Climate activists disguised themselves as dinosaurs and were on board the first flight between Vienna and Graz.
On Monday, Austrian Airlines had special guests on board on the first flight between Vienna and Graz after the corona break. Activists of the climate protection group “System Change, not Climate Change” flew disguised as dinosaurs. According to the organization, such ultra-short-haul flights are “connections from the Stone Age”.
"Two activists dressed as pterosaurs flew on the first Austrian Airlines flight from Vienna to Graz to celebrate the regressive resumption of short-haul flights and the millions in payments for AUA. Representing the climate-damaging fossil aviation industry, the dinosaurs drew attention to themselves with slogans such as "Flights instead of trains" and "Fossils against the Future," the organization said in a press release.
"Selling fleet renewal and the addition of 'alternative fuels' as climate protection measures is pure greenwashing! Every new aircraft will continue to burn kerosene for the duration of its service life, thereby fueling the climate crisis. 'Alternative fuels' are also a dangerous pseudo-solution. Agricultural fuels are often in conflict with food production. In addition, the production of synthetic kerosene is still a thing of the future and would require an extremely large amount of electricity that is urgently needed elsewhere for the energy transition," says Mira Kapfinger from System Change, not Climate Change.
At Graz Airport, on the other hand, they are pleased that air traffic is slowly starting up again after the lockdown. The minimum operation should end on June 30, 2020. Numerous destinations are to be served again in July 2020. “We are very happy that things are starting again,” explains Gerhard Widmann, Managing Director of Graz Airport, “even if we are still very far from normalcy. In the coming days, Gruber Reisen will start the first holiday flight chain to Brac and from July 1st Lufthansa will return to Frankfurt. Springer Reisen is planning to take off for Greece from mid-July and will bring holidaymakers to Skiathos and Santorini. Everything else will only be clarified in the coming days and weeks - but if Covid-19 has taught us something, then it will probably have to be a little patient ”.
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