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March 24, 2025

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March 24, 2025

Steyr Music Festival 2025: ABBA, “Rocky Horror” and culinary highlights in the castle moat

Amely Mizzi March 24, 2025 11:08

The Steyr Music Festival will enter its fortieth year in summer 2025 and offers a diverse program from July 24 to August 9. Set against the idyllic backdrop of Steyr's castle moat, a total of 17 evenings will feature musical highlights and unforgettable cult moments. The festival's highlight will be a spectacular show honoring ABBA, taking the audience on a nostalgic journey through time with hits like "Dancing Queen" and "Mamma Mia." "Summer 2025 will be all about ABBA," says artistic director Karl-Michael Ebner. Over nine evenings, the festival will present an impressive show honoring the musical legacy of the Swedish pop legends. Performers Linda Mikulec, Simone Kerchner, Florian Brettschneider, and Dieter "DD" Döhrn will provide unforgettable moments with their magnificent voices and a breathtaking stage show. Visitors can also look forward to the return of the "Rocky Horror Show," which caused a stir last year, as well as the jukebox musical "Musical Fever 2.5," featuring well-known artists and popular musical hits. In addition to the major musical shows, guests can also look forward to special side events. On the first two Sundays of the festival, July 27 and August 3, the "A Jump to the Brunch" event invites guests to a culinary experience. The team from the Hotel Restaurant Christkindlwirt will serve a breakfast experience with Swedish delicacies in the Lamberg Halls, accompanied by musical samples from the festival's artists.

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Outrage in the restaurant industry: Planned taxation of tips meets with resistance

Stephen Steiner March 24, 2025 10:06

A planned tax on tips is causing great outrage in the Austrian restaurant industry. While many prominent hoteliers and restaurant owners have already expressed their opposition to the measure, Hans-Peter Ertl, Managing Director of the exclusive private members club "Am Hof ​​8" in Vienna, is now joining the resistance. Ertl emphasizes that tips should not be viewed as a bonus, but rather as an expression of direct recognition between guest and host. For him, it is the "applause" after a successful act of hospitality – a moment of appreciation that would be devalued by taxation. "The taxation of tips strikes us right in the heart," Ertl explained. Especially at a time when the restaurant industry is already struggling with challenges such as a shortage of skilled workers and difficult working conditions, tips are one of the last forms of direct recognition for work in the restaurant industry. Ertl warns of the long-term negative consequences: "If we take away even the last form of appreciation from the people in the industry, we will lose what defines the restaurant industry." The private members club "Am Hof ​​8" sees itself as a company that impresses with excellent service and the highest standards in the hotel industry. However, according to Ertl, the planned control of tipping could harm the entire industry. He appeals to politicians to show more respect for the hard work in the kitchen, service, and bar and not to further burden the reality of these areas with bureaucratic hurdles.

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DiscoverEU: Free train travel through Europe for young Lower Austrians

Amely Mizzi March 24, 2025 09:04

The European initiative "DiscoverEU" enables young people to travel across Europe by train for free. This opportunity, launched by the European Commission, is particularly popular with young people from Lower Austria. Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner is enthusiastic about the campaign and emphasizes the value of the opportunity to travel to new countries, gain experience, and broaden one's horizons. In her role as a supporter of this initiative, she encouraged young people from Lower Austria to apply and take advantage of this opportunity. The next application round for the free Interrail tickets starts on April 2, 2025, and ends on April 16, 2025. Young people born between July 1, 2006, and June 30, 2007 are eligible to participate. Following the application, the European Commission will hold a lottery to award a total of 35.000 tickets for Europe. In addition, the winners will receive a DiscoverEU Youth Card, which includes discounts on a variety of activities such as cultural visits, sports, and public transport. In the last call in October 2024, 124 tickets were awarded from Lower Austria. Since the initiative launched in 2018, 1.432 young Lower Austrians have already taken advantage of this offer. Mikl-Leitner hopes that many young people from Lower Austria will be successful in this round as well and take advantage of the opportunity to discover Europe.

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SkyTeam presents new brand strategy for 25th anniversary

Stephen Steiner March 24, 2025 08:30

To mark its 25th anniversary, the global airline alliance SkyTeam has unveiled a new brand strategy under the slogan "The Priority is You." This campaign, developed in collaboration with the creative agency DEPT, is intended to provide a modern interpretation of the alliance's core values ​​and place customer focus at the center. Since its founding on June 22, 2000, by the four airlines Air France, Delta Air Lines, Aeroméxico and Korean Air, SkyTeam has continuously expanded and now has 19 members. The alliance has always aimed to provide travelers with a smooth and seamless service. With the new slogan "The Priority is You," SkyTeam reaffirms this commitment and emphasizes the importance of the customer in all aspects of its services. Modernization of the brand identity The current campaign represents a further evolution of the previous brand promise "Caring More About You." By emphasizing innovation and inclusion, SkyTeam aims to enhance the travel experience for customers worldwide. Evgenia Starkova, Vice President of Marketing at SkyTeam, commented: "We are delighted to unveil SkyTeam's new brand manifesto, which reflects our growth and vision as we celebrate the significant anniversary of our 25th anniversary. In collaboration with the global agency DEPT®, we have developed a contemporary campaign that conveys what SkyTeam stands for. With a look back at our past achievements, it highlights the future direction of the alliance." SkyTeam members have responded positively to the new brand strategy. Air France emphasized its continued focus on customer needs and welcomed the renewed brand promise. Vietnam Airlines, a member of the alliance since 2010, highlighted that the

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Aviation industry calls for drastic reduction of location costs to strengthen Germany as a location for aviation

Belinda Borg March 24, 2025 08:07

The German aviation and tourism associations, including the airline association BARIG, as well as trade unions, are making an urgent appeal to the new federal government's negotiating partners. The industry is demanding decisive measures to revitalize Germany as an aviation location. Without a reduction in government costs and a significant increase in future investments, the aviation sector risks losing its competitiveness, which would jeopardize Germany's connection to international markets. A total of 16 associations and trade unions have signed the appeal. The main demand of the associations and trade unions is a noticeable reduction in the high government costs, particularly through the abolition of the air transport tax. Such a measure would make Germany more competitive as an aviation location and prevent airlines from moving abroad. If a complete abolition of the tax is not possible, they call for at least a reduction to the 2011 level and relief from aviation security and air traffic control fees. Furthermore, the organizations emphasize the need to actively promote the transformation of aviation towards sustainable propulsion and alternative fuels. They are calling for long-term government support and research funding to maintain Germany as a high-tech location for the aviation industry and to secure the industry's long-term competitiveness. Michael Hoppe, Chairman of BARIG, explained that Germany has suffered a significant loss of economic power following the pandemic, and air traffic capacity has shrunk significantly. The result is a significant loss of connectivity, with Germany being among the laggards in Europe in the recovery of air traffic. The associations and unions see the abolition of the air traffic tax as an important step to revive air traffic as an economic engine and

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Wizz Air UK's delay in introducing the Airbus A321XLR

Stephen Steiner March 24, 2025 07:39

The British low-cost airline Wizz Air UK has had to postpone the introduction of its new Airbus A321XLR. The aircraft was originally scheduled to enter service in March 2025, but delivery has now been delayed until April 10, 2025. This delay particularly affects the newly planned long-haul service between London Gatwick and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, which was scheduled to start on March 31, 2025. Background to the delay The Airbus A321XLR is of key importance to Wizz Air UK, as it enables longer non-stop routes with a range of up to 8.700 kilometers. The delay in delivery of the first aircraft of this type is the result of production delays on the part of the manufacturer Airbus. Wizz Air UK had hoped to use the A321XLR to open up new markets and serve existing routes more efficiently. Despite the delay, Wizz Air UK plans to launch the new service between London Gatwick and Jeddah as planned on March 31, 2025. However, due to the unavailability of the A321XLR, the route will temporarily be operated with the Airbus A321LR. This model has a reduced range and capacity compared to the A321XLR. To ensure the non-stop service, Wizz Air UK will reduce passenger capacity on these flights to reduce take-off weight and thus achieve the required range. Strategic importance of the new long-haul services The introduction of long-haul flights is part of Wizz Air's expansion strategy to enter new markets and expand its route network. In addition to the service to Jeddah, the airline is planning further routes to the Middle East. A new route from

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Ryanair criticizes night flight ban in Berlin: Unnecessary diversions cause more noise and CO2 emissions

Belinda Borg March 24, 2025 07:05

Ryanair has once again spoken out against the strict night flight ban at Berlin Brandenburg Airport. The airline is demanding that the head of airport operations (LuBB), Carsten Diekmann, explain why the ban continues to cause significant disruption to passengers. Ryanair argues that the ban, although intended to reduce noise pollution, is in many cases counterproductive and causes more damage. In particular, flights that could have landed just minutes after the ban came into effect are diverted to Hanover, resulting in additional noise and CO2 emissions. Last month, these unnecessary diversions are said to have resulted in an additional 60 tons of CO₂. Ryanair emphasizes that these emissions could have been avoided if airlines had been given some leeway in complying with the night flight ban. The airline is calling for more flexible handling that would allow airlines to land within a reasonable timeframe even after the ban comes into effect. A Ryanair spokesperson stated that the company is by no means opposed to the night flight ban per se, but merely calls for adaptation to the circumstances to minimize the negative impacts on passengers and the environment. They called for an urgent review of existing rules to prevent unnecessary diversions and the associated negative environmental impacts.

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Serious aviation accident in Toronto: Preliminary investigation report published

Amely Mizzi March 24, 2025 06:33

On February 17, 2025, a serious aviation accident occurred at Toronto Pearson International Airport. A Delta Connection aircraft crashed and burst into flames during approach. The Canadian Transportation Safety Board (TSB) has now published a preliminary report providing detailed insights into the circumstances of the accident. The aircraft involved, a Mitsubishi CRJ900, operated by Endeavor Air on behalf of Delta Connection, was en route from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) to Toronto. On board were 76 passengers and four crew members. According to the TSB report, gusty wind conditions prevailed during the approach to Toronto, making landing difficult. Approximately 13 seconds before touchdown, at an altitude of 153 feet above ground, the aircraft's indicated airspeed increased to 154 knots without a significant change in ground speed. This indicates a performance-enhancing wind gust. The pilot then reduced the thrust lever position, causing the N1 (low-pressure turbine speed) to drop from 64% to approximately 43% within five seconds and remain at that level until landing. As a result, the airspeed began to decrease. At an altitude of 50 feet above ground, the aircraft's rate of descent increased to 1114 feet per minute (fpm), up from 14 fpm 672 seconds earlier. One second later, 2,6 seconds before touchdown, the Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) "Sink Rate" warning sounded, indicating a high rate of descent. At this time, the indicated airspeed was 136 knots, the ground speed was 111 knots, and the rate of descent remained at approximately 1100 fpm.

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Zurich Airport expands flight offerings in summer 2025

Stephen Steiner March 24, 2025 06:00

The 2025 summer flight schedule at Zurich Airport brings numerous new flight connections within Europe and on long-haul routes. A total of 63 airlines will offer flights to 30 destinations worldwide from March 2025, 25, to October 2025, 206. In addition to new destinations in Europe, several airlines are expanding their offerings to the USA, Canada, and the Middle East. The Swiss airline SWISS is introducing several new seasonal routes within Europe. From April 17, 2025, it will fly up to five times a week to Dubrovnik. In addition, flights to Montpellier and Niš will be offered twice a week from the end of June to the end of August. Another new destination is Heringsdorf, which will be served once a week. Edelweiss Air is expanding its European route network with flights to Tbilisi (twice a week from April), Zadar, Calvi, and Terceira in the Azores. Condor is also expanding its offerings, connecting Zurich with Frankfurt twice a day from the end of March. In the long-haul segment, Edelweiss is adding two new destinations in North America. From summer 2025, there will be twice-weekly flights to Seattle and Halifax (Nova Scotia). Delta Air Lines plans to resume its seasonal service to Atlanta in mid-April and offer daily service starting in May. Etihad Airways is also increasing its flights to Abu Dhabi and will offer two daily flights starting in July 2025. easyJet is also expanding its service from Zurich. The low-cost airline is adding six new destinations to its schedule: Rome, Palma de Mallorca, Malaga, Faro, Edinburgh, and Olbia. These routes will be served between two and five times a week, depending on the destination. In addition, the connection to

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Aegean Airlines increases stake in Volotea

Belinda Borg March 24, 2025 05:32

Greek airline Aegean Airlines plans to increase its stake in Spanish low-cost carrier Volotea from the current 13 percent to 21 percent. This strategic decision comes in parallel with technical challenges related to Pratt & Whitney GTF engines affecting part of the fleet. In September 2024, Aegean Airlines invested €25 million in Volotea, representing a 13 percent stake. This investment was structured through convertible bonds that allow Aegean to increase its stake under certain conditions. According to the company, a further investment of up to €25 million is planned for the second quarter of 2025, depending on Volotea's business performance. If this additional investment is made, Aegean would hold a 21 percent stake in Volotea. Eftichios Vassilakis, President of Aegean Airlines, expressed his positive opinion on the cooperation with Volotea so far and emphasized the strategic importance of this partnership. Discussions with the other shareholders are expected to be completed by June or July 2025 to determine the scope of the additional investment. Volotea was founded in 2011 and has established itself as one of Europe's leading low-cost airlines. Based in Oviedo, Spain, it operates 22 bases, primarily in France, Greece, Italy, and Spain. Its fleet consists of 42 aircraft, including Airbus A319-100s and A320-200s. In 2018, Volotea carried 6,57 million passengers and generated revenues of €396,1 million. Technical challenges with Pratt & Whitney GTF engines. In parallel with its investment plans, Aegean Airlines is facing technical challenges. Problems with the Pratt & Whitney GTF engines are leading to the temporary grounding of part of its Airbus A320neo fleet.

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