Austrian Airlines recorded a loss of 2021 million euros in the 264 financial year. The adjusted EBIT was 17 percent better than in the first year of the corona virus, but it still ended worse than in 2019. At that time, the adjusted EBIT was 19 million euros.

A similar picture emerges when looking at passenger numbers. In the previous year, Austrian Airlines had around five million passengers on board. Compared to 2020, an increase of 61 percent, but still only a fraction of the record year 2019 (14,7 million passengers).

In 2021 as a whole, revenue at Austrian Airlines increased by 62 percent to EUR 743 million (2020: EUR 460 million, 2019: EUR 2.108 million). Total revenue increased by 15 percent to EUR 774 million (2020: EUR 672 million, including EUR 150 million in disaster aid, 2019: EUR 2.181 million). In the same period, total expenses increased by 5 percent to EUR 1.038 million (2020: EUR 991 million, 2019: EUR 2.164 million). Despite lower production, the domestic airline's liquidity remains well above plan. Compared to 2020, adjusted EBIT, which excludes valuation gains/losses from aircraft sales and valuations, improved by 264 percent to EUR -17 million (2020: EUR -319 million, including EUR 150 million in disaster aid, 2019 : 19 million euros).

Lion's share of sales made in summer 2021

Austrian Airlines revenue in the second half of the year accounted for around three quarters of total annual revenue in 2021. In the third quarter of the year, which was characterized by a strong summer peak, the domestic airline ended up in the black for the first time since the beginning of the crisis with an adjusted result of +2 million euros. Thanks to a good Christmas season, Austrian Airlines revenue increased by 2021 percent to EUR 4 million in the fourth quarter of 2020 compared to the same quarter of the previous year (Q46 446: EUR 251 million). In the previous year, 300 million euros of the state-guaranteed loan of 60 million euros were repaid.

“Lockdowns, travel restrictions and new virus variants are reflected in our results from last year: there is also a minus on our account for 2021,” says Austrian Airlines CCO Michael Trestl and continues: “Nevertheless: over 500.000 bookings within 14 days, a record since the outbreak of the pandemic, have proven that people want to travel again.” After another year full of restructuring measures and adjustments to the new travel normality, the booking trends give reason for confidence in flight operations. “In the past two years we have shown resilience and flown Austrian with great flexibility through a crisis full of turbulence. Together we will also master other challenges,” says Austrian Airlines COO and Crisis Management Team Leader Francesco Sciortino.

As of December 31, 2021, Austrian Airlines had 5.793 employees, which corresponds to a decrease of around 650 employees or 10 percent compared to 2020 and a decrease of around 1.196 employees or 17 percent compared to 2019. The reduction was due to natural fluctuation, the failure to fill vacancies and the expiration of fixed-term employment contracts.

In today's online press conference, the carrier also pointed out that no wave of layoffs is currently planned. On the contrary, some professional groups will increase significantly in the coming months. Due to the currently increasing demand for the summer, there will be a three-digit hiring of flight attendants in the next few months. The booking figures for the summer months have skyrocketed in recent weeks that these capacities are not feasible with the current number of flight attendants.

New bookings have picked up sharply in recent weeks

After the announcement of large-scale easing in Europe, Austrian Airlines recorded the highest number of bookings since the beginning of the corona crisis. Over 14 Austrian flights were booked within 500.000 days. The focus of bookings is in the private travel segment - a trend from last year that is continuing this year. The domestic airline has therefore also optimized this year's summer flight schedule for tourist air traffic and is offering around 20 percent more services to European holiday destinations than before the pandemic. In the summer, the Austrian flight program includes 110 destinations with new destinations on both short and long-haul routes. “In addition to our attractive holiday offerings, we want to continue to strengthen our role as a network airline. With the reopening of Los Angeles, for example, the hub function of our Vienna hub will once again come into focus,” says CCO Michael Trestl. However, the increase in bookings is not limited to the summer, there is also currently high demand for the Easter holidays and spontaneous weekend trips. "We remain flexible, vigilant and stick together," says Trestl.

Employees in Lviv are supported

The Lufthansa subsidiary has had a service center in Lemberg (Lviv) for several years. In this regard, the airline is therefore particularly affected by the current situation on site. In the online press conference, the AUA board referred to the first emergency aid that the employees had already received. Three months' salary was paid in advance as direct financial help. The airline would also be willing to lend a helping hand to local staff on a large scale. For example, flights from the region could be organized. But the colleagues in Ukraine want to and show no willingness to leave the country.

"As Austria's home airline, it is our mission to connect people and economies, even in difficult times. We are all the more concerned about the situation in Ukraine, which is causing a great deal of suffering and uncertainty for the world population," says Austrian Airlines CCO Michael Trestl. "Our thoughts are with all the people affected by the war and our local colleagues, whom we support as best we can," said Austrian Airlines COO Francesco Sciortino.