Austrian Airlines take off at Manchester
The service to the Austrian capital, situated on the banks of the river Danube, is being operated with Fokker 70 / 100.
Welcoming the first passengers at Manchester Airport Christian Schindler, the Lufthansa Group Regional Director for the UK, Ireland & Iceland said: “This service has been added to our schedule to meet the demand of our passengers. Over the last few years Vienna became the number one onward connection destination for Lufthansa passengers departing from Manchester so it was logical for us to offer direct flights. This not only reduces the travelling time for the passengers but will also increase the number of seats available for other passengers wanting to access the Lufthansa network through or hubs at Frankfurt and Munich.
“It means that for the first time ever all carriers of the Lufthansa Airline Group are available at Manchester. In addition to providing a point to point service to one of Europe’s most frequently visited cities, the new flight also increases the connection options for customers in the North of England. The minimum onward connection time through Vienna is just 25 minutes. So with the choice of Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Vienna and Brussels they have now have total access to the 321 destinations in 103 countries in our worldwide network.”
Fares for the new service will come under the Lufthansa Group’s new price concept for flights in Europe offering Economy Class fare options “Light”, “Classic” and “Flex”. This allows passengers to select services according to their individual wishes. Austrian Airlines Economy return fares for the new service start at £160 (Light), £175 (Classic) and £215 (Flex) with return Business fares from £550. These fares include all taxes and charges.
Stephen Turner, Commercial Director for Manchester Airport, said: "I'm delighted to welcome Austrian Airlines to Manchester Airport. Vienna is a popular business and leisure destination for the 22 million people within the airport's catchment area. This new service will provide our passengers with additional choice for those looking to visit the city as well as the opportunity to connect onto Austrian's extensive route network."
The service will be operated with Fokker 70 / 100 aircraft with a flight time of around two and a half hours and return fares from £169. The new Manchester service will compliment Austrian Airlines existing UK offering of 28 weekly flights to London Heathrow.
