First Austrian Airlines Boeing 787-9 to Debut on New York Route
The new planes will come with an all-new Business Class and debut on the Vienna-New York route in June
Photo: Courtesy of Austrian Airlines.
Austrian Airlines, which is a part of the Lufthansa Group, is finally taking action to update its aging long-haul fleet, which is one of the oldest fleets among European airlines. The current fleet consists of six Boeing 777-200ERs and three 767-300ERs, which are, on average, 24 years old, making it a critical time for an upgrade.
The situation will improve in the upcoming summer season, as Austrian plans to add two new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners to its fleet. These aircraft will be used for US-bound flights, with the first starting operations on June 15.
Photo: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. Courtesy of Boeing
The new Dreamliners will fly six times a week on the Vienna-New York JFK route, providing passengers with a comfortable, modern, and efficient experience. The second 787-9 will connect Chicago to Vienna from July 1, again flying six times per week.
The two newly acquired aircraft are a welcome addition to Austrian Airlines’ long-haul fleet and a win for its passengers, who can now enjoy more comfort and style while flying to the US.
Ten Dreamliners Coming In
Austrian Airlines is set to receive ten Boeing 787-9 aircraft by 2028. The first two planes will be from Vietnamese carrier Bamboo Airways, while the next five will come from parent company Lufthansa, which started using the aircraft in 2022.
However, these five planes will not feature the Allegris cabin, which Lufthansa presented last year and will only be available towards the end of 2024.
Photo: Lufthansa, Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. Courtesy of Lufthansa
Austrian Airlines will repaint the aircraft’s exterior in their signature red and white livery and customize the interior.
Passengers will have the option of choosing from three classes of service. Business Class will feature 26 lie-flat seats in a 1-2-1 reverse herringbone layout. Premium Economy will have 21 seats in a 2-3-2 cross-section, while Economy Class will accommodate 247 passengers, each row in a 3-3-3 layout.
The new aircraft has a seating capacity of 294, larger than the 767-300ERs (211 pax) but smaller than the 777-200ERs (330 pax). The 767s have 24 Business, 30 Premium Economy, and 157 Economy seats, while the 777s have 32 Business, 40 Premium Economy, and 258 Economy seats.
Photo: Boeing 777-200ER. Courtesy of Austrian Airlines.
Austrian Airlines has the best business class soft product among all the airlines of the Lufthansa Group. The inflight catering service includes an onboard chef, delicious food, and an impressive coffee menu. If the airline upgrades its seats, it has the potential to become a significant player on trans-Atlantic routes.
Photo: Flying Chef. Courtesy of Austrian Airlines.
In January, Austrian announced that it would start offering nonstop flights between Vienna and Boston beginning from this summer. This will be the first-ever direct service between the two cities.
The route will be operated year-round with Boeing 767-300ER aircraft. This adds to the presence of other Lufthansa Group airlines like Lufthansa and Swiss in Boston Logan, which already operate nonstop services to Frankfurt, Munich, and Zurich.
Photo: Boeing 767-300ER. Courtesy of Austrian Airlines.
Boston will be the 19th destination outside of Europe for Austrian and the fifth gateway in the US, joining Chicago, Los Angeles, New York JFK, and Newark.
Next summer, Austrian’s trans-Atlantic routing will be as follows:
- Boston-Vienna: Five times per week from July 1 with Boeing 767-300ER
- Chicago-Vienna: Daily with Boeing 777-200ER until June 30, then with Boeing 787-9
- New York JFK-Vienna: Daily with Boeing 777-200ER until June 14, then with Boeing 787-9
- Newark-Vienna: Daily with Boeing 777-200ER
- Los Angeles-Vienna: Four times per week from May 1 to June 30, increasing to six times per week from July 1 to October 13 using Boeing 777-200ER.
