Vienna International Airline and Airport Industry News

Lower Austria Seeks Airport Privatization

Lower Austrian Governor Erwin Pröll (ÖVP) intends to sell the 20% share of Vienna International Airport. The city of Vienna is not pleased at all.

April 23, 2011

Herbst’s Withdrawal is Imminent

The CEO of Vienna International Airport, Christoph Herbst, should be about to resign. He is considered to be seeking a position at the Constitutional Court.

April 22, 2011

Increase in Passengers at VIA

Vienna International Airport: 4.9% higher passenger traffic in March 2011

April 12, 2011

Passenger Decrease at AUA

Austrian Airlines Traffic Result for January to March 2011: Crisis in the Middle East and in Japan burden the result.

April 11, 2011

AUA: Additional Savings Needed

The restructuring program of AUA is not sufficient to bring the company into positive numbers in view of the events in Japan and North Africa.

April 7, 2011

Sales Increase for FlyNiki

Niki Lauda’s airline achieved strong growth in 2010, regarding both passengers and sales. The EBIT declined however.

March 31, 2011

AUA: Antinori will Finally Not Become CEO

Three days before his planned entry into Austrian Airlines, Antinori surprisingly announced his withdrawal from the Lufthansa Group.

March 30, 2011

Flughafen Wien Group: Net profit rises by 3.2%

Revenue: plus 6.4% to € 533.8 m, net profit: € 73.3m. Traffic: plus 8.7% in passengers to 19.7 m

March 25, 2011

Dispute between Emirates and AUA

Emirates Airlines accuses Austrian Airlines to work with unfair means against the doubling of Vienna-Dubai flights.

March 23, 2011

Austrian Airlines Reduces Losses

Loss from operating activities substantially decreased: from minus € 230.9m to minus € 64.7m. Number of passengers grew by 9.7%.

March 18, 2011

Passengers Still Rising at VIA

Vienna International Airport: Plus 5.1% in passengers during February 2011

March 11, 2011

Savings Planned at Vienna International Airport

According to CEO Christoph Herbst, a "two-digit million amount" is to be saved this year.

March 1, 2011

Lufthansa Increases Pressure on AUA

The German parent company intends to convert the previously loss-making Austrian Airlines into a profitable company at last.

February 18, 2011

Vienna International Airport: Third Runway for € 1.8bn

The proposed project is not firm yet, but the estimated costs are between € 1.2 and € 1.8bn due to extensive construction work.

February 12, 2011

Passenger Increase at VIA Continues

Vienna International Airport: Plus 6.7% in passengers during January 2011

February 11, 2011

Serious Allegations Against Former AUA CEO

Sheikh Mohamed Al Jaber, who wanted to take over Austrian Airlines in 2008, considers himself to have been seriously deceived by the former management and raises accusations.

February 10, 2011

More Passengers at Austrian Airlines

Austrian Airlines Traffic Result for January 2011: 2.1 Percent Increase in Passenger Volume. 690,000 flight guests were carried.

February 10, 2011

Skylink: Judicial Investigations are Presently being Conducted

The final report of the Audit Court on the Vienna International Airport Skylink project has been submitted. Criticism is devastating. Criminal investigations are starting.

February 1, 2011

Increase in Passengers at Austrian Airports

Every of the six Austrian Airports could record substantial growth in passengers in 2010. Their number rose by 7.9%.

January 31, 2011

Vienna International Airport: +8.7% Passengers During 2010

The strongest increase has been recorded in passenger traffic to Eastern Europe and to the Middle East. For 2011, the company expects a 5.0% increase.

January 20, 2011

Mixed Results for Linz Airport

2010 ended with a historical record in freight earnings for the “blue danube airport linz” However, regular passenger volumes decreased slightly.

January 15, 2011

AUA and Flyniki: Passenger Growth

Austrian Airlines increased its number of passengers by 9.7% in 2010; Flyniki achieved an increase of 29%.

January 13, 2011

Austrian Airlines: Negotiations Finished

The management of the Austrian Airlines and worker representatives agreed to increase salaries slightly in 2011. Thus, strikes will not take place.

January 7, 2011

AUA Staff Ready to go on Strike

The results of the polls are for starting the strike at Austrian Airlines. Should the negotiations fail, the staff is ready to go on strike.

January 5, 2011

AUA: For now, Negotiations Instead of Strikes

At the end of the year, there were still signs of strike for the staff of Austrian Airlines. Now the situation seems to calm down.

January 4, 2011

Poor Outlook for Creditors of SkyEurope

The Austrian-Slovakian airline, which became insolvent in 2009, will only reach a quota of 16%.

January 4, 2011

AUA has to Cancel Flight to the U.S.

Persistent snowstorms in the eastern United States, have forced Austrian Airlines to cancel a flight to New York, as local airports there are closed.

December 27, 2010

Changes on the Management Board of Vienna International Airport

After several weeks of controversial discussions, the Supervisory Board announced Christoph Herbst as new CEO. He will succeed Herbert Kaufmann.

December 16, 2010

Skylink: Resignation of Executive Board or Supervisory Board

The Vienna Airport Skylink debacle is becoming a political issue. Staffing decisions have been made.

December 14, 2010

Vienna International Airport: Plus 12.1% in passengers during November 2010

The number of passengers handled by Vienna International Airport in November 2010 rose by 12.1% year-on-year to 1,550,324.

December 14, 2010

AUA: Signs of Strike

The staff is voting for strike measures. Protests are planned for after the Christmas holidays.

December 14, 2010

AUA: Negotiations Failed, Imminent Protests

Collective agreement negotiations between employee representatives and top leaders of Austrian Airlines had to be interrupted without results.

December 10, 2010

AUA: Significant Passenger Growth in November

Austrian Airlines transported 6.8 percent more passengers than 2009/11. Plus 9.9 percent in the first eleven months this year

December 9, 2010

High Expectations about the New AUA Chairman

The Frenchman Thierry Antinori, is to complete successfully for Lufthansa the restructuring of the Austrian subsidiary.

December 8, 2010

Vienna Airport Board Sees no Fault of Their Own

The controversial directors of Flughafen Wien (Vienna International Airport) defend themselves against public criticism of the construction project "Skylink".

December 5, 2010

Strike threat at AUA

Salary negotiations at Austrian Airlines falter. The staff wants at least a salary increase equivalent to inflation.

December 2, 2010

AUA is to Get New Leadership

Austrian Airlines, a Lufthansa subsidiary, is to get the Frenchman Thierry Antinori as its new CEO. The board is to be expanded with this appointment.

November 30, 2010

A-Tec: Kovats’s Prestige Projects on the Brink

Due to the insolvency of the A-Tec Group. founder and CEO Mirko Kovats will have to give up prestigious projects such as his A-Jet.

November 29, 2010

Vienna International Airport: Decisions on Personnel are Postponed

The previously rumored change of leadership at Vienna International Airport is not taking place yet. There is time until mid-December for the board, highly criticized because of Skylink.

November 26, 2010

Discounts for Austrian Airlines and Lauda at Vienna International Airport

Vienna International Airport grants Austrian Airlines and Flyniki discounts. Flyniki rises to the second most important partner.

November 25, 2010

Vienna International Airport: Strong Growth in Profits and Passengers

The Vienna International Airport (Flughafen Wien) could increase its EBIT by 15%, passengers have risen by 8.3% to 14.87m.

November 25, 2010

Audit Court: Capital Increase for Vienna Airport

The Audit Court criticizes the Board again and advises a capital increase. The personal consequences may be tougher than expected yet.

November 24, 2010

Audit Court: Massive Criticism of Vienna International Airport

The Court expects significantly higher costs for Skylink than the airport itself. There are personal consequences.

November 19, 2010

Vienna International Airport: Strong Increase in Passengers

Vienna International Airport: Plus 11.4% in passengers during October 2010. Forecast for 2010: +9.0 % in passengers.

November 11, 2010

Traffic Result of AUA for October: Significant Passenger Growth

Austrian Airlines transported 16.5 percent more passengers in scheduled service than in same month last year. Load factor in October rises to 81 percent.

November 9, 2010

AUA: Massive Criticism of Government

Owing to the flight ticket tax one feels lied to by the politicians. Contrary to promises, there is no support for restructuring. Not even Vienna Airport is immune from criticism.

November 4, 2010

AUA: Deficits Must Go

Austrian Airlines, bought in 2009 by German Lufthansa, are now working with profit at operational level. But restructuring of long haul routes is proving to be particularly difficult.

November 3, 2010

Lauda is Evaluating whether to Move From Vienna

The owner and CEO of the Austrian low-cost airline Flyniki is considering a withdrawal from Austria. He is very upset over the tax on airline tickets to be implemented on January 1, 2001.

November 2, 2010

AUA Flights to Russia Secured

While the problem of AUA landing rights in Russia has been solved for Lufthansa until March, Austria is being accused of breach of contract by the European Commission.

October 29, 2010

AUA: Still Losses, But There Is an Upward Trend

Losses and costs fall, passenger numbers rise. Restructuring measures show results, but the target has not been reached yet, according to the board.

October 28, 2010