Lauda Air

Lauda Air was an Austrian airline established in 1979 by Niki Lauda, the former Formula One world champion. It began as an independently controlled charter operator and initially flew with a small fleet of Fokker F27 aircraft. During the 1980s and 1990s, the airline expanded from holiday and charter flying into scheduled passenger services, combining European routes with long-haul operations from Vienna to destinations in Asia, the Middle East, North America, and the Caribbean. The airline’s identity was closely associated with Lauda’s public profile and with an image of Austrian quality, service, and operational ambition. Its network expanded substantially after scheduled operations began in 1988. Long-haul services included routes from Vienna to Australia via Asia, while later schedules included destinations such as Dubai, Miami, and Cuba. For European flying, Lauda Air introduced regional jet aircraft and developed connections to additional European and Scandinavian markets. It also pursued international partnerships, including a strategic relationship with Lufthansa, and established Lauda Asia Airways in Taiwan during the early 1990s. Lauda Air’s development was affected by the financial and competitive pressures of the airline industry, as well as by the consequences of the 1991 crash of Lauda Air Flight 004 in Thailand. The accident, caused by the uncommanded deployment of a Boeing 767 thrust reverser, killed all 223 people aboard and became the defining tragedy in the company’s history. Investigations led to changes in aircraft systems and operating procedures across the aviation industry, while Lauda Air continued operating afterward. The company increasingly became integrated with Austrian Airlines. Austrian Airlines acquired full ownership in December 2000, and Lauda Air’s flight operations were merged with Austrian Airlines in 2005. Thereafter, Lauda Air functioned principally as the group’s leisure and charter brand rather than as a fully independent airline. Fleet rationalization led to the withdrawal of its long-haul charter activity and a greater emphasis on short- and medium-haul leisure routes, including flights operated with Boeing 737 aircraft. Lauda Air was formally merged into Austrian Airlines on 1 July 2012, with its aircraft transferred to Austrian Airlines. The brand continued for a limited period in the group’s leisure business, but it was retired at the beginning of the 2013 summer timetable. From 31 March 2013, its leisure-flight and holiday-offer role was replaced by the Austrian myHoliday brand. Lauda Air therefore survives as a historical airline brand rather than as an active carrier.

Lauda Air was founded in April 1979 by Niki Lauda, who had recently established a public identity beyond motor racing through his Formula One career. The airline began flying in May of that year with two Fokker F27 aircraft. Its initial business centered on charter services, particularly leisure travel, and it progressively introduced larger aircraft as its operations developed. Charter flying continued until 1983, after which the company experienced a period of inactivity before large-scale charter operations resumed in 1985. That year, ITAS Austria acquired a 49 percent interest. A major transformation began in 1988, when Lauda Air launched scheduled services. In May, it inaugurated long-haul routes from Vienna to Sydney and Melbourne, operating through Bangkok. During the 1990s, those Australian services were rerouted through Kuala Lumpur and Bali. The airline also expanded its international network with services to Dubai, Cuba, and Miami via Munich. These routes gave the company a profile considerably broader than that of a conventional seasonal charter carrier. The airline continued to develop its European network in the early 1990s. It introduced Bombardier CRJ-100 regional jets for intra-European routes and connections toward Scandinavia. In 1992, Lauda Air formed Lauda Asia Airways in Taiwan. It also entered into a strategic alliance with Lufthansa in 1992, with the relationship becoming more established the following year. These initiatives reflected an attempt to combine the flexibility of a relatively small airline with the network reach and commercial support of larger aviation groups. The most serious event in Lauda Air’s history occurred on 26 May 1991. Lauda Air Flight 004, operated by Boeing 767-300ER OE-LAV and named Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, crashed in Thailand shortly after departing Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok. The accident was attributed to the uncommanded deployment of one of the aircraft’s thrust reversers during flight. All 223 passengers and crew died. The crash prompted extensive technical investigation and contributed to changes affecting thrust-reverser systems and procedures. Lauda Air continued operating after the accident, although the event remained central to its historical record. Austrian Airlines gradually became the decisive corporate force in Lauda Air’s later development. Austrian Airlines Group obtained full ownership in December 2000. In 2005, Lauda Air’s flight operations were merged into Austrian Airlines, while the Lauda Air name was retained for charter and leisure activity within the group. Fleet changes approved in the mid-2000s included the reduction of Airbus wide-body aircraft and a move toward Boeing 767 and Boeing 777 aircraft for remaining long-haul activity. Subsequent fleet reductions led to the withdrawal of long-haul charter operations and a renewed concentration on short- and medium-haul routes. Boeing 737-800 aircraft were used for much of this charter flying. The Italian subsidiary Lauda Air S.p.A. ceased operations in 2007. The company’s independent corporate existence ended on 1 July 2012, when Lauda Air was formally merged into Austrian Airlines and its aircraft were transferred to the parent carrier. The brand remained visible in the group’s holiday business for a short time. At the beginning of the 2013 summer schedule, on 31 March, the Lauda Air name was retired and replaced by Austrian myHoliday for Austrian Airlines’ leisure flights and holiday offers. Lauda Air is consequently a defunct airline brand whose history spans independent charter and scheduled operations, international expansion, integration into Austria’s flag carrier, and eventual brand retirement.

• 2013

  Brand retirement

  [1]Lauda Airen.wikipedia.org

  Lauda Air ceased to exist as an operating brand and was replaced by Austrian myHoliday for leisure offers.

• 2012

  Corporate merger with Austrian Airlines

  [1]Lauda Airen.wikipedia.org

  Lauda Air was formally merged into Austrian Airlines and its aircraft were transferred to the parent carrier.

• 2005

  Flight operations are integrated

  [1]Lauda Airen.wikipedia.org

  Lauda Air’s flight operations were merged with Austrian Airlines, leaving the brand focused on charter and leisure services.

• 2000

  Austrian Airlines acquires full ownership

  [1]Lauda Airen.wikipedia.org

  Lauda Air became a wholly owned subsidiary of Austrian Airlines Group.

• 1992

  Lufthansa alliance and Lauda Asia Airways

  [1]Lauda Airen.wikipedia.org

  Lauda Air entered a strategic alliance with Lufthansa and established Lauda Asia Airways in Taiwan.

• 1991

  Flight 004 accident

  [2]Lauda Air Flight 004en.wikipedia.org

  Lauda Air Flight 004 crashed in Thailand after an uncommanded thrust-reverser deployment, killing all 223 people aboard.

• 1988

  Scheduled and long-haul services begin

  [1]Lauda Airen.wikipedia.org

  Lauda Air started scheduled operations and launched long-haul services from Vienna to Sydney and Melbourne via Bangkok.

• 1985

  Large-scale charter operations resume

  [1]Lauda Airen.wikipedia.org

  After a period of inactivity, Lauda Air resumed substantial charter flying and began a new phase of fleet and business development.

• 1979

  Lauda Air is founded

  [1]Lauda Airen.wikipedia.org

  Niki Lauda established Lauda Air in April, and flight operations began in May with two Fokker F27 aircraft.

Austrian leisure and passenger airline associated with Niki Lauda’s personal reputation, combining charter operations, scheduled international services, and a service-oriented premium image.

• Airline transportation · 1988

  Scheduled passenger services

  Lauda Air operated scheduled passenger flights from Austria beginning in 1988. Its network included European routes and long-haul services from Vienna to Australia, Asia, the Middle East, North America, and the Caribbean. The scheduled business gave the airline a broader international presence than its original charter-focused model.

• Leisure air travel · 1979

  Leisure and charter flights

  Charter flying was Lauda Air’s original and ultimately enduring commercial focus. The airline provided seasonal and holiday-oriented passenger services, first as an independent carrier and later within Austrian Airlines Group. After long-haul charter operations were reduced, the business concentrated increasingly on short- and medium-haul leisure routes.

• Private aviation

  Lauda Air Executive

  Lauda Air Executive offered private charter flights using a small executive fleet. The aircraft listed for this operation included a nine-seat Cessna Citation II, a seven-seat Bombardier Lear 60, and a 12-seat Dassault Falcon 20.

• 2013

  Retirement of the Lauda Air brandStrategy

  Background

  Following the corporate merger and operational integration, Austrian Airlines no longer required Lauda Air as a separate airline identity.

  Action taken

  The brand was retired at the beginning of the summer timetable and replaced by Austrian myHoliday for leisure flights and offers.

  Aftermath

  Lauda Air became a defunct historical brand rather than an active carrier.

  Source

• 2012

  Formal merger into Austrian AirlinesM&A

  Background

  Lauda Air’s operations had already been integrated with Austrian Airlines, but the separate corporate structure remained until 2012.

  Action taken

  Lauda Air was formally merged into Austrian Airlines on 1 July, with its aircraft transferred to the parent airline.

  Aftermath

  Lauda Air ceased to operate as a separate airline company and continued only briefly as a leisure-market brand.

  Source

• 2007

  Refocus on short- and medium-haul charter flyingStrategy

  Background

  Austrian Airlines Group reduced and rationalized its wide-body fleet, making Lauda Air’s long-haul charter model less central to the group.

  Action taken

  Lauda Air withdrew from the long-haul charter market and relied increasingly on Boeing 737 aircraft for shorter leisure routes.

  Aftermath

  The brand became more narrowly associated with regional and European holiday flying before its later merger into Austrian Airlines.

  Source

• 1992

  Strategic alliance with LufthansaStrategy

  Background

  Lauda Air pursued greater network reach and commercial support while expanding its European and long-haul operations.

  Action taken

  The airline entered a strategic alliance with Lufthansa, consolidated during the following year.

  Aftermath

  The relationship strengthened Lauda Air’s position within the European airline market, although the airline later became part of Austrian Airlines Group.

  Source

• 1988

  Expansion from charter into scheduled aviationStrategy

  Background

  Lauda Air had operated primarily as a charter carrier since its foundation and sought a broader, more stable international business.

  Action taken

  The airline began scheduled services and introduced long-haul routes linking Vienna with Australia through Asia.

  Aftermath

  Lauda Air developed into a mixed scheduled, charter, and leisure airline with an international network.

  Source

• 2013

  Lauda Air brand is replaced by Austrian myHoliday[1]Lauda Airen.wikipedia.org

  Leadership change

  The Lauda Air name was retired at the start of the summer flight schedule and replaced for leisure offers by Austrian myHoliday.

• 2012

  Lauda Air is formally merged into Austrian Airlines[1]Lauda Airen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Lauda Air was legally merged into Austrian Airlines, and aircraft previously associated with the brand were transferred to the parent airline.

• 2007

  Lauda Air withdraws from long-haul charter operations[1]Lauda Airen.wikipedia.org

  Product generation

  Following fleet reductions and the retirement of Airbus wide-body aircraft, Lauda Air refocused its charter business on short- and medium-haul markets.

• 2005

  Lauda Air flight operations merge with Austrian Airlines[1]Lauda Airen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The airline’s flight operations were combined with Austrian Airlines, while the Lauda Air name remained associated with charter and leisure flying within the group.

• 2000

  Austrian Airlines takes full ownership of Lauda Air[1]Lauda Airen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Lauda Air became a wholly owned subsidiary of Austrian Airlines Group, accelerating the integration of the two businesses.

• 1991

  Lauda Air Flight 004 crashes in Thailand[2]Lauda Air Flight 004en.wikipedia.org

  Other

  A Lauda Air Boeing 767 crashed shortly after takeoff from Bangkok after an uncommanded thrust-reverser deployment. All 223 passengers and crew were killed.

1. 1Lauda Airen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Lauda Air Flight 004en.wikipedia.org