our Dash 8-Q400s have spent a combined 54 years in the air.
• During their career, the aircraft completed more than 520,000 safe landings.
• During their pre-flight checks, the Dash 8-Q400 pilots covered more than 52,000 kilometers on foot – that is 20 circumnavigations of Austria.

Videos:

Top Copyright Photo: Austrian Airlines Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) OE-LGI (msn 4100) ZRH (Paul Bannwarth). Image: 922914.

Austrian Airlines aircraft slide show:

Austrian Airlines insists on a global digital travel certificate

Austrian Airlines made this announcement:

• End of “Pre Travel Clearance” to reduce the bureaucracy of traveling
• EU agreement on a uniform corona certificate from 1 July onwards as an essential step
• CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech: “A globally recognized solution must follow in order to give aviation a full boost”

Just in time for the start of the summer holiday season, Austria announced further easing of the current entry regulations. From 10 June onwards, a mandatory “Pre Travel Clearance” will only be required from people entering from a high-incidence and virus variant area. Previously, the European Union had agreed on a uniform certificate for corona vaccinations, tests and recovery. The digitally readable document is intended to make traveling across the EU easier and to put an end to the differently managed regulations for entering EU countries from 1 July.

With the global vaccination rate rising and the number of infections falling, the focus lies increasingly on restoring global freedom of travel. This is also reflected in the demand for flight tickets to the North Atlantic region this summer. “It is important that the EU Covid certificate is now followed by a globally recognized solution in order to give aviation a full boost. Travel is a basic need. People long for new experiences and for reunions with family, friends and business partners”, emphasizes Alexis von Hoensbroech.

Last but not least, transatlantic air traffic is a driving economic factor. The prospect easing air travel is therefore essential. An international Covid certificate would give aviation an important uplift and enable a return to more flight connections and services at pre-crisis levels.

In other news, the Austrian federal government has once again imposed a landing ban on flights from the United Kingdom. This will initially apply from June 1-20, 2021 inclusive.

Finally, the airline has announced that Russia had not allowed its flight from Vienna to Moscow to land in Moscow without flying through Belarusian airspace.

European airlines are being urged to avoid flying over Belarus.

Austrian Airlines fleet

The Austrian Airlines fleet currently consists of 83 aircraft, which are divided into the long-haul fleet and the short and medium-haul fleet.

Boeing 777-200ER

The modern wide-bodied aircraft has the longest range in the world and carries you to Shanghai or nonstop to Cape Town. The spacious cabin and sophisticated equipment make long-haul flights a relaxed experience.

To the Boeing 777-200ER

Boeing 767-300ER

The Boeing 767 is a little smaller than the Boeing 777, but is also used on long-haul flights. Austrian has six of these aircraft in its fleet, which fly to destinations such as Washington, Beijing or Montreal.

To the Boeing 767-300ER

Airbus A321-211

The Airbus A321-211 is valued for its high fuel efficiency and low noise and emissions values. It is ideal for short and medium-haul flights, and is mainly used for European and Middle Eastern routes.

To the Airbus A321-211

Airbus A321-111

With a length of 44.5 metres, the Airbus A321-111 is the biggest brother in the A320 family. It is mainly used on short and medium-haul flights, such as those to Finland or Germany.

To the Airbus A321-111

Airbus A320-200

From 1987, the Airbus 320 was the first passenger aircraft to be completely controlled by the fly-by-wire system, which was revolutionary at the time. This digital control technology is now standard. The Airbus is ideal for flights with a range of up to 3,600 kilometres.

To the Airbus 320-200

Airbus A319-111

The Airbus A319-111 has a length of 33.8 meters, making it one of the smallest aircraft in the Airbus family. It is used for destinations up to 3,000 kilometres. For example, it flies to Innsbruck and Sofia.

To the Airbus A319-111

Embraer 195

The Embraer 195 offers a surprising amount of space on short and medium-haul flights: thanks to the generous aisle height and seat width, up to 120 passengers can travel in exceptional comfort. Austrian uses these aircraft to fly to destinations such as Amsterdam or Venice.

To the Embraer 195

Bombardier Q400

In the areas of environmental sustainability, efficiency and convenience, the Q Series from Bombardier sets new standards. You can enjoy this travel experience at Austrian on European routes.

To the Bombardier Q400

Top Copyright Photo: Austrian Airlines Airbus A320-214 OE-LBI (msn 1937) ZRH (Rolf Wallner). Image: 953896.

Austrian Airlines aircraft slide show:

Austrian Airlines to focus on holiday destinations this summer

Austrian Airlines has made this announcement concerning its summer schedule:

• Increased services to tourist destinations
• Focus on Greece, Italy, Spain and many other holiday destinations
• “Travel facilitations are helping us”, says CCO Michael Trestl

At the same time as the relaxed entry rules enter into force in Austria and many European countries, Austrian Airlines is ramping up its tourist offer.

Austria’s home carrier is initially launching classic destinations such as Crete and Rhodes for the upcoming long weekend. Additionally, there are more flights to Athens and Thessaloniki.

In June, further destinations such as Chania, Karpathos, Palma de Mallorca, Santorini, Skiathos and Zakynthos will follow.

From July onwards, further routes such as Cagliari, Catania, Funchal, Gran Canaria, Ibiza, Kalamata, Mykonos, Naples, Olbia or Tenerife round off the offer. In total, Austrian Airlines is offering more than 100 destinations this summer – of which, with around 30 destinations, the clear focus is on holiday destinations in the Mediterranean region.

No more quarantine for many countries

As of Wednesday, May 19, 2021, quarantine will be no longer mandatory for many countries when entering Austria. It will be replaced by compulsory proof of vaccination, testing or recovery. This applies to Germany, Greece, Italy and Spain, among others.

Concurrently, these countries have also eased their entry restrictions. In Greece, passengers no longer have to quarantine upon arrival. Travelers entering the country only have to register and carry a vaccination certificate or a PCR test certificate. In Italy, the previous quarantine obligation for passengers has expired as well. In Spain, depending on the country of origin, passengers now also only have to carry proof of testing. Guests on all Austrian Airlines scheduled flights to Germany, Greece and Spain also have the possibility to upload corona-related travel documents and having them checked in advance. The voluntary upload is possible up to 12 hours prior flight departure. The result of the pre-check will be transmitted via e-mail no later than four hours before departure. In combination with the flexible and fee-free rebooking options offered by Austrian Airlines, passengers can thus plan their holidays without any worries.

Travel to Germany picks up speed again

In addition to the eased entry regulations at tourist destinations, Germany has also relaxed its travel requirements. Again, the quarantine requirement is replaced by mandatory proof of vaccination, testing or recovery, unless travelers are coming from a high incidence or virus variant area. Antigen tests no older than 48 hours and PCR tests no older than 72 hours are accepted.

Top Copyright Photo: Austrian Airlines Airbus A321-211 OE-LBD (msn 920) FRA (Marcelo F. De Biasi). Image: 947624.

Austrian Airlines aircraft slide show: