Austrian Airlines presented current developments in its aircraft fleet and economic results at a press conference. CEO Annette Mann initially suggested the Boeing 737 Max 8 as a possible successor for the short- and medium-haul fleet, but COO Francesco Sciortino has now announced that the airline will forego the 737 because this model does not offer container loading options. A final decision on the fleet could possibly be made before the fleet meeting in May 2025.
During the presentation of the quarterly figures for the period from July to September, it was announced that the result had halved compared to the previous year. Mann attributed the poor results to various factors, including high location costs in Austria. According to Mann, the departure of an A320 in Vienna costs 3.715 euros, while the cost in Prague is only 540 euros.
Furthermore, the management board of Austrian Airlines rejected allegations that the training documents for pilots' weather training had been manipulated. In this context, a possible lawsuit for defamation was hinted at.
In terms of environmental policy, a new tax has been announced that will apply to all flights within the EU from January 1, 2025 and will amount to between one and 36 euros, depending on the length of the route and booking class. This tax is intended to support the transition to climate-neutral flying. From 2025, all kerosene deliveries in the EU must be mixed with two percent sustainable aviation fuel.
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