Another blow for Linz as Lufthansa scraps Munich route

Categories
Business

Provincial political leaders are set to turn their guns on Lufthansa following revelations that the aviation firm is to axe its Linz – Munich service.Local newspaper Oberösterreichische Nachrichten reports today (Tues) that the German company will stop offering flights between Blue Danube Airport in Linz, Upper Austria, and the German city of Munich as of […]

AUA reduces its losses

Categories
Business

Austrian Airlines (AUA) bosses have said they will continue to carry out the ongoing cost-cutting regime as the firm suffered losses of 67 million Euros in the first half of this year.Operative losses reached 93.5 million Euros in the first six months of 2009.AUA co-chiefs Peter Malanik and Andreas Bierwirth announced today (Thurs): “Our measures […]

Bures rules out flight ticket tax

Categories
Business

Social Democratic (SPÖ) Infrastructure Minister Doris Bures has rejected calls for a taxation of flight tickets.The German government coalition of the Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) and the Free Democratic Party (FDP) recently announced plans to charge tickets from next year to force aviation companies into doing their bit to help restore the state […]

FlyNiki reveals shock ash cloud compensation U-turn

Categories
Business

FlyNiki chief Niki Lauda has ditched his plans to sue European aviation authorities over losses suffered from the ash cloud-triggered lockdown of airspace.Lauda told Austrian press today (Fri): “My lawyer gave me a success chance of 60 per cent. I saw a 50 per cent prospect of winning the court case.”The three-time Formula One champion […]

Thousands ogle A380 in Vienna and Linz

Categories
Business

Thousands of aviation enthusiasts turned up in Vienna and Linz to get a glimpse of the new Airbus A380 yesterday (Weds).The world’s biggest passenger aircraft landed at Vienna International Airport (VIA) and Linz Airport as part of a Europe-wide test flights session.Around 1,500 airplane fans came to VIA to watch the double-decker plane – which […]

Austrian airspace gets all clear

Categories
General News

Aviation activity in Austria was back to normal today (Weds) after air traffic officials said there were no possible problems from volcanic ash anymore.Peter Schmidt, a spokesman for air traffic administration agency Austro Control, said the whole country was third in the European Union’s (EU) new three-scale ash danger index.Schmidt explained this meant flights can […]

Lauda may sue Eurocontrol over ‘gut decision’

Categories
Business

Austrian experts are at odds over whether officials reacted correctly to the eruption of an Icelandic volcano, while FlyNiki boss Niki Lauda considers suing aviation safety organisation Eurocontrol.Fritz Pachowsky, aviation engineering lecturer at Vienna’s Technical University (TU), said today (Mon): “Shutting down the whole European airspace for several days is like sending someone with a […]

Lauda warning as Austrian aviation traffic shut tonight

Categories
General News

Niki Lauda has appealed to passengers stranded at European airports because of the eruption of an Icelandic volcano to remain patient.The three-time Formula One champion who now runs his own budget carrier FlyNiki said in a TV interview last night (Thurs): “Volcano ashes can ground a plane. The situation is extremely dangerous, and cancelling flights […]