Austrian Airlines

An auction of airline seats & drink carts – for Ukraine

Austrian Airlines is auctioning off Economy Class airplane seats from its Boeing 767 fleet and 170 flight trolleys and donating the proceeds to the nonprofit Nachbar in Not (Neighbor in Need) to support people in Ukraine.

The seats saw service on transatlantic flights and were removed to make way for Premium Economy Class seats. The starting price for the double and triple rows varies between $250 and $380.

Austrian Airlines says that, like the seats, the drink trolleys (starting auction price $52) have “seen the world” and are now waiting for new purposes as, perhaps, “a nice piece of furniture, home bar trolleys, or sturdy toolboxes.”

“As the red-white-red flag-carrier, which has been connecting Austria with Europe and the world for more than 60 years, we are very pleased to share a piece of aviation history – and thereby help people in need,” said Austrian Airlines CCO Michael Trestl in a statement. “With this charity project, we want to make at least a small contribution to ease the suffering of the Ukrainian people.”

Bidding open now

Bidding on the auction items is open now, with the final acceptance of bids (notification to bid ‘winners’) on May 21.

You can see the seats and drink trolleys being auctioned online or in-person in Austria, where you’ll also need to go to pick your auction items.

“We thank Austrian Airlines and AURENA [the auction house} for this charitable project for the benefit of Nachbar in Not,” said Martina Schloffer, Dep. Head of International Cooperation at Austrian Red Cross. “Millions of people are currently suffering and depend on humanitarian aid. The donations will allow us to
facilitate needs-based assistance, like water, food supplies, hygiene products or medicines.”

Cool new/old liveries in the air

Courtesy British Airways

Last week at Heathrow Airport, British Airways debuted a retro -liveried Boeing 747 (registration: G-BYGC) painted in the iconic design of its predecessor British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC).]

BA 100 will remain on this Boeing 747 until the plane is retired in 2023. And by then, British Airways, like most commercial carriers, will have retired the majority of its 747 fleet. To find out where you might spot the plane in person, check Flight Radar.

BOAC 747 Taken: 18th February 2019 Photo: Stuart Bailey

There’s another retro livery to look for this week.

Courtesy Austrian Airlines


An Austrian Airlines A320 aircraft (registration OE-LBO) is flying with a livery from the 1980s, when Austrian Airlines re-entered the intercontinental flight business, “after a very long break,” the carrier notes.

Courtesy Austrian Airlines

The design has an angular logo arrow, grey aircraft belly and the traditional red-white-red flag on the tailfin of the aircraft.

“Considering the colorful era of the 1980s, it was, all in all, a restrained branding on the part of Austrian Airlines”, said Isabella Reichl, Head of Marketing for the countrey’s national carrier.

The carrier says the the retro look is a homage to the destinations of Tokyo and New York. Th plane’s first appearance is in Vienna today.

Prize Patrol: because you can’t win if you don’t play

 

Here’s some free stuff, a few contests and two travel discounts you may want to take advantage of.

If you’re in the Washington, D.C. area this week or in New York City next week, keep an eye out for folks from Austrian Airlines.  As part of their Café in the Clouds promotion the airline will be serving complimentary Meinl coffee – the coffee served onboard Austrian flights – in a different Washington neighborhood each day through Sunday, May 1st. Check here for the Café in the Clouds DC schedule.

In New York, the plan is to have chefs on bikes out delivering Austrian bundt cakes. The schedule for the NY Café in the Sky event will post on May 1st.

Coffee and cake is nice, but what about travel?  If you’re not in New York or D.C., you can skip the cake the coffee and go directly to the entry form to enter a contest to win two round trip tickets from Washington, D.C. or New York to Vienna on Austrian Airlines. (Contest ends May 20, 2011)

File these under “Every bit helps:”

Through April 30th, anyone with a Visa card that has “Visa Signature” printed on it (very common) may be eligible for a 15% discount on Southwest Airlines.

Virgin America will give you a promo code good for 20% off a flight if you vote for your favorite photo or video in a contest the airline is having in connection with new service to Chicago. Deadline to vote is May 11.

And you have until May 27, 2011 to enter the American Airlines anniversary miles giveaway sweepstakes. The prizes: they’re giving away 30,000 miles a day.