Austrian Airlines has announced that it has operated its final commercial flight using its De Havilland Dash-8 aircraft. According to the flag carrier, the turboprop aircraft registered OE-LGI conducted its last passenger flight on Monday, May 31st and flew from Vienna Airport (VIE) to Innsbruck Airport (INN) and back.
The Dash-8 Q400 would complete “up to 44,000 individual flights per year” at peak times according to Austrian Airlines Dash fleet manager, Thomas Bleimuth. The aircraft fleet manager also added that the Dash-8 Q400 could fly to particularly demanding locations, citing Courchevel airfield in the French Alps, which is over 2,000 meters above sea level.
In a statement, seen by AeroNewsX, the Chief Operating Officer for Austrian Airlines, Francesco Sciortino said “The Dash has had an impressive career in our company, it is and will remain part of our history. We will not forget that. I would like to thank everyone who has served the Dash aircraft over the past decades, from the cabin and cockpit crews to the technician team and many more.”
Austrian Airlines stated that its future fleet will consist “entirely of Airbus, Boeing and Embraer aircraft.” The carrier has already phased out two Boeing 767 aircraft, with the final aircraft due to leave the fleet in the coming weeks. Austrian Airlines Chief Commerical Officer, Michael Trestl, said the more efficient Embraer and Airbus aircraft will continue to offer passengers “a good feeder service with Vienna.”
In total, Austrian Airlines had 18 Dash 8-Q400s which served a number of short-haul European destinations from its hub in Vienna such as Milan, Warsaw and even Zagreb. After almost 20 years of commercial operations, Austrian Airlines estimates that over 20 million passengers have flown on the Dash 8-Q400, while the carrier believes its Dash 8-Q400s have spent a combined total of 54 years in the air.
Austrian Airlines concluded by stating that the aircraft has been an integral part of Austrian aviation for over 40 years and added that it will remain part of the airline’s history. So far 10 out of the 18 Dash-8s have been removed from the airline’s fleet, while one Dash-8 registered OE-LGA was reregistered this year and will now fly for FlyBe registered as G-CLXC. It is unclear what plans the flag carrier has for the other eight Dash-8s, however, there is the possibility that they could be converted into either water bombers or freighters.
