Austrian Airlines Arrives in Los Angeles

Austrian Airlines Boeing 777-2Z9(ER) (35960/607) OE-LPD "Spirit of Austria" captured on short final to Rwy 24R as she arrives from Vienna International (Schwechat) Airport (VIE/LOWW) this afternoon at 12:58pm PST.

(Photo by Michael Carter)

Austrian Airlines offers flight service to the West Coast of the USA for the first time!

Starting today, Austrian Airlines operates flights to a new long-haul destination in the USA. The largest long-haul aircraft in the Austrian Airlines fleet, a Boeing 777, will be deployed up to six times per week on flights to Los Angeles, the biggest city in California. “We are already well represented in the eastern part of the USA, operating flights to Chicago, Miami, Washington and two airports in New York. We are pleased to offer new flights to Los Angeles, and thus add the West Coast to our flight schedule for the first time in the history of Austrian Airlines”, explains Austrian Airlines Chief Financial Officer Heinz Lachinger.

Los Angeles is already the fourth new destination in the USA to be added to the airline’s route network during the last four years, along with Chicago, Newark and Miami. The million-strong metropolis is a popular vacation destination for Austrians and thus boasts extensive potential for tourism. However, Los Angeles is not only interesting for point-to-point flight traffic but also especially for transfer traffic. About two-thirds of the passengers will transfer flights at the Vienna flight hub.

The new direct flight connection from the West Coast of the USA fulfils a longstanding wish of Norbert Kettner, Vienna’s Director of Tourism: “The USA is Vienna’s biggest distant market, accounting for more than 830,000 overnight stays in the year 2016. The new flight service offered by Austrian Airlines, our most important strategic partner, will act as a driving force for the further development of accommodation numbers for both leisure and congress tourism.”

Up to 37 flights per week to the USA

Flt "AUA81" arrives at LAX following a 12hr 25mn flight sporting the carriers "Sounds of Austria" livery.
(Photo by Michael Carter)

In total, Austrian Airlines offers up to 37 non-stop flights per week to the USA in its summer flight schedule for 2017. Up to four weekly flights are operated to Miami, up to six times per week to Los Angeles, and up to seven flights each week to both Washington and Chicago. Austrian Airlines will continue to operate thirteen flights a week to the New York airports of Newark and JFK.

Austrian Airlines will only fly to Los Angeles within the context of its summer flight schedule. The flight duration from Vienna to Los Angeles at a distance of about 9,900 km is approximately 12 hours 30 minutes. The flights to Los Angeles are thus the longest in the Austrian Airlines route network. Tickets from Vienna to Los Angeles are available starting from EUR 729 for round-trip flights incl. taxes and charges. Tickets can be booked online at www.austrian.com, by calling +43 (0) 5 1766 1000 or via travel agency.

The flights in detail:

Route Flight number Flight days Departure –Arrival (local times)

Vienna – Los Angeles AUA 081 Daily except Sundays 10 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Los Angeles – Vienna AUA 082 Daily except Sundays 3:05 p.m. – 12:05 p.m. (next day)

(Austrian Airlines Press Release)