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AUA sticks to domestic flights primarily for location reasons
🇦🇹 Austria /Economy & Trade

AUA sticks to domestic flights primarily for location reasons

From Die Presse · (45m ago) German

Translated from German, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Austrian Airlines (AUA) will continue to operate domestic flights for reasons of maintaining its base, despite them not always being economically viable.
  • AUA CEO Annette Mann stated that without these flights, regional airports like Innsbruck, Klagenfurt, and Graz would be at risk of losing crucial connections.
  • Passengers can expect higher ticket prices due to increased kerosene costs, though the airline has secured summer fuel supplies.

Austrian Airlines (AUA) is facing a complex decision regarding its domestic flight operations. While acknowledging that short-haul flights within Austria are not consistently profitable, AUA CEO Annette Mann has emphasized the airline's commitment to maintaining these routes. The primary driver behind this decision is not economic gain, but rather the strategic importance of securing the airline's base and supporting regional airports.

Ich bräuchte diese Ultra-Kurzstreckenflüge nicht.

— Annette MannAUA CEO Annette Mann stated her personal lack of need for ultra-short-haul flights, emphasizing the strategic importance of these routes for regional airports.

Mann explained in an interview with Ö1-Mittagsjournal that the continuation of flights to cities like Innsbruck, Klagenfurt, and Graz is a matter of "location responsibility." She noted that if AUA were to make purely economic choices, these routes might have already been discontinued. The loss of the Frankfurt flight from Innsbruck serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of regional air connections.

Beyond the operational challenges, AUA passengers are bracing for increased ticket prices. This rise is attributed to escalating kerosene costs, although the airline has assured that fuel supplies for the summer are secured, particularly through the OMV refinery in Schwechat. The exact extent of the price increase remains unpredictable, as it depends on various factors, including demand and the specific route. Mann indicated that a 10% increase in revenue from ticket sales would help offset the rising fuel expenses.

Wenn ich rein wirtschaftlich eine Entscheidung treffen würde, hätte ich den Innsbruck- und auch Klagenfurt- oder Graz-Flug wahrscheinlich schon nicht mehr im Portfolio, aber wir sehen uns hier natürlich auch in der Standortverantwortung.

— Annette MannAUA CEO Annette Mann explained that purely economic considerations would lead to the cancellation of flights to Innsbruck, Klagenfurt, or Graz, but the airline feels a responsibility to maintain these regional connections.

AUA is also adapting its fare structure, with the introduction of the Economy Basic tariff on short and medium-haul routes, which no longer includes a free carry-on cabin suitcase. Mann defended this move as a way to broaden the fare options and improve AUA's standing in price-comparison portals, acknowledging the significant presence of low-cost carriers in Vienna.

Ich hätte gerne von dem, was bei uns ankommt, um zehn Prozent mehr. Dann geht es sich für uns bei den Kerosinpreisen wahrscheinlich aus.

— Annette MannAUA CEO Annette Mann expressed a desire for a 10% increase in revenue to manage the rising kerosene costs.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Die Presse in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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