The History of Austrian Airlines at JFK Airport
1. Origins of Austrian Airlines
Genesis airline Austrian may be back on March 20, 1918, when the Postal Administration of Austria has launched every day flights courier service Vienna in Kiev with stops in Krakow, Lwow, and Proskurow, a road whose average stage length was 250 miles. When space had permitted the passengers had been produced. The extremely effective service-time was then extended to Proskurow Odessa Vienna to Budapest. However, a flight ban, implemented at the finish of the Initial World War had led to his dismissal.
When the ban was finally lifted, Austria then back into the market of civil aviation in the founding of the Oesterreichische Luftverkehrs AG (OELAG) Might 12, 1923 with a first Crown million investment funded by Junkers, a German aircraft manufacturer (49 percent) and other shareholders Austria (51 percent). Beginning regular service from Munich to Vienna some two days later, he used a Junkers F.13, a single-engine airplane wings lowered which was marked by an enclosed cockpit and cabin and was based on a tail wheel. OELAG eventually operated a number of versions of this robust but (then) contemporary style, and growing demand had soon had larger planes, the first of which was a higher capacity, tri-motor Junkers G.24 delivered in 1927 and whose second was the G.31 more created, delivered the following year. Perhaps the final style was Ju.52/3m the Junkers, a tri-motor, 18-passenger airliner with a gross weight of 24,000 pounds and a cruising speed exceeding 150 mph, which joined the fleet in 1936. Most main East and national companies of Western Europe have also exploited the genre right now.
The following year, the road system OELAG had radiated in Athens, Belgrade, Berlin, London, Paris, Prague, Rome and Zurich, in addition to incorporating a number of destinations in Austria domestic, with much of the every day service. He eventually became the fourth largest European airline after Lufthansa, KLM and Air France, with 975,840 seat-miles per week. Coinciding with the growth OELAG was the completion of five Austrian airports - namely, Graz, Innsbruck, Klagenfurt, Salzburg and Vienna.
When Austria was absorbed by the Third Reich in 1938, OELAG has been integrated into Deutsche Luft Hansa (DLH). However, it had 120,000 passengers flew 7.5 million kilometers without fatality during his reign.
2. Initial growth
When World War II had ended, Austria, now independent, had signed the peace treaty with the 4 occupying powers in 1955, and once more attempted to enter the field of civil aviation, forming a flag carrier. Two of the national airlines were actually proposed: Air Austria, formed by the Austrian People's Party and funded by KLM and later, Fred Olsen, a Norwegian charter airline, and Austrian Airways formed by the Austrian Socialist Party and supported by SAS. Neither ever flew and the two were eventually combined on September 30, 1957 in the form an integrated society with a AUS $ 60 million initial investment, which adopted, Phoenix-like, its pre-war name of the Oesterreichische Luftverkehrs AG, but the English equivalent of "Austrian Airlines" was used. The airline has emerged.
Owner had included Austrian private investors, 42 percent, public enterprises, 28 percent; SAS, 15 percent, and Fred Olsen 15 per cent. Austria has launched a regular service March 31, 1958 after a suspension of 20 years with 4 leased Vickers V.779 Viscounts, a medium capacity, 4 airliners turboprop engine created in Britain and first deployed during the Vienna-Zurich-London. Austria had finally returned to heaven.
Growth occurred rapidly and in 1960 she took delivery of the first 4 higher capacity, extended Vickers V.837 Viscounts, he launched into service on Might 23 and the following year, he received the Vickers Viscount V.845 capacity for routes slightly lower. Each British turboprops have provided a dependable and economical, the V.837 not be retired till 1971. Douglas DC-three the best-selling commercial aircraft of all time, was also acquired at that time and has enabled Austria to launch domestic services, the 1st Might 1963, a road that would later be served by the Austrian Air. This aircraft has been replaced by more advanced, bigger capacity turboprop Hawker Siddeley HS.748-2 in 1966, another British style.
Austrian Airlines entered the jet age in February 20, 1963 when he inaugurated the first of five SE.210 Sud-Aviation Caravelle VIR-twin-jets in service and has laid the groundwork for his term strategy, to operate Short to medium range, low to medium capacity, t-tailed jets on a predominantly European (and later in North Africa and Middle East) route structure. Created in France, the Caravelle was calm, a cruise above the climate, and reduced time of flight between the capitals of Europe and had in fact been the first style to permit economic, short-range, pure-jet service.
three. Transatlantic Experiment
Unlike most European national companies that had operated transatlantic service looks to U.S. and Canada with quad motor DC-four from the Second World War, Austrian Airlines has maintained its medium-range system route till 1 April 1969. He was at that time it had spread its wings over the Atlantic with a large capacity, intercontinental Boeing 707-320, registered as OE-LBA chartered and Sabena Belgian World Airways, which had been deployed to the Vienna / New York with a stopover in Brussels. This so-known as "transatlantic experience," despite a delay in the launch Austrian had finally proved each premature and a precarious monetary situation for two main factors:
1. The housing market has always been too low.
2. Vienna-Schwechat was insufficiently created as hub, offering few flights connecting to which the transatlantic service could transfer passengers.
Resultantly, after a two-year trial, the 707 had been referred to Sabena March 31, 1971, leaving once more in Austria to focus on its system focuses mainly continental route for which nine short-range medium-term, low capacity of McDonnell-Douglas DC-9-30s were ordered.
Similar in overall style of the Caravelle, but manufactured in the United States, the T-tailed offered an airliner slightly higher passenger capacity, higher capability to payload, a higher gross weight, more powerful engines and an improved economy, and with her Austrian entered an era news that would span almost two decades. She then described this model as "the beginning of some thing fantastic, classic and always contemporary." The first DC-9-30 was delivered on June 19, 1971 and kind quickly proved to be the mainstay of its fleet.
In 1974, Austria has hired a McDonnell-Douglas DC-8-63F, registered OE-IBO for Overseas National Airways (ONA) cargo services to Hong Kong, but they were subsequently abandoned. other than the 707-320, the DC-8-63F was the only other large-capacity long-range, quad, multi-engine jet.
So versatile and well-liked was the DC-9 style confirmed himself to be later this Austrian ordered five tense, higher capacity DC-9-50. The first of they were delivered on September 14, 1975.
That these twin engine aircraft and the abandonment of its transatlantic service methods were adequate for the Austrian national carrier has been reflected by its positive growth. On June 26, 1974, for example, a new maintenance base had was opened to the international airport Vienna Schwechat. Its worth has also continued to swell: in 1967 its share capital had increased by 140 million to AUS AUS 290 million. In 1969 it had increased to 390 million euros. And in 1962 it had reached the billion mark. During every of three years, from 1972 to 1974, he had posted a profit. Its road system was also increased: in 1976, Austria had extended its wings in Cairo in the Middle East and Stockholm and Helsinki in Scandinavia.
Demand, excess capacity soon, had needed an initial order of eight McDonnell-Douglas DC-9-80 to replace its DC-9-50s. DC also designated-9 Super 80, this aircraft was a modernized version of the prior series -50 variant midrange and deployment function a fuselage other people refanned for higher capacity and higher pressure and more effective Fuel Pratt and Whitney JT8D-209 engines. Austrian, who shares the distinction of being the launch customer for the style with Swissair, has inaugurated the first elongated DC-9-81 into service October 26, 1980 on the route Vienna-Zurich with OE aircraft LDR "Wien." Bi-reactor was then renamed the MD-81 and quickly became the short Workhorse medium-range fleet.
New additions to its ever-expanding route system included Larnaca in 1979 in Jeddah, also in 1979; and Tripoli in 1981.
An additional milestone in 1980 was the foundation of Austrian Air Services (AAS), which would eventually turn out to be a wholly-owned subsidiary, Austrian to operate domestic routes with two 19-passenger turboprop Fairchild Swearingen Metro II commuter. The first of these services had place on 1 April.
Austrian twists sky smooth. Indeed, his record in 1980 had indicated a 71.5 million net FRA, its only tenth consecutive time.
The MD-81 intemittently prove to be as perfectly adapted to its route system as SE.210 twin-jet-VIR the DC-9-30 and DC-9-50 had been, was followed by a shorter fuselage derivative, the MD-87, which ordered Austrian December 19, 1984 for areas of lower capacity in road and air fleet Austrian service was also improved with the addition of two 50-passenger turboprop Fokker F.50 twins who were ordered on September 25 subsequent year.
four. Transatlantic roundtrip
Exploitation a contemporary and effective fleet of fuel on a bigger network of routes and carrying almost 1.5 million passengers in 1986, Austria once once more considered intercontinental services, now each in New York in the west and Tokyo in the east, and to this finish she converted his prior order for two medium-range Airbus A-310-200 for the long-range-310-300 version, June 25, 1986. Austria had signed the memorandum original agreement for the A-310-200 as far as April 18, 1979, a date that was to prove a decade before the service would actually go down ground. 3 elements could be cited why the time may have been ripe for a revival of this service:
1. Over 15 years interval because the last intercontinental service had been canceled, the market had increased considerably, a fact demonstrated by increases in prevailing nonstop US-Vienna service, provided by Pan Am, Royal Jordanian, Tarom and New York, and the Americans in Chicago.
2. Its structure roads in general also offered outstanding connections with Western Europe, North Africa and Middle East destinations.
three. The A-310 had enabled long, thin routes such as the Lyon-New York with Air France, Frankfurt-Newark with Lufthansa, Istanbul-New York with you, and New York-Stockholm with Pan Am to have been.
The choice to restore service intercontinental scheduled for spring 1989, officially was produced Two years ago, June 25, 1987, and is operated by two Pratt & Whitney-powered A-310-300 that serve New York to Vienna and Vienna-Moscow-Tokyo route, 1 in cooperation with Aeroflot and ANA-All Nippon Airways. These services were predicted to have depended on connecting passengers for profitability. On the road New York, for example, 66 percent, the breakeven load element was needed during the first year of operation, mainly composed of US-originating, Austria-originating and connecting passengers. Each roads had counted on the lucrative, high-performance, of frequent business travelers who could not take advantage of the declining rates restricted. Austrian Airlines will offer a first-class cabin on its A-310-300 for the first time in its history.
The first aircraft, OE-LAA recorded "New York", was delivered December 22, 1988, and the second OE-LAB "Tokyo", followed in January. The aircraft constituted the first widebody airline, Twin-aisle.
Austrians were back on the market Transatlantic United States on Easter Sunday, March 26, 1989, when two puffs of smoke marked the touch wheels of red, white and red livery twin-jet widebody, configured for 12 first class, 37 business class and 123 economy class passengers, airport JFK amidst a warm spring climate. Following a brief turn about, the plane was on flight OS 502 and led by captain and first officer Braeuer Kutzenberger, tug had been detached from the door to 1900 with 121 passengers, which would be served by nine flight attendants, and took off in the sunset deep purple to a takeoff weight of 153,603 pounds, 40,300 of fuel was needed for crossing the Atlantic. This flight had been 18 years in the generating.
Airport, reservations, sales, marketing and personnel were subsequently collected in the Icelandair Saga Lounge used its business class passengers for a friendly drink and a group photo.
The route to Tokyo was opened in the summer time and A-310 to turn out to be Austrian widebody intercontinental if she had served for over a decade, operating in a number of U.S., Africa and Far East destinations with 4 aircraft in a final configuration dual-class seat recorded as follows:
1. OE-LAA
2. OE-LAB
three. OE-LAC
four. OE-LAD
In the summer time of 1989, Austrian Airlines had served 54 cities in 36 nations in the United States, Europe Western, Eastern Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and Japan with a total route length of 100,358 unduplicated miles. These services were offered by 26 aircraft consisting of Fokker F.50, the McDonnell-Douglas MD-81/82/83/87, and the Airbus A-310-300 whose average age was then 4 years and had been describable as follows:
1. Airbus A-310-300: A long-range, medium capacity, wide-body twin-aisle, twin-jet airliner Engine - Austrian Airlines jet intercontinental. Austrian Airlines was named a "European Intercontinental."
2. McDonnell-Douglas MD-81: A mid-range, medium capacity, narrow-body, single aisle, twin-engine plane jet - Austrian Airlines European, North African and Middle workhorse of the East. Austrian Airlines had described as a "universal airliner medium-haul and backbone of its fleet. "
three. McDonnell-Douglas MD-82: The carrier had ordered the option "for a special mission scheduled and charter services."
four. McDonnell-Douglas MD-87: The short-fuselaged, low capacity version had been "tailor-produced to its capacity specifications and the beach."
5. Fokker F.50: A short and broad regional, low-capacity narrow-body, single aisle, twin-turboprop aircraft operated by Austrian Austrian Airline Services, a subsidiary of Air on domestic and long, thin international routes. Austrian Airlines has found a "specialist propjet in the city-hopping.
Besides Austrian Air Services Austrian Airlines holds 80 percent of Austrian Air Transport (AAT), which operated the charter in the globe and travel package (IT) operations at once Austrian Airlines Austrian Air and Aviation Services, having carried 506,000 passengers in 1988. He also maintained a marketing agreement closely with Tyrolean Airways, which operates services from Innsbruck with 37 passenger de Havilland Canada DHC-8-100 and 50 passengers, DHC-7-100s.
5. JFK Station Evolution
The training, held in Austria Headquarters North American Airlines in Whitestone, New York and taught by Peter "Luigi" Huebner started February 6, 1989, or about six weeks before the inaugural flight, and it included the passenger "Handling I "and" Adios check-in classes.
Location JFK first Austrian Airlines, Middle Wing facilities no-longer-existing international arrivals building, shared with Icelandair, including five particular check-in counters Austrian and used jointly Icelandair Saga Lounge, the ex-equipped computers, automated boarding pass printers and laser printers scannable luggage tag. The ground staff, totally trained employees and by Austrian and laid out his uniform, had completed the full range of functions: passenger services, ticket sales, lost property and found, Load Control, administration, supervision and management.
However, the success of the operation was based on material which was repaired and it was the choice by Airbus Industrie to scale of full size A-300 which had resulted the A-310-300 and had produced the transatlantic feasible reintegration operation. His long-range, dual engine wide-body style, the competing technologies, offered the same range and comfort to two lanes to the passengers as the quad comparable motor 747 or the three-engine DC-10 or L-1011, but same time, was a quiet, fuel-effective aircraft with a capacity sufficiently small to permit lucrative operations year round. The largest 747, DC-10 or L-1011 would, because of market size, have been forced to operate at a loss for most of the year except during the peak summer time travel season. any other, then the long-range aircraft, including Boeing 707 and McDonnell-Douglas DC-8, was marked by older generation fuel-thirsty, noise-emitting, 4 engines, the technologies of the early 1960s, the style which, because of the new forced Step 2 noise specifications, have been banned from operating in the United States unless they were Hush soundproofing of the engine or totally renovated. He had been due to the highly-A-310 from Austrian Airlines and other smaller European airlines, as it had been able to operate profitably Vienna, long and thin-New York en route sector.
The 1989 original timetable had offered six flights per week the summer time and five in winter, when two A-310-300 was operated each transatlantically in New York and the Far East, via Moscow, in Tokyo. alternatively, they flew to wider areas in Tel Aviv, Istanbul and Tehran. During the first six months of operations from JFK, a plane had never experienced undue delay because of scheduling aircraft and on-time performance had been exemplary.
The service board represented a large portion of airline expenses. Consequently, numerous carriers have begun to reduce in order to reduce expenses. Austrian Airlines, however, remained distinctive in a globe reduced to upper snacks and cups of paper with printed menus, toilet bags, porcelain service, free alcoholic beverages, and free headsets in the coach cabin on the Vienna Convention, New York and New York-Vienna route, a idea which had placed its item on top of the list of quality.
Due to the size of the A-310, however, lower space loading of the bridge had been restricted to the front generally have friendly units loading baggage (ULD) and the aft compartment capacity of the cargo itself, which had frequently been restricted to two pallets and a single unit AKE.
There was always low prestige was "certain" to fly to New York. Although the number of passengers per year who enter the United States at JFK Airport started to decline as a growing number of U.S. gateways replacement became available, it had been the largest port of entry. New York had therefore remained the most logical destination for a small carrier that had served only 1 city in the United States. Because JFK had dealt with 1990 traffic a (then) too small, old-fashioned in 1950 as international arrivals facility construction, operation, frequently suffered damage services especially during peak periods came when he had turn out to be extremely tense, causing delays during taxi and immigration, recovery baggage and customs formalities. The air saturated conditions that stretches from Boston to Washington in which the aircraft had to fly model subsequently formed dense approach by JFK, LaGuardia and Newark International Airports, and the last difficulty in obtaining landing slots also affected farms. The passengers were frequently underestimated the time needed to complete the treatment actually arrive after leaving the plane. However, it was this environment that Austrian Airlines has chosen when he chose to share the experience of New York. "
Although these negative elements of the operation may have been a bad day, he had, in fact, the operations of JFK, and not Austria, which had been observed, because all carriers operating at JFK was the victim of these evils, and because of them, an extensive renovation and reconstruction project, designated "JFK 2000" had now been launched, which will eventually lead to the construction or renovation of almost all terminals, garages parking, and a cross-light transportation hubs.
Although New York, the load elements of Vienna was originally low, they had increased steadily till the vast majority of flights were full. The Grand Tour groups were a growing component of the mix of passengers, and the expected transient connection, which was able to take advantage of the hub of Vienna in full expansion. It was the ultimate testament to a carrier if the passenger chose to fly with her and make a connection at its intermediate platform, as opposed flying nonstop with a national carrier.
As an attempt to "second" across the Atlantic, an Austrian airline intercontinental-310 service to New York has finally proved fruitful.
With the acquisition of its third A-310-300 OE-LAC registered, Austrian Airlines had attempted to serve a second gateway in the United States in the spring of 1991 and wanted to establish a presence on the West Coast, particularly in Los Angeles but the A-310-300 11-hour flight time had prevented this reality. Chicago had been alternately considered, but the U.S. personal nonstop Boeing 767-200ER service to Vienna from Chicago-O'Hare, exactly where he established its second largest hub, proved too competitive and Washington-Dulles was chosen instead.
For continental European Network, a higher gross weight McDonnell-Douglas MD-83 had been scheduled for 1991 delivery and a number of present MD-81s had been scheduled for conversion to this standard, enabling increased range and / or the payload capacity. Two other Fokker F.50 was also on order or choice to help increase domestic and long, thin international service.
During the five years from 1989 to 1994, Austrian Airlines has operated independently at JFK Airport, also offering small as 4 departures per week during the winter and up to seven during the summer time.
6. Delta Air Lines Codeshare
Changing market conditions have necessitated modification methods to JFK airport. Seeking to align with an airline inside the United States in order to get food "vital" for its transatlantic flights it had been unable to achieve alone, Austrian Airlines has signed a marketing agreement with Delta Air Lines in 1994 in which he locations his two letters "OS" code on flights operated by Delta, although Delta itself is another place its two letter "DL" on the Austrian service. Two flight attendants of Delta, in their personal uniform, had first served in the Austrian booth A-310S to and from Vienna.
Although the idea has slowly taken monetary advantage the aircraft was finally able to achieve high load elements, covering each Austria and Delta passengers of some two dozen cities the United States via New York to Vienna, frequently beyond travel.
To reduce the price of ground handling and achieve synergy between the advantages carrier, Austrian Airlines has relocated its operations to Terminal Delta 1A (later renamed Terminal 2) on 1 July 1994, retaining only nine of its 21 original members of staff. Delta Air Lines, the newly designated field treatment of the carrier departures were produced, lost and found, passenger check, gate, ramp, and functions of baggage hall, although Austria had itself continue to act in ticketing, load control, administration, supervision and management capabilities.
Also in 1994, Austria took delivery of the first of two long-range, quad engine A-340-200 configured with 36 business class and 227 economy class passengers. The two planes, serving New York periodically during the subsequent decade, appeared with the following registrations:
1. OE-LAG
2. OE-LAH
From February 1997 to February 1998, Austria has also moved its check-in desks and office operations at Delta Terminal three, but otherwise operated in the same campaign.
1997 also marked the first time that the transatlantic route to New York had sufficiently matured to assistance a second begin on particular days during the summer time schedule, with aircraft arriving in 2045 and redeparting in 2205. usually operated by aircraft OE-LAC, an A-310 with an activity reduced capacity, but higher-section on the economy-class capabilities, theft late had encouraged better connections with the Bank the afternoon of departure from Vienna.
7. The excellence of the Atlantic
Once once more producing the airline-deregulation need to realign and to seek additional price reduction synergies, Austrian Airlines has integrated its operations from JFK with Sabena and Swissair on 1 March 1998 beneath the Excellence Alliance Atlantic, forming the first sorting station carrier. Although employees of the three carriers had continued to wear their respective uniforms, they had worked passenger service offices or individual load control, utilizing a joint Austrian, Sabena and Swissair check-in facility, and also handled some of other flights. During the peak summer time season, seven every day departures operated by 4 airlines had been offered.
Station Excellence Atlantic was composed of eight functions, including Control, arrivals, departures, VIP / Special Services, ticketing, load control, ramp supervision and troubleshooting. Because Swissair had already been hired to offer services Malev-Hungarian Airlines charge sheet, the Load Control Service itself had resulted handling about six kinds of aircraft, including 747, A-340, MD-11, A-330, 767, and A-310 and Euro-Atlantic integration Excellency had frequently needed training courses inter-carrier.
As had been singularly with Austrian Airlines, Delta had also concluded reciprocal two-letter code sharing agreements with Sabena and Swissair, but now had the marketing agreement to the former status of alliance significantly to full-Delta's New York-JFK flight maturation. Delta hub has continued to offer the ramp and functions baggage room for three companies of excellence of the Atlantic.
In August this year, Austria had taken delivery the first 4 longer term, higher-capacity A-330-200S, registered OE-LAM and configured for 30 business and 235 economy class passengers, and the kind was finally replaced the workhorse A-310-300 fleet. The 4 aircraft, operating later with a reduced capacity of 24 business class when the idea of Grand Class was presented, included the following registrations:
1. OE-LAM
2. OE-LAN
three. OE-LAO
four. OE-LAP
During the summer time schedule of 1998, JFK had responded to its first dual-kind aircraft operation, first begin with the standard way used by the A-330 and the second by the A-310.
8. Star Alliance
Although a final "answer Swissport," beneath which all Atlantic Excellence JFK ground staff would be transferred to the business handling ground had been envisaged, the possibility had never played. Rumors, roaring via the station as early indicators of Fresh storm waiting, had invaded the atmosphere by mid-1999. A new strategy seemed to loom on the horizon and its seeds planted long before it had bloomed, was multi-faceted encompassing and Omni.
1. In June 1999, Delta Air Lines and Air France had formed the foundation a new global alliance, later recognized as SkyTeam, thus dissolving the 25 months Austrian / Delta / Sabena / Swissair excellence of the Atlantic Alliance which Agreement without renegotiation would have expired in August 2000.
2. Despite a limit agreed investment of 10%, however Swissair attempted to buy extra shares in Austrian Airlines, Austrian excluding the objective of self identity and independence of ownership and forcing her to withdraw from the Swissair led Qualiflyer Alliance of European carriers.
three. Swissair and Sabena, had formed a joint management structure commercial, which was once more proved contrary to the independent management of Austrian Airlines.
four. In early 2000, as Sabena Swissair and have concluded a cooperation agreement code share with American Airlines, an airline of the United States against the alignment of the feeding strategy Austrian Airlines U.S..
Austrian Airlines, a small but lucrative international carrier of considerable quality, nevertheless need to reach a global alliance to remain financially viable and thus concluded a membership agreement with United and Lufthansa-led Star Alliance, which became effective March 26, 2000. But the largest and oldest alliance, it was then composed of Air Canada, Air New Zealand, All Nippon, Ansett Australia, Austrian Airlines, British Midland, Lauda Air, Lufthansa, Mexicana, SAS, Thai Airways International, Tyrolean, United and Varig, and had collectively produced 23 percent of passenger traffic the globe. At the same time, the choice had permitted continued independent identity and operate autonomously, but the potential for expansion of each for the airline and its hub in Vienna. Expressed as a sense, the choice could be stated as: "Here we develop once more!"
The portion of Excellence from the Atlantic to the Star Alliance, having begun in January 2000, he had to complete 4 changes:
1. A new IT (information) technologies system and loyalty program.
2. The relocation operation for new terminal an office of passenger service, passenger check-in counter, control of aircraft load dispatch center, and gate at the airport JFK.
three. New code alliance of airlines and flights sharing traffic led to the closure of the station in Atlanta and the opening Later in Chicago and the reopening of offices in Washington the United States.
four. Corporate Training in wide migration Oberlaa, Austria.
Star Alliance, once once more causing a relocation to Terminal 1 at JFK Airport, has attracted An additional alter in handling transport of Delta to Lufthansa, which has now provided services, baggage and passengers Check functions, although Austria itself has continued to act in the capacity of departures, ticketing, load control, ramp supervision and management. Beneath an agreement reciprocity, he has also provided services to passengers of Lufthansa for its personal Frankfurt departures outside operational hours. loading of the aircraft and functions of baggage room had been provided by Hudson Common, which was later renamed GlobeGround North America.
In a reduction Additional price reduction strategy, Austrian Airlines had moved into a smaller, much less office rent of passenger services on the ground floor Terminal 1 in September 2002, when the load control / ramp function monitoring had been assigned to Lufthansa. No longer serving flights from Lufthansa, Austrian staff has been reduced to six full-time and two component-time positions and hours of travel per day decreased from nine to eight.
Bigger capacity-Austrian aircraft A-340-300 - for 30 business class and 261 economy class passengers - have also services provided intermittently at JFK, especially during the summer time of 2002 when a schedule of late Saturday departure had been expected. Two such aircraft had then been in the fleet:
1. OE-LAK
2. OE-LAL
9. Swissport France
Orientation consistently to reduce expenses has led to another manipulation, alter of business at JFK airport on January 1, 2003, when most of land services had been transferred from Lufthansa at Swissport USA.
In preparation for the alter, the passenger-Swissport service had attended the Check-In Guide course in Vienna in December 2002, although an agent Swissport, which structured the Directorate Baggage Services, had attended the World Tracer Basic Course in October the following year.
Equipped uniformed Austrian Airlines staff had produced Swissport arrivals, lost and found, Passenger Check-In Boarding Gate, control the loading ramp and supervisory functions, although Austria itself has continued to offer ticket sales, administration, supervision and services management. Load control, which was originally performed in the terminal four utilizing the DCS system Swissair, have been transferred Terminal 1 and Lufthansa WAB system after the operating staff Swissport has completed a computerized Load Control course in Vienna Mars.
10. North Station Training Program
Because most agents Swissport had small experience Airline prior had been unfamiliar with the item of Austrian Airlines and procedures, and had mostly had a basic entry-level services to passengers of course, I attempted to create a training program for local development description classes, writing manuals, designing quizzes and exams, the courses themselves, and subsequently issued training certificates to prepare them more adequately to carry out their functions.
The program, tracing its journey to the Austrian airline Airlines Passenger Handling Course established in 1989 and the introduction Load Control material written in 1998, has evolved into the full North Station Training Program, whose content is updated in accordance with the aircraft, system, process, and alter alliance, it had taken 4 integrated curriculum of "initial passenger service", "Ramp Supervision certification", "Load Control degree "and" management business, "and eventually consists of 27 passenger services, ramp monitoring, load control, Air Cargo Company Air and station management process and training manuals, two stories of the station, 28 programs of study, and 63 courses at Austrian Austrian Airlines and Delta Airlines handling carriers, Lufthansa Passenger Handling Services / Maca, SAS, Servair and Swissport at North American eight stations in Atlanta, Cancun, Chicago, Montreal, New York, Punta Cana, Toronto and Washington.
The program, which quickly became the equivalent of a business Air "" University "and has frequently been cited as the cause why Swissport staff had consistently sought to transfer on account of Austrian Airlines, had frequently proved extremely useful in their career progress, facilitating the promotion or acceptance by other companies.
11. Boeing and Lauda at JFK
JFK, hitherto exclusively served by Austrian Airlines and its fleet A-310 A-330 A-340 Airbus widebody, had received his first regular Lauda Air 767 operations during the summer time of 2004, although frequency was multiplied by 4 occasions the following year. In 2007, it had totally replaced the 17 years of service to Airbus.
Founded in April 1979 by Niki Lauda, the famous race car, Lauda Air has acquired the license for charter Alpair Vienna 5 million shillings and was undertaken and a charter air taxi service in cooperation with Austrian Airlines, with two turboprop Fokker F.27 Friendship, his predecessors in the Austrian Air Fokker F.50 Services was itself later exploited. Niki Lauda, born in Vienna, Austria, in 1949, had amassed his fortune as a racing driver in Formula I, after have won two league titles and 25 World Grand Prix races. It quickly became clear, however, that two Austrian carriers could coexist due to fierce competition, the pressure drop performance, and a basic lack of local market, and was finally F.27 leased from Egyptair.
Six years later, in January 1985, two BAC-111-500, a twin-jet Colombia reminiscent of the Caravelle SE.210 size, scope and style, have been leased from Tarom Romanian airlines, growing its fleet capacity of 208 seats, and they were then produced on the Charter and Inclusive Tour (IT), first to Greece, but later to other European destinations. The demand became so high that it has finally surpassed the capacity and bigger 737-200, leased from Transavia Holland had replaced 1 of the BAC-111, with two later eliminated during the delivery of two more large capacity, new technologies 737-300s. These had been operated on a growing network of road freight.
In Might 1986, Lauda Air had applied to the Austrian Ministry of Transport to obtain a license to operate international services. This was approved in November 1987, ending to Austrian Airlines' long-monopoly. An acquired later, 235 passengers, dual-class Boeing 767-300ER has long-range intercontinental flights being inaugurated, the first 1, Might 7, 1988, had been expected weekly Vienna-Bangkok-Hong Kong service, shortly joined by a Vienna-Bangkok-Paris sector. Satisfying the need for Low-fare, long-haul leisure travel oriented, Lauda Air has grown rapidly. In 1985, for example, he had produced 95,768 passengers and flew 2522 hours of flight with 67 employees, although in the first ten months of 1987, it had carried 236,730 passengers and had 5364 hours of flown with 169 employees, an increase of 147 passengers per cent. In 1990, its fleet had increased to five aircraft, consisting of three 146-passenger 737-300 and two 235-passenger 767-300ER, which had been deployed on charter services to destinations European destinations such as Spain and Greece, Middle East as Israel and Africa and the Far East, and scheduled services to Vienna, Bangkok, Hong Kong and Sydney.
Earning a license for a European service to be held August 23, 1990, for the first time, a right hitherto held possession only by Austrian Airlines She started service from Vienna to London-Gatwick, with five weekly flights 737-300.
Seeking to enter the Austrian market, Company German airline Lufthansa has announced a business cooperation with Lauda Air in July 1992, sealing the alliance, in January following a capital increase of 26.5 percent shortly after the two carriers had launched a 4-weekly 767-300ER service to Los Angeles.
Well aware of competition from companies Austrian on inter-European routes from its market restricted Vienna, Lauda had sought to launch its personal service capacity of small, 50-seat twin-engine Canadair Regional Jets, ordering six of the group in October 1993, which had been deployed on routes to Barcelona, Madrid, Brussels, Geneva, Manchester and Stockholm, with the beginning of the summer time schedule March 27, 1994. Singapore, which has replaced Bangkok in November of that year, was turn out to be the new "bridge" between Vienna and Sydney / Melbourne, and the weekly service 767 has been doubled.
On March 26, 1995, Lauda Air had established a European platform on the other hand, Milan-Malpensa, in cooperation with Lufthansa, which now held a 39.7 per cent stake in the business Austrian nascent based three of the six originally ordered CRJ-100 there. These were produced in Vienna, Manchester, Brussels, Paris, Barcelona and Dublin. Candair regional jets, with an growing number of 737, had provided the backbone of its European fleet.
It was quickly became apparent that, pending the European deregulation would be unlikely to tolerate dozens of airlines, aircraft, unless they had served extremely small, niche market particular. Lauda Air had been unable to survive in the competition once before Austrian Airlines. Each had operated in the medium and long-term, twin-engine aircraft from bases in Vienna and had offered considerable quality service to passengers. An ultimate cooperation with Austrian Airlines seemed inevitable. This had been partially consumed In June 1996, when Austrian Airlines and Lauda Air had operated the aircraft single, the double-coded flights to Good, Milan and Rome with regional jet for the first time. On March 12, 1997, it had been expanded, with the announcement of a strategic strategy, tri-carrier Austrian / Lauda / cooperation Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines is now 36 per cent stake in its former competitor with Lauda will withhold 30 percent and Lufthansa 20 percent.
On September 24 of that year, Lauda Air has taken delivery of its second kind of widebody, the 777-200, which was inaugurated into service in the Vienna-Singapore-Sydney-Melbourne route on October 1, replacing the venerable 767.
21 September 1999, now 1 of the three integral "Austrian Airlines Group" members with Austrian Airlines itself and Tyrolean Airways, Lauda Air announced its intention to join the Star Alliance network, which became effective March 26, 2000.
As forearm expenses in group three Airlines, Lauda Air has provided medium and long term charters and scheduled services on leisure-oriented routes with a 4-kind fleet of 22 aircraft, preserving its personal brand identity. In 2004, however, the first step towards integration with the Austrian Airlines had occurred with the ratification of a joint Austrian Lauda Air crew in the cockpit of the contract, and in January 2005, OE-LAE aircraft became the first of 4 767-300s have been repainted colored Austrian Airlines With the new system of interior colors and 24 in business class and 230 economy class passenger configuration. Lauda Air had itself reverted entirely to a single class, high-density charter carrier in the Austrian Airlines Group has a fleet-body close to Boeing 737 and Airbus A-320s.
In summer time 2004, Lauda 767 flight, which had functioned as an addition to the every day frequency Austria during the period of 11 weeks from June to 26 September 5th, arrived at 2055 on Saturday evening and left some 25 hours later on Sunday at 2200. To prepare the station for the extra service, local passenger service Boeing 767 and Boeing 767 load control courses was created and taught the staff to Swissport. Because Lufthansa had not been dismissed on the Boeing 767, the maintenance had been assigned to Delta Air Lines, which had operated three -200, -300, and -400 series 767, and a night quit and extensive safety procedures had been performed before taxiing back to-1: platform of the terminal exactly where the security seals on time was applied to all gateways. The incoming galley equipment had been unloaded and washed and prepared for the subsequent evening.
Departure late had been a tough sell in the cab business without huge marketing promotion and reduction of expenses due to aircraft and 36-Amadeus passenger capacity class. Due to the size of its rear lower door post of goods and loading of pallets were restricted to 4 positions in the forward compartment. The aircraft themselves had operated in a combination of Lauda Air and delivered to Star Alliance.
During the Summer 2005 the timetable, the 767-300 has worked up to 4 extra frequencies per week from 14 June to September 2 and 11 weekly flights departing JFK, with the A-330 standard operating the service fast and 767-300 providing the flight late.
In 2007, the kind was totally replaced A-330 and A-340 fleet.
12. Centralized Load Control
In late 2006, a idea recognized as centralized load control "(CLC) system was implemented at the JFK airport and train station, just as the core of a atom, became the heart of it all.
Trends Brainchild of Michael Steinbuegl, JFK Station Manager, the process following set from Swiss International New York, Cape Town Lufthansa and SAS in Bangkok, has its origins in an earlier draft of investigation in which he explored reductions expenses utilizing a large single, centralized control department office in Vienna and a number of other more regional, even if it achieved inherently language barriers and time zone. Michael, a former Aircraft Handling Manager, had acquired considerable experience in operational procedures and techniques, central to which was weight and balance.
Seeking to apply this knowledge and at the same time trying to remedy incompatible systems and communication difficulties encountered with the SAS Bangkok agreement in Washington, he discussed the first station, who, like JFK, already used Lufthansa WAB system. In the process, he set sail for the transitions to come by travel assignment local station to establish constant procedures and then writing a detailed brochure on. The first charge sheet centralized the flight from Washington, OS 094, occurred on 1 November 2006.
Charlie Schreiner, the head of Austrian Airlines Load Control, subsequently marked the occasion the following words: "With Austrian Airlines Flight OS 094 on November 1st, our first line station were connected to a centralized mechanism regular load control device with ULD. All operations to prepare operational flight, load planning, coordination ULD, and WAB documentation system, inclusive of the charge sheet submitted to the carrier via ACARS, had been controlled successfully by our station JFK yesterday. I want to thank our colleagues Mike and Robert Waldvogel Steinbuegl for professionals and well-organized preparation procedures of the CIS, as well as the Austrian ladies, Regula Lingeman Eva Munz and Washington and the handling agents in JFK and Washington (Swissport and SAS Scandinavian Airlines System) in their work to engage in this transition. This good work has also led the first flight departing three minutes before its scheduled departure time. I wish all participants success in the process of the CIS. "
The rest of the AIS program, however, gradually involved placing implemented. In Might the following year, the service had been Reinaugurated Chicago. Because it could now be considered a "new" station, it logically followed that the load sheet is included in the SIC system from the begin and, despite the differentiation pc system had been successfully adapted to the first flight on Might 29 after procedural modifications.
With these cities are managed by JFK, it was made the decision to integrate the last station of North America in Toronto, whose central charge sheet was first published on July 1.
3 Austrian Airlines devoted Swissport charge controllers, two of whom had worked on a day given during the peak summer time season, had formed centralized Load Control Team System.
Because the fourth station was built, JFK had produced some 120 sheets per month charge, and the system was a fantastic success has led to numerous advantages.
1. He has primarily all, considerable savings.
2. All flights had departed on time in relation to the charge sheet loading and preparation.
three. The 4 North American flights were handled operationally by a single controller charging more per day that JFK had been a departure distinctive.
four. All appraisal reports load and load sheets has been generated in the Lufthansa system WAB.
5. And in Vienna had immediate access to all load control data and documentation.
13. Boeing 777
While Austrian Airlines had turned the page of the calendar Winter 2008-2009 on March 29, JFK had responded to its first Boeing 777-200ER operation the largest carrier equipment capacity and kind of base used fifth to New York after the A-310, A-330 A-340 and the 767.
The aircraft, having originally been acquired by Lauda Air, had been configured for 49 business and 258 economy class passengers, even though two examples, which had been marked by an increased gross weight and passenger modified arrangements had permitted 260 passengers in economy class ten abreast, three, 4, three configurations.
During the six months between April and September 2009, the only flight was produced 34 percent more passengers board and landed with supplements significantly increased freight and mail than a year comparable to the prior period, when the 767 had been produced.
The 4 777 records have been:
1. OE-LPA
2. OE-LPB
three. OE-LPC
four. OE-LPD
14. Lufthansa Acquisition
2009 was a pivotal year for Austrian Airlines. Because the global economic downturn, escalating fuel costs, erosion yields and powerful competition inside the Western Europe of low-price carriers, monetary viability and therefore continued existence as a business have been threatened, despite attempts strains its earlier losses by selling its A-330 and A-340 fleet, reducing its network of long-range routes, and implement a number of plans restructuring. His savior in the form of an agreement with German airline Lufthansa to take on its debt and acquire the majority of its shares, permitted him to continue to operate.
On August 28, the European Commission formally approved the proposed acquisition of Austrian Airlines Group Lufthansa German Airlines, composed of the restructuring of 500 million euros from the state holding business and the merger between the two carriers, thus paving the way for the integration of Austrian Airlines in the Lufthansa Group in September. To obtain the necessary antitrust immunity, Lufthansa had agreed to relinquish slots primary flight and reduce the number of services between Vienna and Brussels, Cologne, Frankfurt, Munich and Stuttgart. AUSTRIAN Airlines, which would turn out to be 1 of the monetary survival of numerous independent European hub carriers, he motioned for Lufthansa; an economic foundation improved, price synergies, such as the typical fuel and aircraft purchases, and access to international sales of large Lufthansa and network of highways personal niche. Austrian Airlines inside the system had led to the establishment of Vienna as a hub of high performance energy traffic to its dense central and eastern European road system.
Because of this alter in ownership, numerous basic changes in North American had occurred.
In Toronto and Washington, for example, agreements were concluded in which Lufthansa took ground operations handling these stations.
In New York, more than half of its Whitestone, North American headquarters, employees had been dismissed and the place, almost 1 quarter of a century, its "fortress", located on the fifth floor of Octagon Plaza had been closed, with the other staff in the transfer of Lufthansa East Meadow, Long Island, installation and integration with its staff.
At JFK Airport Austrian Airlines Cargo was moved to the facility Lufthansa on November 1 and 16 days later, had spent the Swissport ground handling torch to Lufthansa German Airlines.
Michael Steinbuegl, director of the station for 4 years, was promoted to Key Account Manager, North America, The ticket sales, but 4 reserve items was produced redundant when Lufthansa took over these functions, reducing the staff of the Austrian Airlines Airlines just three members, all had received restricted six month contract had expired Might 15, 2010. They were then embedded in operation of Lufthansa and timing.
The last Austrian Airlines' presence red, "though having been created by airlines Austrian or purely Swissport staff, took place November 15 and the office on the first floor of Terminal 1, till then "home" each for Austrian Airlines and Swissport management, passenger service, Centralized load control, sales Ticket reservations and service Baggage / Lost and Found departments, had been abandoned for three panels of the installation of Lufthansa, two of which were locations of employment Manager located on the main level and 1 of which was the Key Account Manager position located at the lower level in the office operations of the stations.
All issues seem to come full cycle. The event, ending 21 years of Austrian Airlines autonomous presence, marked the return of the carrier its integration in 1938 with Lufthansa and its 2,000 ground-handling arrangements to JFK airport.
15. JFK Station Forces
All through its 21 years of presence at JFK International Airport, Austrian Airlines has handled five kinds of aircraft - the Airbus A-310, Airbus A-330 Airbus A-340, Boeing 767 and Boeing 777, had taken 4 methods - initial sound Operating independently, the Delta Air Lines agreed to code sharing, sorting carrier Atlantic Station Excellence and integration of Star Alliance, effective from JFK 4 terminals - Terminal 1, Terminal Two, 3 Directors and the International Arrivals on the building, had been treated by three airlines - Delta Air Lines, German airline, Lufthansa, and Swissport France, and had used two pc systems.
Because talent and skills of numerous staff had been channeled to produce creative and innovative achievements in the last chapter of his life, JFK had marked up a number of strengths and successes, some were permitted to play a role more nucleic North America. These achievements can be subdivided as follows:
1. The manuals and courses were then used to replicate this success at other stations North American of Austrian Airlines.
2. The burden of centralized control (CTC), the Department, including the preparation of the load instruction reports and load sheets for the 4 stations in North America in Chicago, New York, Toronto and Washington, was extremely effective and had once brought 4 kinds of aircraft: the Boeing 767, Airbus A-330, Airbus A-340 and Boeing 777.
three. Omar himself had frequently traveled other stations to restructure their baggage services departments.
four. The sale of tickets, reservations counter, edited by Sidonie Shields has always raised significant quantities of annual revenue in ticket sales, excess baggage and other fees.
5. The visible presence of Austrian Airlines in red uniforms for the passenger, regardless of whether worn by Austrian Airlines and Swissport staff.
6. Flights special, such as those carrying the group Rabbi Twersky, the American Music Abroad group, the group IMTX, the Boys Choir of Vienna, the Vienna Philharmonic, and Life Ball, the latter with its high-profile celebrities, colorful characters and parties before the departure.
7. Special events, including "The Year in Review," the Pennsylvania ski trips, summer time pool parties, birthdays, dinners Thanksgiving and the Secret Santas at Christmas.
8. And, finally, every day briefings, family atmosphere, jokes, laughter, blows, and the connection of the man who has always stressed the forces of life behind it.
Steinbuegl Michael, who commands suppose JFK Station Manager in September 2005, had grown and orchestrated environmental measures that had permitted every of these strengths and achievements have been produced.
16. Two decades of elasticity
Austrian Airlines, previously among the companies smaller European airlines have had to assume a considerable degree of necessary "elasticity" during his 21 years at the airport JFK ebb and flow turbulence in changing market conditions, seeking monetary benefit from powerful synergistic niche market alliance realignment and alter of ultimate ownership. Defying the Darwinian philosophy, including the "survival of the fittest" is frequently prediction translated by "survival of the greatest," Austrian Airlines has, despite numerous redirects needed, confirmed, however, prompting maybe reformulation of philosophy to read, "survival of the small" - which should be added "as a global player."
To this finish, the latter strategy has enabled the carrier to survive. For station JFK and his staff, however, he did not.
Epilogue
Because I had been hired by Austrian Airlines, two months before her inaugural transatlantic flight from JFK March 26, 1989 and held a number of positions any in its 21 year history, I had felt singularly qualified to write his story. It is basically my story. It is what I experienced. And what I leave ...
About the Author
A graduate of Long Island University-C.W. Post Campus with a summa-cum-laude BA Degree in Comparative Languages and Journalism, I have subsequently earned the Continuing Community Education Teaching Certificate from the Nassau Association for Continuing Community Education (NACCE) at Molloy College, the Travel Career Development Certificate from the Institute of Certified Travel Agents (ICTA) at LIU, and the AAS Degree in Aerospace Technologies at the State University of New York – College of Technologies at Farmingdale. Having amassed almost three decades in the airline business, I managed the New York-JFK and Washington-Dulles stations at Austrian Airlines, created the North American Station Training Program, served as an Aviation Advisor to Farmingdale State University of New York, and devised and taught the Airline Management Certificate Program at the Long Island Educational Opportunity Center.
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