In July 2021, Austrian Airlines will start phasing out the Airbus A319 aircraft. The aircraft will be handed over to the sister company Lufthansa Cityline and will be operated there from January 2022.

The seven Airbus A319s are owned by Austrian Airlines through so-called property companies (e.g. A319 LDA-LDB-LDC Ltd and A319 LDD-LDE-LDF Ltd). The average age of the sub-fleet is 16,5 years. With the exception of the OE-LDG, which is parked at Bratislava Airport, the remaining six A319s are in active scheduled service.

“The first aircraft is to leave Austrian Airlines in July. From August one plane will be taken out of service every month and transferred after the necessary checks. The use of the aircraft in the operation at Lufthansa CityLine is planned from January next year, ”said a spokesman for Austrian Airlines.

Sale or drylease - AUA is silent

Austrian Airlines did not want to answer the question of whether there will be a transfer of ownership in the course of the change of fleet to its sister company Cityline or whether the seven Airbus A319 dry will be leased to it. The first option would be to sell the aircraft within the group and the second option would mean that AUA would continue to own the seven A319s, but would receive monthly lease payments. However, they want to keep this a secret: "We do not comment on the agreed conditions, please understand," said a spokesman on the subject.

According to the current state of planning, the OE-LDA is to be the first Airbus A319 to be taken out of production. This is followed by one machine per month. Subject to changes and rescheduling, the sequence shown in the table below is intended: