Austrian Airlines has made this announcement:
Destinations
• As of May, Austrian Airlines expands its long-haul service
• Montreal and New York JFK back on offer
• “Our long-haul services are back on a slight climb”, says CCO Michael Trestl
• Montreal and New York JFK back on offer
• “Our long-haul services are back on a slight climb”, says CCO Michael Trestl
Austrian Airlines is expanding its long-haul services in the upcoming summer flight schedule. From May, Austria’s home carrier will once again be flying three times a week to Montreal and New York JFK. As Newark was already in service up to now, the total number of flights to New York will increase to eight connections per week as of May.
“With five destinations in North America and three in Asia, including Tokyo and Bangkok, our long-haul services are back on a slight climb this summer. Unfortunately, however, we are still a long way from reaching cruising altitude. We hope that a rapid increase in the vaccination rate and a corresponding relaxation of travel restrictions will give us a further boost in the future”, says Austrian Airlines CCO Michael Trestl.
Austrian Airlines was already able to announce an increase in its summer flight schedule last week. From the end of March, various destinations will be resumed, including Barcelona, Dubrovnik and Florence. Hanover will be served by Austrian Airlines again for the first time since 2009. In addition, numerous vacation destinations are back on offer, for example in Greece, Italy and Spain. In the intercontinental route network, Amman, Bangkok, Chicago and Tokyo are back in the flight schedule.
In other news, Austrian Airlines has found a buyer for the three long-haul aircraft that were up for sale. The Boeing 767-300ER aircraft will go to the US company MonoCoque Diversified Interests. The purchase agreement has already been signed. The parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price. The first aircraft, registered OE-LAT, will leave Vienna at the beginning of March for Pinal Airpark, Arizona. The aircraft is currently undergoing all the necessary preparations for the handover. The next transfer flight is scheduled for May with the Boeing 767 registered OE-LAX.
At an average of 28.5 years, the three B767s sold are among the oldest aircraft in the Austrian Airlines fleet. The remaining three B767s are between 20 and 22 years of age. After the completed handover, Austrian Airlines will continue to have nine long-haul jets at its disposal, which will connect Austria with destinations around the globe – from the USA to the Far East. In detail, these are six Boeing 777s with over 300 seats and three Boeing 767s with over 200 seats.
Until the beginning of 2022, 28 aircraft will leave the fleet of Austria’s home carrier: In addition to the aforementioned three Boeing 767-300ERs, 18 Dash turboprops (below) and seven Airbus A319 jets (above) will be handed over. Ten turboprops have already left Vienna, with the remaining eight to follow soon. This means that the fleet will consist of around 60 aircraft by the beginning of 2022. As mainly smaller aircraft will be retired, this corresponds to a capacity reduction of around 20 percent.
Finally, Austrian Airlines operated its 100th cargo flight with this announcement:
• Milestone flight celebrated with special livery
• More than 2,000 tons of relief supplies transported from Asia to Austria and Germany
• Partnership to be expanded through additional cargo flights
• More than 2,000 tons of relief supplies transported from Asia to Austria and Germany
• Partnership to be expanded through additional cargo flights
The need for relief supplies in the form of protective gloves, masks and suits as well as rapid antigen tests has continued uninterruptedly since the outbreak of the coronavirus crisis. For this reason, Austrian Airlines has established an airlift to Asia since March 2020 on behalf of the air cargo experts time:matters, a subsidiary of Lufthansa Cargo, in order to directly transport urgently needed protective materials to Vienna, Frankfurt or Linz. In doing so, the Austrian Airlines team worked particularly closely with the local branch office of time:matters in Vienna at all times. More than 2,000 tons of relief supplies could be brought to Europe on some 100 flights from Xiamen, Shanghai and Penang. Austrian Airlines’ Boeing B767 and 777 aircraft with built in seats were deployed on these flights as well as the B777 “Prachter”. This German word represents a mixture of the words normally used for passenger aircraft and cargo planes. The passenger seats on these jets are temporarily removed in order to increase cargo volumes.
Boeing 777-200 (OE-LPA) takes off with special livery to commemorate the 100th flight
On the occasion of the 100th cargo flight jointly operated by Austrian Airlines and time:matters, the converted Boeing 777 cargo aircraft of the Austrian flag carrier was given a special livery over the last few days by the experts at Austrian Technik. The tail section of the aircraft now displays the time:matters logo as well as lettering to point out the anniversary flight taking off from Vienna and heading to Penang. The aircraft will return to Vienna again on February 28, 2021 carrying urgently needed relief supplies.
Austrian Airlines aircraft photo gallery:
Austrian Airlines aircraft slide show:
