Austrian Airlines is continuing its fleet modernization process, a move that also marks the end of an era. As previously reported, by 2028 all 17 Embraer E195LR aircraft will be gradually withdrawn from service. Over the past decade, these aircraft have played an important role in the Austrian carrier’s regional operations. The decision aligns with the wider Lufthansa Group strategy to reduce fleet type diversity across its airlines and focus on more efficient and economical models.
Although the Embraers will disappear from Austrian’s own fleet, they will not vanish entirely from its operations. The new development is that part of the capacity will be retained through cooperation with Air Dolomiti, the Italian Lufthansa Group subsidiary, which will operate flights for Austrian under a wet-lease agreement, Austrian Airlines CEO Annette Mann told Aviation Week Network. This means that passengers will still be able to fly on Embraers, though not under Austrian registration but through the partner airline.
For Austrian, this represents an opportunity to simplify fleet management and reduce costs related to maintenance, crew training, and technical logistics. In the meantime, the Lufthansa Group has approved the acquisition of 11 Airbus A320neo and six A321neo aircraft, with deliveries starting in 2026. These will replace older A320ceo family aircraft and are expected to bring significant fuel savings and lower emissions. In parallel, the company is also preparing to introduce new Boeing 787-9s on long-haul routes, further advancing its modernization program.
Passengers will notice changes through slightly different scheduling on certain routes and potentially larger capacities thanks to the Airbuses, but the main goal remains to keep the service level unchanged. While the Embraer E195 is being retired from Austrian’s fleet, it will continue to play a role in the carrier’s network – this time through Air Dolomiti, whose presence in Vienna underscores Lufthansa Group’s flexibility in distributing capacity among its airlines.
