View source for Lauda Air

{{Short description|Defunct charter airline of Austria (1979–2013)}}
{{about|the defunct Austrian leisure airline|the defunct Ryanair subsidiary|Lauda (airline)|the 2020 Maltese successor|Lauda Europe}}
{{Infobox airline
| airline = Lauda Air
| image = 
| logo = Lauda_OS.svg
| logo_size = 250
| IATA = NG
| ICAO = LDA
| callsign = LAUDA AIR
| parent = [[Austrian Airlines Group]]
| num_employees = 
| founded = {{start date|1979|04||df=yes}}
| commenced = {{start date|1985|||df=yes}}
| ceased = {{end date|2012|07|01|df=yes}}<br />{{small|(merged into [[Austrian Airlines]])}}
| headquarters = [[Schwechat]], Austria
| key_people = {{bulleted list|
  | Jaan Albrecht ([[Chief executive officer|CEO]])
  | Karsten Benz ([[Chief commercial officer|CCO]])}}
| founder = [[Niki Lauda]]
| bases = {{ubl|class=nowrap
  | [[Graz Airport|Graz]]
  | [[Innsbruck Airport|Innsbruck]]
  | [[Linz Airport|Linz]]
  | [[Vienna Airport|Vienna]]}}
| hubs = 
| focus_cities = 
| aoc = 
| frequent_flyer = {{ubl|class=nowrap
  | LaudaPoints
  | [[Miles & More]]}}
| lounge = 
| alliance = {{nowrap|[[Star Alliance]] {{small|(affiliate; 2000–2013)}}}}
| subsidiaries = {{ubl|[[Lauda Air Italy]] {{small|(1991–2005)}}|Lauda Asia Airways {{small|(1992–2004)}}}}
| fleet_size = 
| destinations = 
| website = 
}}

'''Lauda Air Luftfahrt GmbH''', branded as '''Lauda Air''', was an [[Austria]]n [[charter airline]] headquartered at [[Vienna Airport]] in [[Schwechat]].<ref name="ch-aviation">{{cite web|url=http://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/airline/NG|title=Lauda Air on ch-aviation|website=ch-aviation}}</ref> It was owned by [[Niki Lauda]] (1949–2019) during much of its existence, later becoming a [[charter airline]] subsidiary for leisure operations of [[Austrian Airlines]]. On 6 April 2013, Lauda Air ceased to exist and was replaced by ''Austrian myHoliday'', a new brand name that is used for flights and leisure offers provided by Austrian Airlines.<ref name="My">[http://diepresse.com/home/wirtschaft/economist/1331375/AUAFerienmarke-myHoliday-ersetzt-die-Lauda-Air ''Lauda Air'']; DIE Press; retrieved .</ref>

==History==
[[File:Lauda Air Boeing 737 Farewell 8.jpg|thumb|Lauda Air [[flight attendant]]s wearing the airline's trademark denim jeans]]

===Development as an independent airline===
Lauda Air was established in April 1979 by former [[Formula One]] world motor racing champion [[Niki Lauda]] with two [[Fokker F27]]s. In 1985, ITAS Austria purchased a 49% shareholding. Scheduled services began in 1988. In 1991 the fleet consisted of two [[Boeing 737-300]]s, two [[Boeing 767-300ER]]s and a [[Learjet 36]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20151121160331/https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1991/1991%20-%200781.html World Airline Directory] ''[[Flight International]]'' 27 March 1991 page 99</ref><ref name="FI">{{cite magazine | title= Directory: World Airlines |magazine= [[Flight International]] | page= 105 | date= 2007-04-03}}</ref>

In May 1988, Lauda started its first long-haul flights from [[Vienna International Airport|Vienna]] to [[Sydney Airport|Sydney]] and [[Melbourne Airport|Melbourne]] via [[Don Mueang International Airport|Bangkok]].<ref>Lauda Air to serve Australia ''[[Australian Aviation]]'' issue 42 January 1988 page 15</ref><ref>[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/111972337 Lauda hit by Australian delays] ''[[Canberra Times]]'' 10 May 1988 page 3</ref> In the 1990s, it started to fly its Sydney and Melbourne flights via [[Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport|Kuala Lumpur]] and [[Ngurah Rai International Airport|Bali]]. Daily flights to [[Dubai International Airport|Dubai]], [[Cuba]], and [[Miami International Airport|Miami]] via [[Munich Airport|Munich]] followed.

In 1992, Lauda established its subsidiary, Lauda Asia Airways, in legal status to [[Taiwan]], like [[Japan Asia Airways]].

===Merger with Austrian Airlines===
Lauda Air became a wholly owned subsidiary of [[Austrian Airlines]] in December 2000 and employed thirty-five people as of March 2007.<ref name="FI"/> In 2005 the flight operation merged with Austrian Airlines, and the label "Lauda Air" operated charter flights within the Austrian Airlines Group.

At an AAG board meeting in November 2006, plans were approved to retire the [[Airbus]] wide-bodied fleet by mid-2007 and to operate with just a [[Boeing 767]] and [[Boeing 777]] fleet. As a result of subsequent fleet cuts, Austrian Airlines suspended some long-haul services and Lauda Air withdrew from the long-haul charter market over the next year.<ref>[[Airliner World]]; January 2007</ref> This led to a refocus on the short/medium-haul market and led to the addition of a 737-800 to take over most of the charter routes. Lauda Air also had an Italian subsidiary, [[Lauda Air Italy|Lauda Air S.p.A.]],<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/19980524170056/http://www.laudaair.com/e/wir/geschbericht.htm ''Lauda Air Annual Report 1995/1996'']; 24 May 1998 article; Lauda Air; retrieved 6 March 2013.</ref> which ended its operations in 2007.<ref>[https://2001-2009.state.gov/documents/organization/87163.pdf ''9 Fam 41.2 Exhibit III List of Signatory Visa Waiver Program (VWP) Carriers: INA 217(E) Signatory Transportation Lines'']. [[U.S. Department of State]] website; retrieved on 15 February 2013.</ref>

Lauda Air was officially merged into Austrian Airlines on 1 July 2012.<ref>{{Citation | title = Austrian bids farewell to the 737 |magazine= Airliner World |page=6 | date = June 2013 }}</ref> All aircraft within the group were transferred to [[Austrian Airlines]] on 1 July 2012, to be able to take advantage of Austrian Airlines structure.

The brand was retired at the start of the summer flight schedule on 31 March 2013, and was replaced by "Austrian myHoliday". It is no longer an airline but a brand used to sell Austrian Airlines' own leisure offers.<ref name= "ch-aviation" /><ref name="My"/>

== Destinations ==
{{main|Austrian Airlines Group destinations}}
Austrian Airlines regularly served, among others, the following destinations under the Lauda Air brand until March 2013:<ref name="Lauda Air destinations Summer 2011">[http://www.laudaair.com/site/fileadmin/Bilder/Downloads/Lauda_Flugplan_So-11_v1_.pdf ''Lauda Air destinations Summer 2011''] (.[[PDF]] article in German); Lauda Air; auto download.</ref>

=== Former destinations ===
The following destinations were served by Lauda Air as an independent airline prior to their merger into Austrian Airlines:
{|class="sortable wikitable"
|-
!Country
!City
!Airport
!Notes
|-
|rowspan="2"|{{Flag|Australia}}||[[Melbourne]]||[[Melbourne Airport]]||{{Terminated}}
|-
|[[Sydney]]||[[Sydney Airport]]||{{Terminated}}
|-
|rowspan="5"|{{Flag|Austria}}||[[Graz]]||[[Graz Airport]]||{{Airline focus}}
|-
|[[Innsbruck]]||[[Innsbruck Airport]]||{{Airline focus}}
|-
|[[Linz]]||[[Linz Airport]]||{{Airline focus}}
|-
|[[Salzburg]]||[[Salzburg Airport]]||align=center|
|-
|[[Vienna]]||[[Vienna Airport]]||{{Airline hub}}
|-
|{{Flag|Brazil}}||[[Maceió]]||[[Zumbi dos Palmares International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}
|-
|rowspan="3"|{{Flag|Egypt}}||[[Hurghada]]||[[Hurghada International Airport]]||align=center|
|-
|[[Luxor]]||[[Luxor International Airport]]||align=center|
|-
|[[Sharm El Sheikh]]||[[Sharm El Sheikh International Airport]]||align=center|
|-
|rowspan="2"|{{Flag|France}}||[[Nice]]||[[Nice Côte d'Azur Airport]]||{{Terminated}}
|-
|[[Paris]]||[[Orly Airport]]||{{Terminated}}
|-
|rowspan="3"|{{Flag|Germany}}||[[Düsseldorf]]||[[Düsseldorf Airport]]||{{Terminated}}
|-
|[[Frankfurt]]||[[Frankfurt Airport]]||{{Terminated}}
|-
|[[Munich]]||[[Munich Airport]]||{{Terminated}}
|-
|rowspan="17"|{{Flag|Greece}}||[[Chania]]||[[Chania International Airport]]||{{Airline seasonal}}
|-
|[[Corfu]]||[[Corfu International Airport]]||{{Airline seasonal}}
|-
|[[Heraklion]]||[[Heraklion International Airport]]||{{Airline seasonal}}
|-
|[[Karpathos]]||[[Karpathos Island National Airport]]||{{Airline seasonal}}
|-
|[[Kavala]]||[[Kavala International Airport]]||{{Airline seasonal}}
|-
|[[Kefalonia]]||[[Kefalonia International Airport]]||{{Airline seasonal}}
|-
|[[Kos]]||[[Kos International Airport]]||{{Airline seasonal}}
|-
|[[Mykonos]]||[[Mykonos Airport]]||{{Airline seasonal}}
|-
|[[Mytilene]]||[[Mytilene International Airport]]||{{Airline seasonal}}
|-
|[[Preveza]]||[[Aktion National Airport]]||{{Airline seasonal}}
|-
|[[Rhodes]]||[[Rhodes International Airport]]||{{Airline seasonal}}
|-
|[[Samos]]||[[Samos International Airport]]||{{Airline seasonal}}
|-
|[[Santorini]]||[[Santorini (Thira) International Airport]]||{{Airline seasonal}}
|-
|[[Skiathos]]||[[Skiathos International Airport]]||{{Airline seasonal}}
|-
|[[Thessaloniki]]||[[Thessaloniki Airport]]||{{Airline seasonal}}
|-
|[[Volos]]||[[Nea Anchialos National Airport]]||{{Airline seasonal}}
|-
|[[Zakynthos]]||[[Zakynthos International Airport]]||{{Airline seasonal}}
|-
|rowspan="2"|{{Flag|Hong Kong}}||rowspan="2"|Hong Kong||[[Hong Kong International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}
|-
|[[Kai Tak Airport]]||{{Terminated|Airport closed}}
|-
|{{Flag|Iceland}}||[[Reykjavík]]||[[Keflavik International Airport]]||{{Airline seasonal}}
|-
|{{Flag|Indonesia}}||[[Denpasar]]||[[I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}
|-
|{{Flag|Ireland}}||[[Dublin]]||[[Dublin Airport]]||{{Airline seasonal}}
|-
|rowspan="7"|{{Flag|Italy}}||[[Cagliari]]||[[Cagliari Elmas Airport]]||align=center|
|-
|[[Catania]]||[[Catania-Fontanarossa Airport]]||{{Airline seasonal}}
|-
|[[Milan]]||[[Milan Malpensa Airport]]||{{Terminated}}
|-
|[[Naples]]||[[Naples International Airport]]||{{Airline seasonal}}
|-
|[[Olbia]]||[[Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport]]||align=center|
|-
|[[Rome]]||[[Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport]]||{{Terminated}}
|-
|[[Tortolì]]||[[Tortolì Airport]]||align=center|
|-
|{{Flag|Malaysia}}||[[Kuala Lumpur]]||[[Kuala Lumpur International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}
|-
|{{Flag|Maldives}}||[[Malé]]||[[Velana International Airport|Ibrahim Nasir International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}
|-
|{{Flag|Mexico}}||[[Cancún]]||[[Cancún International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}
|-
|rowspan="3"|{{Flag|Portugal}}||[[Faro, Portugal|Faro]]||[[Faro Airport]]||{{Airline seasonal}}
|-
|[[Funchal]]||[[Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport]]||{{Airline seasonal}}
|-
|[[Lisbon]]||[[Lisbon Airport]]||{{Terminated}}
|-
|{{Flag|Singapore}}||[[Singapore]]||[[Changi International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |{{Flag|Slovakia}}
|[[Bratislava]]
|[[M. R. Štefánik Airport]]
|{{Terminated}}
|-
|[[Poprad]]
|[[Poprad–Tatry Airport]]
|{{Terminated}}
|-
|rowspan="7"|{{Flag|Spain}}||[[Barcelona]]||[[Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport]]||{{Airline seasonal}}
|-
|[[Fuerteventura]]||[[Fuerteventura Airport]]||align=center|
|-
|[[Las Palmas]]||[[Gran Canaria Airport]]||align=center|
|-
|[[Madrid]]||[[Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport]]||{{Terminated}}
|-
|[[Málaga]]||[[Málaga Airport]]||{{Airline seasonal}}
|-
|[[Lanzarote]]||[[Lanzarote Airport]]||{{Airline seasonal}}
|-
|[[Tenerife]]||[[Tenerife South Airport]]||align=center|
|-
|{{Flag|Sri Lanka}}||[[Colombo]]||[[Bandaranaike International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}
|-
|rowspan="2"|{{Flag|Thailand}}||[[Bangkok]]||[[Don Mueang International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}
|-
|[[Phuket (city)|Phuket]]||[[Phuket International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}
|-
|rowspan="3"|{{Flag|Turkey}}||[[Antalya]]||[[Antalya Airport]]||align=center|
|-
|[[Bodrum]]||[[Milas–Bodrum Airport]]||{{Airline seasonal}}
|-
|[[Dalaman]]||[[Dalaman Airport]]||{{Airline seasonal}}
|-
|{{Flag|United Arab Emirates}}||[[Dubai]]||[[Dubai International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}
|-
|rowspan="3"|{{Flag|United Kingdom}}||rowspan="2"|[[London]]||[[Gatwick Airport]]||{{Terminated}}
|-
|[[Heathrow Airport]]||{{Terminated}}
|-
|[[Manchester]]||[[Manchester Airport]]||{{Terminated}}
|-
|rowspan="2"|{{Flag|United States}}||[[Los Angeles]]||[[Los Angeles International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}
|-
|[[Miami]]||[[Miami International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}
|-
|{{Flag|Vietnam}}||[[Ho Chi Minh City]]||[[Tan Son Nhat International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}
|-
|{{Flag|Jamaica}}||[[Montego Bay]]||[[Donald Sangster International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}
|-
|}

== Fleet ==
[[File:Boeing 737-7Z9, Lauda Air JP5647866.jpg|thumb|Lauda [[Boeing 737-700]]]]
[[File:335bg - Lauda Air Boeing 767-300; OE-LAT@ZRH;08.01.2005 (8591635833).jpg|thumb|Lauda [[Boeing 767-300ER]] in [[Star Alliance]] livery]]
[[File:Lauda_Air_Boeing_777-200ER_SYD_Monty.jpg|thumb|Lauda [[Boeing 777-200ER]]]]

=== Historic fleet ===
Lauda Air's historic fleet included the following aircraft during its existence:{{Cn|date=January 2025}}

{| class="wikitable" style="border-collapse:collapse; text-align:center; margin:auto;"
|+ Lauda Air's historic fleet
|-
! Aircraft
! Total
! Introduced
! Retired
! Notes
|-
|[[Airbus A320-200]]
|2
|2005
|2008
|Leased from [[Austrian Airlines]].
|-
|[[BAC One-Eleven|BAC 1-11-500]]
|2
|1985
|1986
|Leased from [[TAROM]].
|-
|[[Boeing 737-200]]
|1
|1985
|1988
|Leased from [[Transavia]].
|-
|[[Boeing 737-300]]
|2
|1988
|2005
|
|-
|[[Boeing 737-400]]
|3
|1993
|2005
|
|-
|[[Boeing 737-600]]
|6
|2000
|2009
|rowspan="3"|Transferred to [[Austrian Airlines]].
|-
|[[Boeing 737-700]]
|2
|2001
|2010
|-
|[[Boeing 737-800]]
|7
|1998
|2012
|-
|rowspan="2"|[[Boeing 767-300ER]]
|1
|rowspan="2"|1989
|1991
|OE-LAV crashed as [[Lauda Air Flight 004|Flight 004]].
|-
|10
|2007
|Launch customer with [[Pratt & Whitney PW4000]] engine.<br>Six transferred to [[Austrian Airlines]].
|-
|[[Boeing 777-200ER]]
|3
|1997
|2005
|Transferred to [[Austrian Airlines]].
|-
|[[Bombardier CRJ-100]]
|10
|1994
|2004
|Relocated to [[Austrian Arrows]].
|-
|[[Fokker F27 Friendship]]
|
|1985
|1994
|
|-
|}

=== Lauda Air Executive===
Lauda Air also operated a fleet of three small jets, a [[Cessna Citation II]] (9 seats), a [[Learjet 60|Bombardier Lear 60]] (7 seats), and a [[Dassault Falcon 20]] (12 seats). These were available for private charter flights.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Airline memorabilia: Lauda Air (1997)|url = http://airline-memorabilia.blogspot.it/2014/08/lauda-air-1997.html|website = airline-memorabilia.blogspot.it| date=8 August 2014 |accessdate = 2015-06-21}}</ref>

== Incidents and accidents ==
{{Main|Lauda Air Flight 004}}
Lauda Air suffered one fatal accident during its existence:
* On 26 May 1991, [[Lauda Air Flight 004]], operated by a [[Boeing 767-300ER]] registered as OE-LAV, named after ''[[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart]]'', crashed in [[Thailand]] shortly after take-off from [[Don Mueang International Airport]] in [[Bangkok]], due to the uncommanded deployment of one of its thrust reversers. This accident resulted in the deaths of all 223 passengers and crew.<ref name="ASN">{{ASN accident|id=19910526-0}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category-inline|Lauda Air}}
* {{Official website|https://web.archive.org/*/http://www.laudaair.com}} (Archive)

{{Portal bar|Austria|Companies|Aviation}}
{{Airlines of Austria|no expand}}
{{Niki Lauda}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lauda Air}}
[[Category:Lauda Air| ]]
[[Category:Defunct airlines of Austria]]
[[Category:Airlines established in 1979]]
[[Category:Former Star Alliance affiliate members]]
[[Category:Austrian companies established in 1979]]
[[Category:Companies based in Vienna]]
[[Category:Airlines disestablished in 2012]]