Austrian Airlines Partners with BRA for Regional Route Efficiency with ATR72-600 Wet-Lease

Austrian Airlines, the national carrier based in Vienna, is set to enhance its regional route offerings by wet-leasing two ATR72-600 aircraft from BRA – Braathens Regional Airlines, a Swedish airline headquartered in Stockholm. This strategic move aims to optimize capacity on regional routes, where the demand is yet to rebound to pre-pandemic levels, making the deployment of larger aircraft economically unviable.

The collaboration between Austrian Airlines and BRA is designed to ensure the continuity of connectivity to Austrian’s Vienna hub, focusing on service efficiency and adaptability. Michael Trestl, Austrian Airlines’ Chief Commercial Officer, expressed satisfaction in partnering with Braathens Regional Airlines, acknowledging the challenge of adjusting capacity to meet current demands on certain regional routes.

Scheduled to commence on March 30, 2024, the ATR72-600s will be deployed on a year-long contract, which may be extended, covering routes that include daily flights to Belgrade, weekly flights to Bologna, daily flights to Graz, twice-daily flights to Klagenfurt (including a new rotation), twice-daily flights to Kosice, twice-daily flights to Leipzig/Halle, weekly flights to Warsaw Chopin, and thrice-weekly flights to Zagreb Franjo Tuđman. Notably, the Kosice, Klagenfurt, and Leipzig routes will exclusively utilize the ATR72-600s, while other routes will feature a combination of ATR72-600 and E195 aircraft.

The ATR72-600, with a seating capacity for up to 72 passengers, offers a more suitable option for these regional flights compared to Austrian Airlines’ larger Embraer E195s, which can accommodate up to 120 passengers. This strategic shift follows Austrian Airlines’ decision to retire its DHC-8-Q400 turboprops by May 2021, as part of its fleet modernization and efficiency drive. The airline’s current fleet consists of seventeen E195s, complemented by a mix of Airbus A320s, A321s, Boeing 767-300ERs, and Boeing 777-200ERs, catering to various route demands and passenger volumes.

BRA – Braathens Regional Airlines brings to this partnership a specialized fleet of thirteen ATR72-600s, operating under the AOC of BRA – Braathens Regional Airways, along with four A319-100s under Braathens International Airways. This wet-lease agreement not only underscores Austrian Airlines’ commitment to maintaining essential regional connections but also highlights the importance of strategic partnerships in optimizing network operations and meeting market demands.

This collaboration is a testament to the aviation industry’s ongoing recovery and adaptation strategies post-pandemic, emphasizing the critical role of flexible fleet management in responding to fluctuating market conditions and ensuring the sustainability of regional air connectivity.