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January 10, 2025

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January 10, 2025

Direct flights from Klagenfurt to Paros also in summer 2025

Jan Gruber 10 January 2025 11:06

The Carinthian tour operator Springer Reisen will also be offering direct flights from Klagenfurt to the Greek island of Paros in summer 2025. The connection, which will be operated once a week between May 24 and October 4, 2025 by the airline Avantiair with a Dash8-Q400, enables an uncomplicated journey to the popular Cyclades island. A private boat transfer will also take you to the sister island of Naxos, giving travelers the option of combining islands. Andrea Springer, Managing Director of Springer Reisen, emphasizes the attractiveness of the offer: "Paros is served directly from Klagenfurt, and the sister island of Naxos is easily accessible by boat - ideal for varied vacation trips." Maximilian Wildt, Managing Director of Klagenfurt Airport, praises the successful cooperation with Springer Reisen: "The weekly flights to Paros are a highlight for Greece fans and strengthen our offer at the airport." Paros is considered a travel destination for typical Greek landscapes, picturesque villages and the butterfly valley of Petaloudes. In addition to the historic streets of Parikia, the charming marina of Naoussa also attracts numerous visitors.

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Emirates: A look into the new Premium Economy cabin

Jan Gruber 10 January 2025 11:00

Emirates airline has set another milestone in passenger aviation with the introduction and expansion of its Premium Economy cabin. Since its premiere in August 2022, the new class, which bridges the gap between Economy and Business, has quickly become a highlight of the airline's offering. With over 40 modernized aircraft and availability on flights to 27 destinations worldwide, Emirates is showing how comfort, design and service can be redefined. For a few days now, a Boeing 777 with the new Premium Economy Class has also been in use on the Dubai-Vienna route. This week, Emirates Airline invited guests to a small celebration to celebrate the milestone. Other classes of travel on this type of aircraft are First, Business and Economy. Expansion of the Premium Economy offering 40 aircraft, including 27 Airbus A380s and 13 Boeing 777s, have already been equipped with Premium Economy and serve the airline's global route network. Three A350 aircraft complement the offering on additional routes. Vienna is the latest European destination to be served by Emirates with a converted Boeing 777. This means that Emirates remains the only airline to serve Vienna in a 4-class configuration. The response to the new class has been positive, as evidenced by several industry awards, including the "Best Premium Economy" award from AirlineRatings.com. In addition to Vienna, London, Paris and Sydney are also among the popular destinations served with Premium Economy. New design and improved comfort Emirates' Premium Economy cabin sets standards in terms of comfort and amenities. The seats are upholstered in cream-colored leather, have

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Lufthansa successfully places hybrid bond worth 500 million euros

Belinda Borg 10 January 2025 10:03

Deutsche Lufthansa AG has successfully placed an unsecured hybrid bond with a volume of 500 million euros on the market. The bond, which bears interest at 5,25 percent per year, has a term of 30 years and can be repaid early for the first time on January 15, 2031. This financing comes at a time of intensive investor discussions and, according to Chief Financial Officer Dr. Till Streichert, underscores the capital markets' trust in Lufthansa. Hybrid bonds are considered subordinated financing instruments, which are rated by rating agencies as 50 percent equity. This improves the company's financial structure and rating profile. The funds from the transaction will also be used to refinance a hybrid bond issued in 2015, which is scheduled to be repaid on the call date of February 12, 2026. Chief Financial Officer Streichert emphasized that the successful placement demonstrates Lufthansa's broad range of financing options. The high demand from investors made it possible to issue the bond at attractive conditions and at the same time to optimally adjust the company's maturity profile.

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“Merci Udo”: A festival for all Udo Jürgens fans

Angelika Evergreen 10 January 2025 09:50

For Udo Jürgens' 90th birthday, a special tribute concert called "Merci Udo - The Udo Jürgens Story" took place in the Vienna Stadthalle. This show was presented by the Udo All-Star Band under the direction of Bernhard Heher and Josef Pepe Schütz. The Udo Jürgens Story - his life, his love, his music were brought back to life thanks to the extraordinary support of Gabriela Benesch and Alex Parker. The gifted singer and Udo Jürgens interpreter sang his greatest hits and Gabriela Benesch told his best stories to go with them. Both performers led the audience through Udo's life in an elegant, humorous and passionate way that captivated the entire audience. Jenny Jürgens, daughter of Udo Jürgens, was also there and reported that the evening in honor of her father was great and that she enjoyed it very much. She also congratulated the brilliant protagonists of the evening and said it was a show that every Udo fan should attend. Udo Jürgens: From Carinthia to the world Udo Jürgens was born in Carinthia, in Klagenfurt, on September 30, 1934. His real name Jürgens Udo Bockelmann is known to every Udo fan. He was a world-famous Austrian singer, composer, lyricist, and a gifted pianist. He sang mainly in German, but he also delighted his fans with songs in English, French, and Italian. He sold an incredible 105 million records and was one of the best-known and most successful German entertainers. Jürgens' musical style was pop, chanson, jazz, and pop music. One of his greatest successes

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Cathay Pacific starts direct flights between Hong Kong and Rome

Amely Mizzi 10 January 2025 09:01

From June 5, 2025, Cathay Pacific will expand its route network to include a seasonal direct connection between Hong Kong and Rome. The flights will be offered three times a week and complement the existing daily connection to Milan. The new route will be operated until the end of the summer and is aimed at both business travelers and tourists. An Airbus A350-900 will be used, which is divided into three travel classes: Business Class with flat beds, Premium Economy and Economy Class. Flight CX293 departs Hong Kong at 00:45 and lands in Rome at 07:50. The return flight CX292 takes off from Rome at 11:45 and arrives in Hong Kong the following day at 05:20. The route is being introduced against the backdrop of increasing demand for long-haul flights between Asia and Europe. With this expansion, Cathay Pacific is focusing on reviving international travel and strengthening its presence in the European market.

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Transavia relies on fleet renewal with Airbus A321neo in retro livery

Amely Mizzi 10 January 2025 08:37

In 2025, the Dutch airline Transavia, a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM group, will celebrate a special milestone in its history. In the summer of 2025, Transavia will receive a new Airbus A321neo, which will not only shine in a modern design but also in a special retro livery. This arrival also marks the 60th anniversary of the airline, which began operations on October 21, 1965. For Transavia, the choice of the new aircraft and the special livery symbolize not only the proud past, but also the progressive development and planned future of the airline. "The arrival of a new Airbus in retro livery is our way of looking back with pride at what we have achieved and where we are now," said Marcel de Nooijer, CEO of Transavia, when announcing the new aircraft model. The retro livery is intended to honor the airline's history, but at the same time to look forward to a modern and promising future. De Nooijer further stressed that the fleet renewal will help Transavia to look “towards a calmer future”. In this “calm future”, the modernisation of the aircraft fleet plays a central role. The Airbus A321neo will not only enrich the fleet as a modern and efficient aircraft, but will also come with a striking design that strengthens the airline’s identity. The design of the new aircraft was created by Dutch designer Thijs Postma. It is characterised by a green colour design combined with a large black “T” on the fuselage and tail of the aircraft. The retro branding is reminiscent of the airline’s original colours and logos, which

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Austrian Airlines says goodbye to the Boeing 767 fleet

Jan Gruber 10 January 2025 08:03

Austrian Airlines, the Austrian subsidiary of Lufthansa, will retire its remaining three Boeing 2026s by the beginning of 767. This will happen gradually as part of the introduction of new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, of which the airline already has two in operation. Nine more aircraft of this type are to modernize the fleet in the coming years. For each new aircraft in the 787 series, one of the older Boeing 767s will be taken out of service, as operating such a small part of the fleet is becoming increasingly uneconomical. According to reports from the Aero Routes portal, the last Boeing 767 will be used on the route between Vienna and Washington-Dulles. The last flight of these aircraft is currently planned for December 31, 2025, although a change in the date is still possible. The switch to the more modern Dreamliner fleet is intended not only to increase efficiency, but also to optimize capacity on long-haul routes. The Boeing 767 has had an important place in Austrian Airlines' long-haul fleet for years, especially on connections to the USA. However, with the planned decommissioning, the airline is consistently focusing on standardizing and rejuvenating its fleet in order to optimize operations.

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Dubai Aerospace Enterprise acquires Nordic Aviation Capital

Belinda Borg 10 January 2025 07:36

Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE), a leading aircraft leasing company, has signed an agreement to acquire Irish leasing company Nordic Aviation Capital (NAC). This transaction, which aims to integrate NAC into DAE's structures, marks a significant step in the company's expansion and could have far-reaching implications for the international aircraft leasing market. While the deal is still subject to regulatory and shareholder approval, it is expected to be completed within the next six months. On January 7, 2025, DAE officially announced that it had reached a definitive agreement to acquire 100 percent of Nordic Aviation Capital's shares. DAE is based in Dubai and will benefit from NAC's acquired fleet and expanded market resources going forward. As part of the transaction, DAE's fleet will grow from the current approximately 500 aircraft to approximately 750 aircraft. This includes both owned and leased aircraft. The total value of this fleet is approximately $22 billion and the company will work with around 170 airlines in 70 countries. This expansion significantly strengthens DAE's market position and opens up additional opportunities for the company on a global level. Firoz Tarapore, CEO of DAE, commented on the acquisition and emphasized the strategic importance of the acquisition: "We are excited about the opportunity to bring NAC's capabilities, complementary market presence and people into our platform. This transaction will enable us to offer more cost-effective solutions to a larger group of customers." The acquisition could therefore

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Ryanair expands flight offer from Sarajevo to include new destinations

Stephen Steiner 10 January 2025 07:05

The Irish low-cost airline Ryanair is significantly expanding its route network from Sarajevo in summer 2025. In addition to the existing connections, four new routes will be added, as the portal Ex-Yu Aviation reports. From the summer flight schedule, Ryanair will fly to Baden-Baden, Beauvais (near Paris), Girona (Spain) and Weeze (Germany). These new destinations, each served twice a week, are the first direct connections from Sarajevo to Spain and France. In addition, Ryanair is increasing the frequencies on existing routes. In particular, connections to Bergamo, Charleroi and Gothenburg will be flown more frequently, which means a total of 14 additional weekly flights. In summer 2025, Ryanair will thus serve a total of eleven destinations from Sarajevo and offer 27 weekly departures. The expansion is supported by subsidies from the local tourism authority, which wants to strengthen the international route network. With the new flights, Ryanair is significantly expanding travel options from the Bosnian capital, including the already announced route to Stockholm-Arlanda.

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Southwest and United Airlines: Strategic aircraft sales and leasing transactions

Jan Gruber 10 January 2025 06:33

US airlines Southwest Airlines and United Airlines have each completed significant sale-and-leaseback transactions that underscore their fleet strategies. While Southwest Airlines is selling and leasing back 36 Boeing 737-800s, United Airlines is acquiring 18 Embraer E175s to operate under a leasing agreement with Mesa Airlines. These moves illustrate the growing trend towards more flexible fleet strategies in the aviation industry. Southwest Airlines, known for its position as the leading low-cost airline in the US, announced on January 7, 2025 that it had completed a major sale-and-leaseback deal with Babcock & Brown Aircraft Management (BBAM). Under this agreement, Southwest sold 36 of its Boeing 737-800s to BBAM. The aircraft will then be leased back for periods of between 26 and 37 months. Tammy Romo, CFO of Southwest Airlines, explained that the transaction is part of the "Southwest. Even Better" initiative announced in September. The aim of this initiative is to generate cash by monetizing existing aircraft assets in order to drive fleet modernization and strategically manage capital expenditures. The first 35 aircraft were already sold at the end of December 2024, while the sale of the last aircraft is expected to be completed in January 2025. The proceeds from the transaction will be used to finance future fleet modernizations and increase shareholder returns. Steve Zissis, CEO of BBAM, praised the collaboration with Southwest Airlines and emphasized that this agreement underscores BBAM's commitment to innovative fleet financing solutions. United Airlines: Expansion of the regional fleet In parallel, United Airlines announced the purchase of 18 Embraer E175 aircraft to be operated under a sale-and-leaseback agreement with Mesa Airlines. Mesa Airlines, a long-standing partner of United, flies under the brand

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