The History of Austrian Airlines at JFK

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Two decades after Austrian Airlines launched its original, but unsuccessful transatlantic service to New York--a joint operation with Sabena Belgian World Airways inaugurated on April 1, 1969 with a Boeing 707-320 registered OE-LBA that made an intermediate stop in Brussels-it returned to the US on March 26, 1989, this time with an Airbus A-310-300 are spirit airlines safe registration OE-LAA. The occasion not only introduced intercontinental service to its route system, but a widebody aircraft with its first three-class cabin configuration to its fleet. Unlike the previous attempt, this one proved successful, but signaled the beginning of another two decades of elasticity, paved with numerous aircraft types, airline alliances and strategies, terminals, handling companies, and computer systems. This is its story.

2. JFK Station Evolution:

Initial training, held at Austrian Airlines' North American headquarters in Whitestone, New York, and taught by Peter "Luigi" Huebner, commenced on February 6, 1989, or six weeks before the inaugural flight, and its curriculum included "Passenger Handling I" and "Adios Check-In" courses.

Austrian Airlines' first JFK location, the East Wing of the no-longer-existent International Arrivals Building, was a shared facility with Icelandair and encompassed five Austrian-specific check-in counters equipped with computers, automated boarding pass printers, and laser-scannable baggage tag printers, and the jointly-used, upper level Icelandair Saga Lounge.

Entirely employed and trained by Austrian and outfitted in its uniform, its staff performed all ground operations functions: Passenger Service, Ticket Sales-Reservations, Lost-and-Found, Load Control, Administration, Supervision, and Management, while Icelandair personnel served on the ramp, overseeing aircraft servicing and baggage, cargo, and mail loading.