In a current media broadcast, Austrian Airlines snubbed the price level that low-cost airlines are charging in Vienna. Among other things, one argues with environmental protection and claims that the ticket prices would be at the expense of the staff. However, Austrian Airlines does not mention the fact that almost the entire workforce is still on short-time work and that a not inconsiderable proportion of this is at the expense of taxpayers.

“Competition, yes, but not when it becomes irrational. The dumping prices of the low-cost airlines generate artificial growth far beyond the real market needs. This is not economically feasible and in any case it does maximum damage to the climate ”, explains AUA board member Michael Trestl.

Austrian Airlines calls itself a “premium carrier”, but the product in the most frequently booked economy class on short and medium-haul routes has long been adapted to that of the low-cost airlines criticized by the Lufthansa subsidiary. Fiercer competition is expected for the summer of 2022 and is therefore looking to increase capacity by ten machines.

“We fly several times a day to the most beautiful places in Europe and the continent and offer our customers an attractive flight schedule. We will now fly to Palma de Mallorca up to three times a day, we will also expand our offer to Sicily and implement further increases in the entire European network. In this way we offer our guests even more flexibility in their travel planning. In addition, we will land up to four times a day in Milan, Stockholm, Amsterdam and Bucharest, fly to Athens and Barcelona twice a day and also offer two flights a day to Tel Aviv and Larnaka. We also fly up to nine times a week to Heraklion, up to six times a week to Rhodes or up to four times a week to the Greek islands of Corfu, Kos and Zakynthos ”, Austrian Airlines Chief Sales Officer Michael Trestl gives an initial insight into the summer flight schedule for 2022.

As early as midsummer 2021, the Lufthansa subsidiary recorded an increase in supply of 10 percent in the tourism segment compared to the pre-crisis year 2019, and the focus on tourist destinations will remain in the summer flight schedule 2022. Greece, southern Italy and the Balearic Islands will again be among the fixed starters in the Austrian route network, which will be finally published in mid-December.