LUXVISOR

There are airlines you simply fly. And then there are airlines you remember. For many years, Austrian Airlines firmly belonged to the latter category for me. It was one of my personal favorite carriers in Europe, regardless of whether I was flying short-haul, medium-haul, or long-haul, and especially in Business Class. Austrian once stood for something increasingly rare in European aviation: character. Yet, as is often the case in a fast-paced aviation career, circumstances change. New routes, new hubs, new priorities. For more than ten years, I simply did not find myself on board an Austrian Airlines flight. Not out of intention, but out of coincidence. Until now. This Business Class flight from Hamburg (HAM) to Vienna (VIE) was therefore far more than just another European sector. It was a reunion. And reunions are always risky. Because memories tend to age better than reality. The question was simple and brutal: Is Austrian Airlines still Austrian Airlines? About Austrian Airlines: ...

It was time to return once more to Edelweiss Air, this time on a very different aircraft, but on a route that is anything but ordinary. Only a few weeks ago, I reviewed Edelweiss’ brand-new Airbus A350-900 in Business Class on the same sector between Pristina and Zurich. That flight represented the long-haul, aspirational face of the airline. This journey, however, would be far more representative of everyday European aviation reality: an Airbus A320, operating one of the most densely travelled ethnic routes in Europe. The Pristina – Switzerland market is intense. Driven largely by diaspora traffic, demand is high, yields are competitive, and the frequency of flights is remarkable. Numerous carriers operate on this corridor, among them GP Aviation , the quiet yet authentic national carrier of Kosovo, which alone serves 23 destinations from Pristina. It is a market where efficiency, reliability, and consistency matter more than glamour. Foggy morning in Pristina. GP Aviation 737-400 nex...