Dubai
Austrian Airlines growth plans for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are on hold until at least 2016 when the carrier plans to expand its fleet.
Stephen Linhart, Director for International Sales at Austrian Airlines, told Gulf News in a phone interview that the airline does not currently have enough of the wide body aircraft necessary to serve the market.
Its current wide body fleet are utilised on other routes including the refurbished Boeing 767 that flies daily to Dubai International. However, has dropped down to five weekly flights due to runway repair work.
Linhart, speaking ahead of the airlines Gala dinner in Dubai on Thursday, said Austrian is looking at two destinations in the GCC, however, declined to reveal any details.
In recent years, ongoing instability has forced Austrian Airlines to rethink its Middle East network. It has pulled out of Tripoli in Libya, Damascus in Syria and Baghdad in Iraq.
However, has maintained to services to Arbil in Iraqi Kurdistan and Cairo in Egypt. It also resumed operations to Tehran earlier this year.
Linhart said the Tehran service is “looking good.”
