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The Austrian Premium Service takes off

14th July 2008 Print
A new era dawns for all Austrian Business Class passengers on flights to the Middle East and Central Asia on 15 July: this is when the Austrian Premium Service, which combines Austrian hospitality with Oriental flair, is to be used for the very first time on flights to Damascus and Astana, capital of Kazakhstan.

Austrian Airlines will then rapidly extend this extraordinary service to a number of other destinations: the Austrian Premium Service will also be available on flights to Tehran from 23 July, and to Cairo from 24 July.

Austrian Airlines will offer the high-quality product on its Vienna–Dubai route earlier than originally planned: Austrian Business Class passengers will now have the opportunity to enjoy the pleasures of the Orient on journeys to the United Arab Emirates from 1 September onwards. The new product will enter a new stage with expansion onto the route to the city of Erbil on 29 September. As a result of these regroupings, Austrian Airlines will not now begin scheduled services to Riyadh and Jeddah until 4 and 5 October respectively. Austrian Premium Service will also be used on these routes.

The Austrian Premium Service
Austrian Airlines is equipping four Airbus A320 aircraft with the generous new lie-flat sleeper seats from RECARO in Business Class. The Business sleeper seats offer 116 cm of legroom, electrically adjustable back- and footrests and an integrated massage function, and consequently every possible amenity to ensure well-being and relaxation.

The generously proportioned space offered by the chair is complemented by a range of culinary delicacies, with Austrian flight attendants serving refreshing fruit juices, drinks and warm nuts in an aperitif service. After this, freshly prepared Do&Co menus consisting of several courses and including Oriental or Austrian specialities are served on the finest porcelain. Finally, exquisite speciality tea and coffees round off the product.

Entertainment is provided by a state-of-the-art personal video player: with programme selection in 4 different languages, the player offers the latest films (two with Arabic subtitles), documentaries, lifestyle programmes, sports shows, children’s programming, games and a wide range of international and Arabic music. New headphones from Sennheiser ensure hiss-free listening pleasure.

Austrian flight attendants will continue to offer passengers a wide-ranging selection of regional and international magazines and newspapers.

Experienced Austrian Country Manager Saudi Arabia: Ernst Leitner
Ernst Leitner (60) is to be appointed as Country Manager Saudi Arabia with immediate effect, so ensuring the commercial success of the new service at local level. Ernst Leitner has many years of foreign experience, and worked for the company in Prague and former Yugoslavia. Other key commitments abroad for Austrian Airlines over the years included Greece and Cyprus, after which he functioned as Area Manager Middle East and Country Manager Turkey. He most recently worked for the company as Country Manager Iran.

The Middle East region represents a fundamental pillar of Austrian Airlines corporate strategy. By growing its route network by two new destinations in Saudi Arabia at once and introducing the Austrian Premium Service to the market, Austrian Airlines is taking another hugely important step in the continued expansion of its presence in the region.

For more information, visit Austrian.com.