Austrian Airlines €90 Million Investment To Benefit Dubai Passengers

Premium passengers flying between Dubai and Vienna on Austrian Airlines will soon notice major on-board improvements with new business class seats that turn into flatbeds.

The changes, part of a €90 million investment, also include improved inflight entertainment and a revamped economy section and cover all 10 aircraft in the airline’s long-haul fleet (Boeing B777 and B767 aircraft).

Seats recline into fully flatbeds “just under two metres long” with retractable armrests, which allow the seat width to be increased from 20 to 24 inches.

Executives can access power sockets and USBs but neither wifi nor mobile services are available on board. When pressed on the wifi issue, Middle East Sales Director Stephan Linhart said: “We see the necessity for business travellers, but it’s still quite expensive to install”.

The airline showcased the new seat to select travel trade and media last night during a gala dinner at The Grand Hyatt Dubai.

Austrian, part of the Lufthansa Group, flies seven times a week between Dubai and Vienna but faces stiff competition from Emirates, which operates double daily services.

Austrian will fly five times weekly between Vienna and Chicago from May 17, a destination it has served twice previously, following an upturn in demand for transatlantic business. The route will be served by one of the new-look B767s.