The holiday airline Condor was the number one topic of conversation in the aviation industry in April 2022 due to the new livery. The carrier casually celebrated its comeback at Vienna-Schwechat Airport. In an interview with Aviation.Direct, Head of Sales Paul Schwaiger explains, among other things, where the journey will take us and what plans we have for Austria.

Condor currently offers four short-haul tourist destinations from Vienna. But Schwaiger can imagine offering long-distance destinations again with the Airbus A330neo from the Austrian capital. The holiday airline was already present in this segment in the past.

Aviation.Direct: After an absence of several years, Condor is back in Vienna. Why did you choose this highly competitive market?
Paul Schwaiger: We are very happy to be back in Vienna this summer. With the introduction of flights from Vienna to Mallorca, Crete, Rhodes and Kos, our Austrian customers can choose from four particularly popular destinations for their Mediterranean holiday. With the flights, we are responding to the great demand from tour operators and travel agencies in Austria for tailor-made holiday flights. In addition, many Austrian customers already know us well, because Condor is not a completely new player in Vienna.

Aviation.Direct: There is a lot of competition on these routes. So why these routes?
Paul Schwaiger: Vienna is certainly a highly competitive market, but there are few alternatives to Austrian Airlines in the tourist segment, particularly when it comes to working with our tour operator and travel agency partners. The classic low-costers have a different business model than we do, they focus entirely on single-seat sales. As a holiday airline, Condor is an expert in finding the right mix between flight-only tickets, which guests book on our website, for example, and tickets as part of a package tour. For us, the strong foundation with our partners in Austria is a good starting point for the restart of Condor in Vienna towards Greece and Mallorca. We decided on these routes because the backlog demand for holiday trips this summer is huge and classic holiday destinations are therefore very popular.

Aviation.Direct: In the cheapest economy fare, Condor has stricter hand luggage regulations than Ryanair and Wizz Air. Did you know that?
Paul Schwaiger: Condor offers different tariffs, so that every customer can choose exactly what is really desired. Nobody wants to have to pay for a service they don't want to use. That is why the Economy Light tariff offers few inclusive services, but it is also the cheapest offer. In the classic economy tariff, on the other hand, there are additional services that low costers do not offer.

Aviation.Direct: Condor's market entry has already had one effect: Wizz Air has withdrawn from numerous routes on which you fly from Vienna. For example Palma de Mallorca. Does this affect the further strategy?
Paul Schwaiger: This is of course advantageous for us. Of course, we don't mind if Wizz Air stays out all summer on the routes we serve from Vienna. Competition is always good, but on some routes that are on the scoreboard in Vienna there is, in my opinion, a huge oversupply. One or the other provider will probably have to make adjustments in the summer.

Aviation.Direct: Do you already have plans for the 2022/23 winter flight schedule from Vienna?
Paul Schwaiger: Let's start with summer now. In the winter timetable, our Austrian customers fly with us via Frankfurt, mainly to long-haul destinations. We are planning with Vienna for the summer of 2023 and can well imagine expanding our commitment in Austria even further.

Aviation.Direct: There were already long-haul flights from Vienna in winter 2017/18, for example. Are you planning a reissue?
Paul Schwaiger: Yes, we were already on our way from Vienna to the Caribbean and Kenya, but with planes from our then sister airline Thomas Cook from Great Britain. That was not the Condor product that our customers are used to from us. That is history now and this autumn Condor will receive brand new long-haul A330neo aircraft, whose cabin interior will be extremely comfortable. That would certainly also be a great product for the Austrians, but we haven't made a decision about possible long-distance connections from Vienna yet.

Aviation.Direct: As a long-standing Boeing long-haul customer, why did Condor choose the competing model, the Airbus A330neo?
Paul Schwaiger: We chose the airplane model, which gives us the most advantages. The A330neo meets all the criteria in terms of modern technology, comfort, range, but also in terms of efficiency. The A330neo will be our 2-liter aircraft, which will be the leader in Germany and probably also in Europe with consumption of 2,1 liters per passenger per 100 kilometers.

Aviation.Direct: As of today, how long will the Boeing 757 and 767 remain in the fleet?
Paul Schwaiger: First, we are renewing our long-haul fleet. In October 2022, the first Airbus A330neo will go on the route. Every month we get another one and a Boeing 767 always goes out at the same time. In the course of 2024, the renewal of the long-haul fleet will be completed. Then maybe I can tell you more about the successor to the Boeing 757. Now we're concentrating on the long-haul.

Aviation.Direct: Would the A321LR or A321XLR be a possibility for Condor to be able to offer long-haul destinations again from Cologne/Bonn, for example?
Paul Schwaiger: There are some exciting models on the market. Let's take a look.

Aviation.Direct: You had previously mentioned "Flying over Frankfurt". There is an ongoing dispute between Condor and Lufthansa about the feeder flights. Why are these so important for Condor? Alternatively, Condor could set up its own feeder service.
Paul Schwaiger: no The Lufthansa Group has a 100 percent market share on domestic flights to Frankfurt, Munich and Düsseldorf and is also dominant on most routes within Europe. There are clear requirements in antitrust law for market dominators. It is important for our customers that they can book their entire trip through Condor as usual. And when a feeder flight is included, baggage is checked through, a boarding pass is issued, and the event of a delay is covered.

Aviation.Direct: The Federal Cartel Office has made a clear statement in favor of Condor. If you wish, you can interpret the preliminary decision in such a way that the authority equates the feeders with landline telephone lines. If another provider wants to use this, they can. Could Michael O'Leary snag shuttles on Lufthansa planes?
Paul Schwaiger: The Federal Cartel Office has already made clear statements on the facts twice. For me, the most important thing is that our customers and partners can plan well with Condor - and that is the case.

Aviation.Direct: Is there a price war between Eurowings Discover and Condor in the area of ​​sales?
Paul Schwaiger: We are concentrating on an excellent summer season and, together with our partners, we want to have a very good winter season as well.

Aviation.Direct: Can Condor benefit from increased demand in the business class segment? To what extent has the corona pandemic changed the booking behavior of passengers?
Paul Schwaiger: Customers book at shorter notice than before the pandemic. And during the various waves, it was also clearly noticeable in the incoming bookings when a country tightened restrictions or relaxed regulations. For the coming summer we have been feeling an extreme need to catch up on vacation trips for weeks. People want out.

Aviation.Direct: You mentioned something. Keyword travel agencies. Does personal advice play a greater role than before the pandemic?
Paul Schwaiger: I am convinced that this is so. When the regulations and entry requirements were constantly changing, the entire industry clearly felt the uncertainty of customers. What do I have to consider where, which documents are necessary, which deadlines apply to which test? We actively supported our travel agency partners, who are often the first point of contact for such consultations. After careful preparation with system partners from the airport, hotel and transfers sectors, we started a series of "Look & Feel" short trips in June 2020, on which 150 travel professionals can get an idea of ​​the responsible implementation of the corona protection measures in all parts of the customer journey. After initial reluctance due to the numerous mobility restrictions, the participants used these opportunities on a total of 10 "Look & Feel" expeditions very critically and constructively for their recommendations on travel behavior in times of the pandemic, which were certainly very valuable contributions to the revival of tourism.

Aviation.Direct: How important will flexible tariffs be in the future?
Paul Schwaiger: Flexibility has become and will remain particularly important, especially during the pandemic. We are well prepared with our Flex package because it allows full flexibility.

Aviation.Direct: Condor has presented a completely new design. I would say brave. How did it come about and what was your first reaction?
Paul Schwaiger: Condor's new design is certainly bold because it is unique. And everything that's different can take a moment to get used to, and that was the case for me personally too. But today I say: The design is a hit. Not only is the entire derivation of the stripes - because without a doubt stripes stand for vacation and therefore fit perfectly with Condor as a holiday airline - are consistent, but they also underline the uniqueness of Condor. We are certainly a special company with special employees who, despite all the adversities, convince with their passion. And the fact that our aircraft will in future also be visually distinct from all other white liveries with a splash of color in the tail makes us unmistakable at first glance.

Aviation.Direct: What are your expectations for Vienna this summer and how is the booking situation right now?
Paul Schwaiger: Yes, the demand is very good. Very short-term. That's clear, but it's the same everywhere. I am convinced that we will have a good summer and that we can also lay a good foundation for the future at the Vienna location.