Steam Trains From Great Britain and Beyond

The history of Austrian Airlines at JFK

1. Austrian Airlines Origins

genesis Austrian Airlines can be traced back to March 20, 1918, when the Austrian Postal Administration has inaugurated daily scheduled service courier from Vienna to Kiev with stops in Krakow, Lwow, and Proskurow, a journey whose average stage was 250 kilometers. If space had permitted, the passengers had been made. The great success, timeliness of service was then extended Proskurow of Odessa and Vienna to Budapest. However, a flight ban, implemented at the end of the First World War had led to its end.

When the ban was finally lifted, then returned to Austria in the civil aviation market with the founding of the Oesterreichische Luftverkehrs AG (OELAG) May 12, 1923 with a first million Crown-funded investment Junkers, a German aircraft manufacturer (49 percent), Austrian and other shareholders (51 percent). Beginning a regular service from Munich to Vienna a couple of days later, he had used a Junkers F.13, a single engine, low-wing monoplane which had been marked by an enclosed cockpit and cabin and had relied on a tail wheel. OELAG eventually operated several versions of this robust, but (then) modern design, and soon had a growing demand for larger aircraft, the first had been a greater capacity, Tri-motor Junkers G24 in 1927 and delivered the second of which was the most advanced G.31, delivered the following year. Perhaps the final design was Ju.52/3m the Junkers, a tri-engine aircraft to 18 passengers with a gross weight of 24,000 pounds and a cruising speed of over 150 km / h, which joined the fleet in 1936. Most large national companies East and Western Europe had also operates the type at the moment.

The following year, the road system had beamed OELAG Athens, Belgrade, Berlin, London, Paris, Prague, Rome, Zurich and, in addition to integrating multiple destinations Austrian interior, a large part of daily service. He eventually became the fourth European carrier after Lufthansa, KLM and Air France, with 975,840 seats-km week. Coinciding with the growth OELAG was the achievement of five Austrian airports – namely, Graz, Innsbruck, Klagenfurt, Salzburg and Vienna.

When Austria was absorbed by the Third Reich in 1938, had been incorporated in OELAG Deutsche Luft Hansa (DLH). Nevertheless, It had 120,000 passengers flew 7.5 million kilometers without a fatal accident during his reign.

2. Initial growth

When The Second World War had ended, Austria, now independent, have signed the peace treaty with the four occupying powers in 1955, and again sought to enter the field of civil aviation in forming a flag carrier. Two of these national airlines have actually been proposed: Air Austria formed by the Austrian People's Party and funded by KLM and later, Fred Olsen, a Norwegian charter company, and Austrian Airways, formed by the Socialist Party Austria and financially supported by SAS. Neither ever flew and the two were eventually combined on 30 September 1957 to form an integrated society FSU with an initial 60 million investment that has adopted, such as Phoenix, his name prewar Oesterreichische Luftverkehrs AG, but the equivalent English "Austrian Airlines" was used. The company has emerged.

Owner had included Austrian investors private, 42 per cent owned enterprises, 28 percent, SAS, 15 percent, and Fred Olsen, 15 percent. Austria has launched a regular service on March 31, 1958 after a suspension of 20 years with four leased Vickers V.779 Viscounts, medium power, four-engine turboprop designed by Great Britain and first deployed on the road to Vienna, Zurich and London. Austria had finally returned to the sky.

Growth proceeded rapidly and In 1960 he took delivery of the four largest capacity, stretched Vickers Viscount V.837, which opened May 23 in service, and the following year, he received the Vickers Viscount V.845 for links of lower capacity slightly. The two British turboprop provided a reliable and economical, V.837 not be retired until 1971. The Douglas DC-3, the best-selling commercial aircraft of all time, was also acquired at that time and has to Austria to launch domestic services on 1 May 1963, a road that will later be served by the Austrian air. This device has been replaced by the more advanced, more capable, turboprop Hawker Siddeley HS.748-2 in 1966, another British design.

Austrian Airlines entered the jet age on February 20, 1963 when he inaugurated the first of five Sud Aviation Caravelle VIR SE.210-twin-jets in service and decor its eventual strategy of operating in the short and medium term, low to medium capacity, two tail t-jets on a predominantly European (And later North Africa and Middle East) route structure. Designed in France, the Caravelle was calm, cruise over time, and reducing time of flight between the capitals of Europe, and had in fact been the first design to enable economical, short-range, pure-jet service.  

3. Transatlantic Experience

Contrary to vessels flying the flag most European countries, which had operated transatlantic service looks to U.S. and Canada with quad-engine DC-4 from the Second World War, Austrian Airlines has maintained its medium-range system of roads until 1 April 1969. It was then that he had spread its wings across the Atlantic with a large capacity Boeing 707-320 Intercontinental registered OE-LBA and chartered Airways Sabena Belgian World, which had been deployed on the route from Vienna to New York with a stopover in Brussels. This experience Transatlantic supposedly "," despite the delay in launching Austria, has finally proved both premature and a financially sound one for two principal reasons:

1. The market house had been too small.

2. Vienna-Schwechat was insufficiently developed as a hub, providing flights between the transatlantic service which few could transfer passengers.

Resultantly, after a two-year trial, 707 were returned to Sabena on March 31, 1971, once again leaving Austria to focus on its network of routes mainly continental for which nine short and medium term, low-capacity McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30s was ordered.

Similar in overall design of the Caravelle, but manufactured in the United States, the airliner does tail offered a seating capacity slightly higher, greater load capacity useful, more gross weight, more powerful engines and improved economy, and with it Austria has entered a new era would reach almost two decades. He later described this concept as "the beginning of something great, classic and always modern." The first DC-9-30 was delivered on June 19, 1971 and the type was soon found to be the mainstay of its fleet.

In 1974, Austria has leased a McDonnell-Douglas DC-8-63F, registration OE-IBO, Overseas National Airways (ONA) cargo services to Hong Kong, but they were later dropped. other than the 707-320, the DC-8-63F was the only other large-capacity, long-term jet engine quad.

So versatile and popular design DC-9 proved to be later, Austria has ordered five tense, higher capacity DC-9-50. The first of them had been submitted September 14, 1975.

This twin-engine aircraft such as the interruption of its transatlantic services were appropriate strategies for Austrian national carrier has been reflected by its positive growth effects. On June 26, 1974, for example, a new maintenance base was opened International Airport Schwechat-Vienna. Its value has also continued to swell: in 1967, its share capital has increased by $ 140 million AUS AUS 290 million. In 1969 it had increased to 390 million euros. And in 1962 it had reached the billion mark. During each of three years from 1972 to 1974, he had posted a profit. Its road system was also expanded: in 1976, Austria had extended its wings in Cairo in the Middle East and Stockholm and Helsinki in Scandinavia.

Demand, as excess capacity, required an initial order of eight McDonnell Douglas DC-9-80 replace its DC-9-50. Also known as DC-9 Super 80, this aircraft was a modernized version of the previous variant -50 series for deployment medium term and featured a fuselage section more for higher capacity and refanned, deeper, and more fuel-efficient Pratt & Whitney JT8D-209 engines. Austrian, who shared the distinction of being the launch customer for the design with Swissair, has inaugurated the first elongated DC-9-81 in service October 26, 1980 in the Vienna-Zurich route with aircraft OE-LDR "Wien". The jet was then renamed the MD-81 and quickly became the workhorse short and medium term fleet.

New additions to the road system of constant expansion included Larnaca in 1979, Jeddah, also in 1979 and Tripoli in 1981.

Another milestone in 1980 was the foundation of Austria Air Services (AAS), which became a wholly owned subsidiary, Austrian operate domestic routes with two 19-passenger Fairchild Swearingen Metro II turboprop commuter aircraft. The service was first was made on April 1.

Austrian plied sky smooth. Indeed, 1980 had indicated a balance AUS 71.5 million net profit, one tenth consecutive time.

The MD-81 intemittently proven to be as perfectly adapted to its road system that the jet SE.210-VIR DC-9-30, and the DC-9-50 had been, was followed by his short-derivative fuselage, the MD-87, which ordered on 19 December 1984 for Road areas of lower capacity, and the Austrian Air Fleet Services has also been improved with the addition of two Fokker 50 passenger twin-turboprop F.50 who were commissioned on September 25 next year.

4. Back Transatlantic

Operating a fleet modern, fuel efficient on a growing system of roads and carrying nearly 1.5 million passengers in 1986, Austria once again considered intercontinental service, now both in New York to the west and Tokyo in the east, and at the end he had converted his previous order two mean Airbus Industrie-310-200 long-range A-310-300 June 25, 1986. Austria had signed the original memorandum of understanding for the A-310-200 as far as April 18, 1979, a date that should be a decade before the service would actually get off the ground. Three factors could be cited why the time could be ripe for a revival of this service:

1. In the intervening 15 years since the last service Intercontinental had been terminated, the market had increased considerably, a fact demonstrated by the increases in force in service to U.S. non-stop in Vienna, provided by Pan Am, Royal Jordanian, Tarom and New York and Chicago American.

2. Its route structure in general all also provided excellent connections with Western Europe, North Africa and Middle East destinations.

3. The A-310 has enabled long thin routes, including Lyon-New York with Air France, Frankfurt-de-France with Lufthansa, Istanbul-New York with you, and in New York, Stockholm with Pan Am have been served.

The decision to restore service intercontinental scheduled for spring of 1989, had been officially made two years earlier, June 25, 1987, and would be provided by two Pratt & Whitney-powered A-310-300 that will serve as New York to Vienna and Vienna-Moscow route to Tokyo, the latter in cooperation Aeroflot and ANA All Nippon Airways. These services were predicted to have depended on connecting passengers to profitability. On the road to New York For example, a 66-percent break-even load factor were necessary during the first year of operation, consisting primarily of United States of origin, Austria-originating and connecting passengers. Both roads had counted on the lucrative, high-yield passengers frequent business that have not been able to benefit from falling, rates restricted. Austrian Airlines will offer a first class cabin on its A-310-300 for first time in its history.

The first aircraft, registered OE-LAA "New York", was released December 22, 1988, and the second, OE-LAB "Tokyo", was followed in January. The aircraft had been the first major airline carrier, are two-lanes.

Austria had placed on the transatlantic market in the United States on Easter Sunday March 26, 1989, when two puffs of smoke scored the touchdown of the double red-white-red widebody jet delivered, configured for 12 first class, 37 business class and 123 economy class passengers at JFK mid-spring warm weather. After a short half-turn, the aircraft, operating flight OS 502 and controlled by the captain and first officer Braeuer Kutzenberger had tug was detached from the door to 1900 with 121 passengers, which would be served by nine flight attendants, and took off in the twilight of Deep Purple a takeoff weight of 153,603 pounds, 40,300 had been fuel for the voyage across the Atlantic. The flight had been 18 years in manufacturing.

Airport, reservations, sales, marketing and staff subsequently collected in the Icelandair Saga lounge used by its business class passengers for a friendly drink and a group photo.

The road to Tokyo was opened in the summer and the A-310, to become Austrian widebody intercontinental if she had served for over a decade, the operation of several United States, Africa and Far East destinations with four aircraft in a two-class configuration headquartered final as follows:

1. OE-LAA

2. OE-LAB

3. OE-LAC

4. OE-LAD

In the summer of 1989, Austrian Airlines had served 54 cities across 36 countries in the United States, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, the Africa Northern, Middle East, and Japan with a total path length of 100,358 km unduplicated. These services were operated by 26 aircraft consisting F.50 Fokker, McDonnell-Douglas MD-81/82/83/87, and the Airbus A-310-300, whose average age was then four years and had been describable as follows:

1. Airbus A-310-300: A long-range, medium capacity, wide-body, twin-aisle, twin-jet airliner – Austrian Airlines jet intercontinental. Austrian Airlines had appointed a "European Intercontinental."

2. McDonnell-Douglas MD-81: In the medium term, capacity average narrow body single-aisle, twin-jet airliner – Austrian Airlines European, North Africa and Middle East war horse. Austrian Airlines had described as a universal airliner medium-haul and the mainstay of its fleet. "

3. McDonnell-Douglas MD-82: The carrier had ordered variant "of functions for regular and charter services."

4. McDonnell-Douglas MD-87: The short fuselaged Version of lower capacity have been "tailored to its needs for capacity and range."

5. Fokker F.50: Short-and regional-level, low-capacity narrow-body, single aisle, twin-engine turboprop aircraft operated by Austrian Airlines Austrian subsidiary air services on domestic and long, thin routes international. Austrian Airlines said it was "an expert propjet city jump."

In addition to Austrian Air Services Austrian Airlines owned 80 per cent of the Austrian Air Transport (AAT), which operated the charter in the world and travel packages (IT) with two flights of Austrian Airlines and Austrian Air Aircraft Services, having carried 506,000 passengers in 1988. He also maintained a close marketing agreement with Tyrolean Airways, which operated services Innsbruck with 37 passengers de Havilland Canada DHC-8-100 and 50 passengers DHC-7-100.

5. JFK Station Evolution

Training original held in Austria North American headquarters of airlines Whitestone, New York, and taught by Peter "Luigi" Huebner began Feb. 6, 1989, or about six weeks before the inaugural flight, and included the passenger "I manipulation" and "Adios check-in classes.

Austrian Airlines JFK first location, the East Wing of the non-plus-existing International Arrivals Building, had shared facilities with Icelandair, five Austrian specific check-in and used jointly Icelandair Saga Lounge, the former equipped with computers, automated boarding pass printers, laser printers and readable luggage tags. The ground staff, fully employed and trained by Austria and laid out his uniform, made all the functions: passenger services, ticket sales, lost and found, control charge, administration, supervision and management.

However, the success of the operation relied on material which had maintained and she had been the decision of Airbus Industrie scale down its full-size A-300 which had led to the A-310-300 made the eventual reintegration transatlantic operation. His long-range twin-engine, wide body design, the competing technology, had offered the same range and comfort to two lanes as the specific comparable quad engine 747 or the three-engine DC-10 or L-1011, but at the same time was a quiet, aircraft fuel with a capacity small enough to permit profitable operations of the year. The largest 747, DC-10 or L-1011 would, because of the market size, have been forced to operate at a loss for most of the year except during the peak summer travel season. All of the other, and long-range aircraft, including Boeing 707 and McDonnell-Douglas DC-8 had been marked by old generation, fuel-thirsty, noise-emitting, four-engine design technology of the early 1960s that, because of new requirements apply step 2 of noise, was prohibits the operation of the United States, unless they have been hush-kitted and installed engines. He had been due to the very A-310 by Austrian Airlines and other smaller European airlines, as he had been able to operate the profit in the long, thin area of Vienna-New York route.

The initial 1989 schedule had offered six flights per week during the summer and five in winter, when two A-310-300 has worked both transatlantic New York and the Far East, via Moscow, Tokyo. They flew alternately sectors in the longer term in Tel Aviv, Istanbul and Tehran. In During the first six months of operation JFK plane had never experienced a delay due to excessive aircraft scheduling and punctuality has been exemplary.

Service on board had represented a large portion of airline costs. As a result, most carriers have begun to reduce this to reduce costs. Austrian Airlines, however, has remained unique in a world altitude reduced to paper cups and snacks in providing printed menus, toilet, porcelain service, free alcoholic beverages, and headphones free in coach cabin on the New York Vienna and New York-Vienna route, a concept that had put its product at the top of the list of quality.

Because of the size of the A-310, however, space bottom-loading bridge had been limited to the host before the devices typically hold baggage loading unit (CPU) and rear cargo capacity of the cargo itself, which had often been limited to two pallets and a single unit of AKE.

There has always been a certain "prestige" to fly to New York. Although the number of passengers per year who enter the United States through JFK had begun to decline in a growing number of U.S. gateways alternative became available, he had always been the most important point of entry. New York has remained the most logical destination for a small carrier that had served only one city of the United States. Because JFK had dealt with traffic in 1990 (then) inadequate business outmoded 1950s international arrivals building facilities, operation often suffered degradation of service, especially during peak arrival when he was very tense, causing delays during taxi and immigration, the recovery luggage and customs formalities. The conditions of saturation of traffic that stretches from Boston to Washington in which the aircraft had fly, the more dense approach circuit formed by JFK, LaGuardia and Newark International Airports and the last difficulty in obtaining a niche landing also impacted operations. Passengers were often underestimated the time needed to complete the treatment after arrival actually off the plane. He, however, was against this background that Austrian Airlines had chosen when he chose to share the experience of New York. "

Although these negative aspects of the operation was sometimes placed in a poor light, he had indeed been JFK operations, and not Austria, which had been observed, since all carriers operating in JFK was the victim of these evils, and because of them, a large renovation and reconstruction project, named "JFK 2000" had now been launched, leading to the construction or renovation almost all the terminals, parking garages, and a lighting system of the international airport rail.

Although New factors load York Vienna was initially low, they had increased steadily until the vast majority of flights had been full. Large groups Tour had been a growing part of the mix of passengers, and the expected transient connection, which had been able benefit from the expansion hub Vienna. It was the ultimate testament to a carrier when a passenger chose to fly with him and establish a connect to its platform through rather than flying non-stop with a national carrier.

As an attempt to "second" to across the Atlantic, Austrian Airlines A-310 intercontinental service in New York has finally been proven.

With the acquisition of its third A-310-300 OE-LAC registered, Austrian Airlines had tried to serve a second gateway in the United States in spring 1991 and wanted to establish a presence on the West Coast, specifically in Los Angeles, but the A-310-300 flight duration of 11 hours had prevented this reality. Chicago had been considered as alternative, but the U.S. service own nonstop Boeing 767-200ER in Vienna Chicago-O'Hare, where he had established his second hub, proved too competitive and Washington-Dulles was chosen instead.

For the European Network Continental increased gross weight McDonnell-Douglas MD-83 had been scheduled for delivery in 1991 and several of the current MD-81s was scheduled for conversion this standard, enabling increased range and / or payload capacity. Two other Fokker F.50s had also been on the order or option to facilitate increased domestic and long, thin internationally.

During the period of five years, from 1989 to 1994, Austrian Airlines had operated independently at JFK Airport, offering as little as four departures per week during the winter and no less than seven during the summer.

6. Delta Air Lines Codeshare

changing market conditions required change strategies at the airport JFK. Seeking to align with a domestic air carrier of the United States to obtain vital "feed" 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 places the two letters "OS" code on flights operated by Delta, while Delta itself would be another post two letters "DL" on the Austrian Code Services. Two flight attendants at Delta in their own uniforms, had first served in the cabins of the Austrian A-310S to and from Vienna.

Although the concept was gradually drawn from financial benefits, the plane was eventually allowed to reach the high load factor, covering both Austrian and Delta passengers to cities of the United States by two dozen New York to Vienna, often beyond, Travel.

To reduce the cost of ground handling and achieve synergistic, the Inter-service carriers, Austrian Airlines has relocated its operations to Delta Terminal 1A (later renamed Terminal 2) on July 1, 1994, leaving only nine its 21 staff members home. Delta Air Lines, the newly appointed ground handling carrier, flew arrivals, lost items and found, the passenger check, gate, ramp, and baggage hall functions, while Austria had itself continued to act in the load control, ticketing, 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 devices used regularly in New York during the next decade, appeared with the following entries:

1. OE-LAG

2. OE-LAH

From February 1997 to February 1998, Austria has also moved its check-in and the operational office in Delta Terminal 3, but otherwise operated under the same campaign.

1997 also marked the first time that the transatlantic route to New York had sufficient matured to support a second start on certain days during the summer schedule, with the aircraft on arrival to 2045 and redeparting to 2205. usually operated by aircraft OE-LAC, A-310 with a company reduces the capacity, but the article of greater capacity the economy class flight delay had contributed to improving connections with the Bank south from Vienna.

7. Atlantic Excellence

Once again yielding corporate realignment deregulation-need and seeking to promote the realization of synergies reduction costs, Austrian Airlines has integrated its operations with JFK Sabena and Swissair on March 1st, 1998 under the Atlantic Alliance of excellence, forming the first sorting station-holder. Although employees of the three carriers have continued to wear their uniforms respective, they had operated a passenger service individual offices or load control, using a common Austrian, Sabena, Swissair and check-in facility, and also treated each other flights. During the peak summer season, seven daily departures operated by four airlines had been offered.

Atlantic Station Excellence was composed of eight functions, including control, arrivals, departures, VIP / Special Services, ticketing, load control, ramp monitoring, and troubleshooting. Because Swissair had already been engaged to provide services Malev Hungarian Airlines-sheet loading, the function control of the office itself had led to the manipulation of six types of aircraft, including 747, A-340, MD-11, A-330, 767, and A-310, and the integration of the Atlantic Excellence often need training international carriers.

As was particularly with Austrian Airlines, Delta has also concluded reciprocal agreements with two letters sharing code with Sabena and Swissair, but now the arrangement made marketing status of the former Alliance flight significantly maturity Delta New York-JFK hub. Delta has continued to provide ramp and baggage hall functions for the three airlines excellence Atlantic.

In August this year, Austria took delivery of the first four in the longer term, higher-capacity A-330-200, registration OE-LAM and configured for 30 companies and 235 passengers economy class, and the type was finally replaced the workhorse of a fleet-310-300. The four aircraft, later, with an operating capacity of the reduced from 24 business class when the concept of the Grand Class was introduced, included the following registrations:

1. OE-LAM

2. OE-LAN

3. OE-LAO

4. OE-LAP

During the summer schedule of 1998, JFK had responded to its first dual-function type aircraft, with the first departure from the standard way used by the A-330 and the second by the A-310.  

8. Star Alliance

Although a final "Swissport solution" under which all the ground staff of the Atlantic Excellence JFK would be transferred to the assistance company layovers, had been considered, the possibility had never played. Rumors, in scolding the station as a fresh storm SIGNS underway, had invaded the atmosphere by mid-1999. A new strategy seemed to loom on the horizon and its seeds planted long before she budded, was multi-faceted and all-encompassing.

1. In June 1999, Delta Air Lines and Air France had formed the fundamental basis of a new alliance World SkyTeam named later, thus dissolving the 25-month Austrian / Delta / Sabena / Swissair Atlantic Excellence Alliance, the Agreement without renegotiation, would have expired in August 2000.

2. Despite the limitation of agreed investment of 10%, Swissair had nevertheless attempted to buy other Austrian Airlines shares, excluding Austrian goal of identity Independently owned and forcing it to withdraw from the Swissair led Qualiflyer Alliance of European carriers.

3. Swissair and Sabena had formed a management structure combined business, which had proved yet once opposed to independent management of Austrian Airlines.

4. In early 2000, both Sabena and Swissair had concluded a cooperation agreement codeshare with American Airlines, American Airlines-alignment against Austrian Airlines strategy of feeding USA.

Austrian Airlines, a small but profitable international carrier quality considerably, nonetheless need to reach a global alliance to remain financially viable and thus concluded a membership agreement with United and Lufthansa-led Star Alliance, which took effect on March 26, 2000. Still the largest and oldest alliance, it was then constituted by Air Canada, Air New Zealand, All Nippon, Ansett Australia, Austrian Airlines, British Midland, Lauda Air, Lufthansa, Mexicana, SAS, Thai Airways International, Tyrolean, United Nations, and Varig, and had collectively made 23-percent of passenger traffic in world. At the same time, the decision had allowed independent identity and continued to operate independently, yet a possible expansion for both the airline and its hub in Vienna. Expressed as a sense, the decision could be declared as "Here we grow again!"

The transition from the excellence of the Atlantic to the Star Alliance, had already begun in January 2000, had resulted in four changes integral:

1. A whole new IT (information technology) system and frequent flyer program.

2. Relocation of operations a new terminal, the office of passenger services, passenger check-in, load control, aircraft dispatch center, and gate at JFK.

3. The new airline alliance code-sharing flights and feed traffic has forced the closure of the station Atlanta and the subsequent opening of Chicago and the reopening of stations in Washington the United States.

4. The formation of scale migration Business in Oberlaa, Austria.

Star Alliance, once again causing a shift to Terminal One at JFK airport had invited another change is handling, Delta to Lufthansa, which has now provided the services, baggage and passenger check-in functions while Austria itself had continued to act in the capacity of arrivals, ticketing, load control, ramp supervision and management. Under a reciprocal agreement, he also provided services to passengers of Lufthansa out of Frankfurt for his own during the hours of non-operational. aircraft loading and baggage hall functions were provided by Hudson General, which was later renamed GlobeGround North America.

In another strategy to reduce costs, Austrian Airlines had moved to a smaller, low-rent passenger service office on the ground floor Terminal One in September 2002, when the load control / ramp supervision function had been assigned to Lufthansa. acts more flights Lufthansa, the Austrian staff had been reduced to six full-time and two part-time jobs and working hours are daily from nine to eight.

greater capacity Austrian aircraft, the A-340-300 – host the class 30 business and 261 economy class passengers – by intermittently also provided services to JFK, especially during the summer of 2002 when a late start schedule on Saturday was expected. Two of these aircraft were then in the fleet:

1. OE-LAK

2. OE-LAL

9. Swissport USA

The coherent idea to reduce costs has led to another change in treatment company at JFK on January 1, 2003, when most of the land services were transferred from Lufthansa Swissport USA.

In preparation for the change, staff for passenger Swissport attended the course guide Arrival in Vienna in December 2002, when an employee of Swissport which structured services luggage service, had attended the World Draw a basic course in October the following year.

Equipped with uniform Austrian Airlines, Swissport staff had done arrivals, lost and found, the registration of passengers, the gate, load control, ramp and monitoring functions, while Austria itself had continued to provide ticket sales, administration, supervision and management. Load control, which had originally been made in Terminal 4, using the DCS Swissair had was transferred to Terminal One and Lufthansa WAB system after operations Swissport staff had taken a load control computer Although sure to Vienna in March.

10. North Station Training Program

Like most agents Swissport had little experience in previous company, had been familiar with Austrian Airlines product and procedures, and had mostly had a basic level Input passenger service courses, I tried to create a training program at the local level by writing the course description, writing manuals, designing quizzes and exams, the courses themselves, and then issuing certificates of training to better prepare them adequately to perform their functions.

The program, tracing its journey to the Austrian Airlines Passenger Handling Course established in 1989 and the introduction of load control equipment written in 1998, has evolved into the full The North American station training program, whose content is updated in accordance with the aircraft, system, procedure, and the change of alliance, it took four integrated curriculum "initial passenger service", "Supervision Certification ramp, "" License load control "and" management of airlines, and came to include 27 Passenger Service, Ramp surveillance load control, air freight, and Company management station procedure and training manuals, two stories station, 28 programs of study; and 63 courses at Austrian Airlines and Austrian Airlines, manipulation supports Delta, Lufthansa Passenger Handling Services / Maca, SAS, and Swissport to Servair North America eight stations in Atlanta, Cancun, Chicago, Montreal, New York, Punta Cana, Toronto and Washington.

The program, which had quickly become the equivalent of an airline "University" and has often been implemented, such as why staff Swissport had steadily tried to transfer to the account Austrian Airlines, had often proved very useful in their career progress, facilitate the promotion or acceptance by other companies.

11. Lauda Boeing and JFK

JFK, hitherto exclusively served by Austrian Airlines and its fleet of A-310-A 330 and A-340 widebody aircraft, had received his first regular Lauda Air 767 operations during the summer 2004, while the frequency was multiplied by four times the following year. In 2007, he had completely replaced the service 17 years of Airbus.

Founded license the Charter in April 1979 by Niki Lauda, the famous racing cars, Lauda Air had acquired Alpair Vienna ATS 5 million and launched the charter and air taxi service in cooperation with Austrian Airlines Fokker F.27 Friendship both engines, predecessor of Fokker Services F.50s Austrian airline itself had later exploited. Niki Lauda, born in Vienna, Austria, in 1949, had amassed his fortune as a racing driver Formula I, having won two world championship titles and 25 Grand Prix races. It was quickly apparent, however, that the two Austrian carriers can coexist because of fierce competition, the pressure drop performance, and an insufficient basis on the local market, and the F.27 was finally leased Egyptair.

Six years later, in January of 1985, two BAC-111-500, a twin-jet Colombia is reminiscent of the Caravelle SE.210 size, scope and design, was leased by Tarom Romanian Airlines, increasing its fleet capacity by 208 seats, and they were then deployed on the charter and inclusive-tour (IT), first to Greece, but later to other European destinations. demand has become so high that it had finally surpassed available capacity and greater 737-200 leased from Transavia Holland, had replaced one of the BAC-111, with two later eliminated when the delivery of two more large capacity, new technology 737-300. They were operated on a network of roads Charter continues to grow.

In May 1986, Lauda Air had applied to the Austrian Ministry of Transportation for a license to operate international services. This was approved in November 1987, thus ending a longstanding monopoly Austrian Airlines. Following acquired, 235 passengers, two B767-300ER has enabled long-distance flights Intercontinental which will be inaugurated, the first, May 7, 1988, was a weekly in Vienna, Bangkok and Hong Kong service, shortly joined by a sector of Vienna-Bangkok-Paris. Filling the need for a lower fare, long-haul leisure travel oriented, Lauda Air has increased rapidly. In 1985, for example, had flown 95,768 passengers and flew 2,522 hours of flight with 67 employees, while in the first ten months of 1987, he conducted 236,730 passengers and had flown 5,364 hours with 169 employees, an increase of passenger 147-percent. In 1990, its fleet had increased to five aircraft, composed of three passengers and two 146-737-300 235-767-300ER passenger, who had been deployed on charter services to European destinations destinations such as Spain and Greece, the Middle East as Israel and Africa and the Far East, and scheduled services to Vienna, Bangkok, Hong Kong and Sydney.

Earning a license to operate a regular European August 23, 1990 for the first time, a right hitherto held by only owner of Austrian Airlines, it began service from Vienna to London-Gatwick with five weekly flights 737-300.

Seeking to enter the Austrian market, Lufthansa German Airlines announced a business cooperation with Lauda Air in July 1992, this alliance sealing of January following a capital increase of 26.5 per cent, shortly after the two carriers had launched a service of quad-weekly 767-300ER in Los Angeles.

Well aware of the competition for Austrian Airlines on routes within Europe from its limited market Vienna, Lauda had sought to open its own service for small capacity 50 seats, twin-engine Canadair Regional Jet, the command type six in October 1993, which had been deployed on roads in Barcelona Madrid, Brussels, Geneva, Manchester and Stockholm with the beginning of the summer schedule on March 27, 1994. Singapore, which had replaced Bangkok in November that year, became the new "bridge" between Vienna and Sydney / Melbourne, and the weekly service 767 was doubled.

26 March 1995, Lauda Air has created a second European center of Milan-Malpensa, in cooperation with Lufthansa, which now held a 39.7 percent in the carrier-young Austrian, three based initially ordered six CRJ100 it. These were made in Vienna, Manchester, Brussels, Paris, Barcelona and Dublin. The Jets Candair regional, with a growing number of 737, has provided the backbone of its European fleet.

He soon became Clearly, the pending European deregulation would probably not tolerate airlines dozen aircraft, unless served very small, specific market niches. Lauda Air has been unable to survive against competition from airlines Austrian times before. Both had operated in the medium and long term, two-engine aircraft from bases in Vienna and had offered considerable quality service to passengers. Cooperation with Austrian Airlines last seemed inevitable. This was partially consumed in June 1996, when Austrian Airlines and Lauda Air operated a single plane, dual-code flights to Nice, Milan, Rome and with regional jets for the first time. On March 12, 1997, it had been expanded with the announcement a strategic plan, three-door Austria / Lauda / cooperation Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines now take a 36 per cent of its former competitor Lauda himself with retaining 30 per cent and 20 per cent of Lufthansa.

On the 24th of September this year, Lauda Air has taken delivery of its second aircraft type wide body, the 777-200, which was inaugurated into service on the route Vienna-Singapore-Sydney-Melbourne on October 1, replacing the venerable 767.

On September 21, 1999, now one of the three integral "Austrian Airlines Group" members with Austrian Airlines, Tyrolean itself Airways, Lauda Air has announced its intention to join Star Alliance, which became effective on March 26, 2000.

Since the arm at a lower cost within group three airlines, Lauda Air has provided medium and long-term scheduled and charter services on leisure-oriented routes with a four-type, fleet 22 aircraft, retaining its own brand identity. In 2004, however, the first step towards integration with the Austrian Airlines brand has taken place with the ratification a joint contract Austrian Lauda Air flight crew, and in January 2005, aircraft OE-LAE became the first of four 767-300 aircraft have been repainted in the livery of the company Austrian Airlines, featuring the new color interior and a business class and 24-230-economy configuration class passengers. Lauda Air itself is entirely up to one class, a charter high density carrier in the Austrian Airlines Group fleet with narrow-body Boeing 737s and Airbus A-320.

The summer of 2004 Lauda 767 flights, which operated as a supplement to the daily Austrian frequency during the 11 week period from June 5 to Sept. 26, arrived at 2055 on Saturday night and left some 25 hours later Sunday at 2200. To prepare the station for the additional service, local passenger Boeing 767 and Boeing 767 Service Charge during control has been created and taught staff to Swissport. Because Lufthansa had not been dismissed on 767 maintenance had was assigned to Delta Air Lines, which operates the three -200, -300, -400 and 767 series, and a night stop and extensive safety procedures had been performed before taxiing back to the Terminal One's platform, which seals the time security had been applied to all doors. The incoming kitchen equipment had been unloaded and washed and prepared for the next evening.

Departure Late proved difficult to sell in the cabin considerable business without marketing and promotion of the rate reduction due the aircraft then 36-passenger Amadeus capacity class. Due to the size of its rear-door bottoms bridge, loading pallets had been limited to four positions in the forward compartment. The aircraft themselves had operated in a combination of Lauda Air and Star Alliance delivered.

During the hours Summer 2005, 767-300 ran up four flights weekly from June 14 to September 2 resulting in 11 weekly departures from the airport JFK, operating A-330 standard version and fast service 767-300 providing the flight late.

In 2007, the guy had completely replaced the A-330 and A-340 fleet.  

12. Centralized load control

In late-2006, a concept known as "Centralized control of the charge" (CTC) system has been implemented at JFK airport and Train station, as the nucleus of a atom, has become the heart of it all.

Original idea by Michael Steinbuegl, JFK Station Manager, the procedure, following the trends set by Swiss International New York, Lufthansa to Cape Town, Bangkok and SAS, has its origins in an earlier draft of investigation in which he explored cost reductions using a large single charge of centralized control of service in Vienna and several regional ones, although the latter made obstacles inherent Language and time zone. Michael, former director of aircraft handling, had acquired considerable experience in establishing operational procedures and methods, central to which was the weight and balance.

Seeking to apply this knowledge and at the same time try to remedy the incompatibility of the system and communication difficulties encountered with the arrangement SAS-Bangkok to Washington, he raised the first station, which, like JFK, already used the system Lufthansa WAB. In the process, he set course for future transitions by travel service to establish procedures for local-station compatible, then writing a detailed brochure about them. The first charge sheet centralized for the flight from Washington, OS 094, took place on November 1st July 2006.

Charlie Schreiner, the head of Austrian Airlines' load control, subsequently marked time by the following words: "With Austrian Airlines Flight OS 094 on November 1, our first line station was connected to a regular load process with centralized control aircraft ULD. All activities to the pre-flight operational planning support, coordination and ULD WAB Documentation system, including the load sheet sent to the interior via ACARS, had been successfully controlled by our station JFK yesterday. I want to thank our colleagues Mike and Robert Waldvogel Steinbuegl for professional preparation and highly organized procedures CIS and the ladies Austrian, Regula Eva Munz and Lingeman Washington and the handling agents in JFK airport and Washington (Swissport and SAS Scandinavian Airlines System) their work is delivered during this transition. This good work has also led the first flight departing three minutes before its scheduled departure time. I wish All participants much success in the process of CIS.

The rest of the CIS program, however, involved progressively implemented. In May the following year, the service was reinaugurated Chicago. Because it could now be considered a "new" station, logically followed that the load sheet is included in the SIC system since the beginning and, despite differentiation system was adapted successfully with the first flight on May 29 after procedural modifications.

With these cities is treated by JFK, it was decided integrate the last station in North America, Toronto, the first centralized load sheet was published on July 1.

Three Austrian Airlines dedicated charge regulators Swissport, two of whom had worked on a given day during the summer, had filed the charge control Centralized Team System.

Since the fourth station was built, JFK had produced a few leaves charge 120 per month, and the system a lot of success has led to many benefits.

1. It was, first and foremost, realize significant savings.

2. All flights departed on time compared to plan the loading and preparation of spreadsheets.

3. The four North American flights operations were managed by one controller charging more per day that JFK was a single departure.

4. All appraisal reports loading and worksheets have been generated in the system Lufthansa WAB.

5. Vienna and had immediate access to all load data related to monitoring and documentation.

13. 777

When Austrian Airlines had turned the page its schedule of winter 2008-2009 on March 29, JFK had responded to its first Boeing 777-200ER operation, the carrier's equipment for the highest capacity and the fifth basic type of serving New York after the A-310, A-330 A-340 and the 767.

The plane, after having originally been acquired by Lauda Air, has been configured for 49 business and 258 economy class passengers, although two examples later, what had was marked by a higher gross weight and passenger modified arrangements had allowed 260 passengers in economy class ten abreast, three, four, the three, configurations.

During the period of six months between April and September 2009, the only flight carried 34 percent more passengers embarked and disembarked significant increase with additional freight and mail, as the comparable period a year earlier, when the 767 had been deployed.

The four 777 records have been:

1. OE-APL

2. OE-LPB

3. OE-LPC

4. OE-LPD

14. Lufthansa Acquisition

2009 was a pivotal year for Austrian Airlines. Due to the global economic recession, soaring fuel prices, the erosion of yields and strong competition in Western Europe from low cost carriers, its viability Financial and thus continued existence as a company had been threatened, despite earlier attempts to stem its losses by selling its A-330 and A-340 fleet, reducing its network of long distance connections, and implementing several restructuring plans. His savior in the form of a agreement with Lufthansa German Airlines, to assume its debt and acquire the majority of its shares, allowed him to continue to operate.

On August 28, European Commission formally approved the proposed acquisition by the Austrian Airlines Group, Lufthansa German Airlines, consisting of 500 million aid euros to restructure the state holding company and the merger between the two carriers, thus opening the way for Austrian Airlines integration into the Lufthansa Group in September. To obtain the necessary antitrust immunity, Lufthansa had agreed to waive key slots and reduce the number of services between Vienna and Brussels, Cologne, Frankfurt, Munich and Stuttgart. For Austrian Airlines, which became one of financial survival Lufthansa many independent European hub carriers, he noted, a foundation upturn, cost synergies, such as mixed fuel and purchase of aircraft and access to Lufthansa's extensive network of international sales and transport. Austrian Airlines' own niche in the system had led to the establishment of Vienna as a hub for high-performance power to the heavy traffic at its central and Eastern European road system.

In consequence of this change of ownership, many fundamental changes in North America have been place.

In Toronto and Washington, for example, agreements have been concluded in which Lufthansa took the ground handling operations of stations.

In New York, over half of its Whitestone, head of North America, employees have been fired and the location, nearly one quarter of a century, its "fortress" on the fifth floor of the Octagon Plaza, had been closed, with the rest of the staff in the transfer of Lufthansa East Meadow, Long Island, installation and integration with its staff.

At JFK, Austrian Airlines Cargo had moved ease of Lufthansa on November 1, and 16 days later, had passed the torch Swissport ground handling for airlines Lufthansa German.

Michael Steinbuegl, director of the station for four years, was promoted to Key Account Manager, North America, but four tickets sales positions reservation had been made redundant when Lufthansa had assumed these functions, the reduction of the Austrian Airlines staff of only three members, who All had been limited contracts of six months had expired May 15, 2010. They were then integrated into the operations and schedule of Lufthansa.

The last Austrian Airlines' presence red, "if, having been created by companies or purely Austrian staff Swissport was held November 15 and the office on the first floor of Terminal A, previously the "home" for the Austrian Airlines and Swissport management services to passengers, the burden of centralized control, Ticket Sales, Reservations, and luggage / Lost and found departments, had been abandoned for three offices in the installation of Lufthansa, two of which had been Manager duty stations located on the main level and one of which had been Key Account Manager position located at the lower level in the office of station operators.

All things seem to come full cycle. The event ending 21 years of independence presence Austrian Airlines, had marked the return of the carrier to its integration with Lufthansa in 1938 and its layout 2000 ground handling at JFK.  

15. Forces Station JFK

Throughout its presence for 21 years at JFK International Airport, Austrian Airlines had treated five types of aircraft – Airbus A-310, Airbus A-330, Airbus A-340, Boeing 767 and Boeing 777, took four strategies – its initials stand-alone operation, Delta Air Lines a codeshare agreement, the tri-Atlantic carrier Excellency the station and integration of Star Alliance, had operated from JFK four terminals – Terminal One, Terminal Two, Three Terminal, arrivals international construction was handled by three companies – Delta Air Lines, Lufthansa German Airlines and Swissport USA, and had used two computer systems.

Because the talents and capabilities of a large number of staff had been channeled to produce deliverables creative and innovative in the last chapter of his life, Kennedy had won several strengths and successes, some of whom were allowed to play a role increasingly nucleic North America. These achievements can be subdivided as follows:

1. The manuals and courses were then used replicate this success for Austrian Airlines other stations in North America.

2. The centralized control of the charge (CTC) Department, involving the preparation of loading instructions, reports and calculation sheets for the four stations in North America in Chicago, New York, Toronto and Washington, was a great success and has participated once four types of aircraft: the Boeing 767, Airbus A-330 Airbus A 340 -, and the Boeing 777.

3. Omar himself has often traveled to other stations in order to restructure their baggage services departments.

4. Sales of tickets, reservations cons, edited by Sidonie Shields has always collected large amounts of annual turnover of sales of tickets, excess baggage, and other expenses.

5. The visible presence of Austrian Airlines in red uniforms for the passenger, whether worn by Austrian Airlines or staff Swissport.

6. The special flights, such as those bearing the group Rabbi Twersky, the American Music Abroad group, the group IMTX, the Vienna Boys' Choir, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, and Life Ball, the latter with its high-level celebrities, colorful characters, and the parties prior to departure.

7. Special events, including "The Year in Review", ski trips to Pennsylvania, summer pool parties, birthdays, Thanksgiving dinners, and the Secret Santas at Christmas.

8. And, finally, the daily briefings, the family atmosphere, the jokes, laughter, blows, and the connection of the man who has always stressed the forces of life behind it.

Steinbuegl Michael command assumes that JFK Station Manager in September 2005, had cultivated the environment and orchestrated steps that have allowed each of these strengths and achievements have been made.

16. Two decades of elasticity

Austrian Airlines, hitherto among smaller European airlines, had assumed a considerable degree of necessary "elasticity" during his 21 years JFK, ebb and flow in the turbulence of changing market conditions, financial research services, the synergistic force, niche market, the realignment of the Alliance, and the ultimate change of ownership. Challenging the Darwinian philosophy, which "survival of the fittest" prediction is often translated as "survival of the greatest", Austrian Airlines has, despite many redirects needed, proved the contrary, perhaps leading to a reformulation of philosophy to read, the "survival of the small" – which should be added, "as an actor World. "

To this end, the latter strategy has allowed the carrier to survive. For the station from JFK and his staff, however, he had not.

Epilogue

Because I had been hired by Austrian Airlines flight two months before her inaugural transatlantic JFK on March 26, 1989 and had held several positions there throughout its history of 21 years, I had felt singularly qualified to write his history. It is, essentially, my story. That 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 Technology at the State University of New York – College of Technology at Farmingdale. Having amassed almost three decades in the airline industry, 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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