The Austrian long-haul programme is to be realigned in the course of the coming year and another Boeing 777 will be integrated into the fleet in January 2007, and enter service on scheduled routes from February onwards. With the beginning of the summer schedule, the company’s North American product range will be expanded from April 2007 by another direct Vienna-Chicago-Vienna connection, while the number of flights to New York increases up to 13 frequencies per week. Seat capacity to Washington will be increased by using a Boeing 777 during summer season. In Asia, a new and growing market is currently being evaluated in Karachi, the commercial centre of Pakistan and a city that would fit into Austrian’s intercontinental network. A third destination in India is also under evaluation, though the final details of the plan depend on additional traffic rights. Due to the use of the Boeing 777 on routes to Tokyo and Bangkok in future, seat availability on these routes will be increased. The newly extended Business Class product, with its comfortable lie-flat sleeper seats, will enter service on all Boeing 777 and Boeing 767 flights in summer 2007. Based on an overall evaluation of its long-haul portfolio, the Austrian Airlines Group has decided to terminate its Australian routes to Sydney and Melbourne with effect from the end of March 2007.

The schedule to North America is to be rounded off with Chicago, the city in the mid-west US that is the central hub of Star Alliance partner United. Four non-stop flights a week are planned from April onwards, which will be increased to daily Airbus A330 services from June. The programme will include ten flights a week to New York from April, a figure which will rise to 13 frequencies a week in high season. Washington will be served daily by using a Boeing 777 in future, while Toronto will continue to be served by up to daily flights using an Airbus A330.

On the Asian routes, use of the Boeing 777 to Tokyo (six times weekly) and Bangkok (daily) will mean an increase in seat availability. 49 Business Class lie-flat sleeper seats will be available on either service in future, as well as 260 Economy Class seats. Daily flights will operate to Delhi, with the Boeing 777 being used on a seasonal basis. Five flights a week will be provided to Mumbai (Bombay). Austrian will continue to be the only airline to serve Kathmandu from Central Europe, with nonstop flights operating once a week.

The range of warm-weather destinations to be served on Austrian scheduled routes will also be expanded during the winter of 2006/2007. Colombo in Sri Lanka and Malé in the Maldives will be served up to three times a week. Phuket in Thailand will also be included in the programme, with two flights a week, and the dream island of Mauritius will continue to enjoy one direct connection to Vienna per week during the cold winter months.
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