Summer 2024: Austrian Airlines plans without wet lease aircraft

The airline Austrian Airlines has been expanding again for some time. However, the carrier denies that wet leases will be used again in the 2024 summer flight schedule.

In the last few weeks there has been a lot of "corridor whispering" that the Austrian Lufthansa subsidiary could take some machines on a wet lease in the summer of 2024. The de Havilland Dash 8-400 or comparable turboprop aircraft should also be used in order to have Embraer 195s available for other routes. However, this is not confirmed by the company.

When asked, a spokeswoman told Aviaton.Direct: “We cannot confirm this. In general, the targeted use of wet leases has proven successful in the past to cushion seasonal peaks and will therefore be examined as a possible remedy if necessary. Austrian Airlines can look back on a strong performance in the first half of 2023 and wants to further expand its market position in 2024. The current fleet growth lays the foundation for this. Four new Airbus A320neo are already in service. We are pleased about the forthcoming expansion of the fleet by a further Airbus A320neo and an Airbus A320ceo as well as the planned modernization of the long-haul fleet with ten Boeing 787-9s".