With Austrian Airlines from New York to the Life Ball

A new year, new Life Ball guests: this year, in what has become a much-loved tradition, celebrity Life Ball guests once again flew with us from New York to Vienna and the Life Ball! We landed at Vienna Schwechat at 9.15 a.m. and something like 170 VIPs. With us on board were international stars including Antonio Banderas, Soul-Legend Randy Crawford, British model and grandchild of Charlie Chaplin Kiera Chaplin, model and great-grandchild of the media  tycoons Lydia Hearst, Broadway star Cheyenne Jackson, actress and wife of P-Diddy Kim Porter, as well as actor and stepson of P. Diddy Quincy Brown and actress Brigitte Nielsen.

As you would expect, of course, the stars on board were well looked-after: exclusive DO&CO catering ensured the VIPs were extremely well-fed when they landed in Vienna. After the Life Ball, which is held on 19th May, the celebrities finally took us for with us for NYC again on 20th May – on flight no. OS 087, which takes off at 10.40 a.m.

Our colleague Julia Sauer has already flown with the stars on a number of occasions: “The atmosphere is always amazing – everyone looks forward to the event, and that good feeling is just infectious! And sometimes it’s really great to experience the stars and models up-close. As I’ve flown with them on a number of occasions in the past, we’ll often recognise one another… it wouldn’t be the first time that I’ve been called ‘Darling’ or ‘Schatzilein’ by a star, or even given a hug!”

Julia also let on to us that there are occasionally ‘space problems’: “Many of the stars are already styled for the event, and the elaborate costumes can sometimes cause problems with space!”

Magenta Carpet: the grand entrance of the Austrian Crew

A special entrance: this year, up to 30 members of staff of Austrian Airlines will be accompanying the VIPs onto the Magenta Carpet for the very first time! In total, 77 ladies and gentlemen applied to do this in the Austrian Life Ball Casting competition. Oh, and by the way: the crew were also given a special Austrian outfit for their entrance on the Magenta Carpet – watch this space to find out more!

0 comment(s) - Originally posted at Austrian Airlines red|blog - New York – Vienna: on board with celebrity Life Ball guests – and Austrian Airlines.

Shalom and Salem a leikum in Tel Aviv

During my journey through Israel and Palestine, I repeatedly returning to my starting-point, the city of Tel Aviv.

The moment I touched down at Ben Gurion Airport, I could feel how this fascinating city was going to cast its spell on me. Since it was late in the evening when I arrived in Tel Aviv itself, however, I had to wait until the next day to begin checking out the city.

It was a quick and easy train ride from the airport into the city, where I was staying. I felt the eagerness to help and openness of the people of Tel Aviv (Israelis) as soon as I arrived. At the station, complete strangers stopped to help me buy my ticket and ensure I got on the right train…

Discovering the city

Next day, I started out on my tour of the city. First of all, this took me to the wonderful Carmel Market (‘Shuk Ha’Carmel’ in Hebrew) at the crossroads where Allenby, King George and Sheinkin Street meet.

Once there, I treated myself to a well-earned breakfast. Even that was something I’ll never forget, with a crispy krepalach (a turnover stuffed with cheese, spinach, minced meat and much more besides), juicy strawberries and freshly-squeezed orange juice!

  I then rounded off my strenuous but highly enjoyable tour of the market at the beach in Tel Aviv, where I finished what was left of my delicious breakfast.

If you’re one of those people seeking nothing more than an amazing beach outside your front door, then Tel Aviv is the place for you. It doesn’t just offer a seemingly endless sandy beach to walk along and enjoy, but also a wide range of sports and leisure spaces including beach volleyball courts, playgrounds and fitness equipment right next to the beach. One special tip is Atzmout Beach – also known amongst Israelis as ‘The Gay Beach’.

And no visit to the city would be complete, of course, without seeing the ancient historic harbour city of Jaffa (Haifa). Jaffa was actually united with Tel Aviv in 1950, since when it has made up the City of Tel Aviv-Jaffa.

With its lighthouse symbol, the town is one of the oldest cities in Israel, and played an important role in the founding of the state of Israel. With its tiny alleyways and winding streets, the city is strongly reminiscent of Jerusalem.

Culinary delights

It would be a shame if I didn’t give you an introduction to Israel’s wonderful cuisine!!! You’ll find snack bars of every shape and size on almost every street corner here, where traditionally-prepared shawarma (bite-size pieces of mutton or turkey roasted on a spit) and falafel are sold in pita bread, served with humus, techina, salad, chips and vinegar. I found it particularly interesting that you could help yourself to as much salad as you could eat from the salad buffet with your filled pita.

It wasn’t long before humus was my new favourite food: this kind of chick pea paste is an Arab delicacy, and usually served with olive oil, spices, parsley and sometimes a hard-boiled egg or broad beans as well.

But in amongst all those Israeli and Arab specialities, you’ll still find European cuisine turning up again and again. You can even get schnitzel served in Israel with salad.

Salep, a sweet milk drink served hot and another Arab speciality, was particularly good. As well as milk and sugar, it contains desiccated coconut, chopped nuts and wheat starch, and as a breakfast drink, it’s absolutely delicious! Yum, yum!

Night life in Tel Aviv

Not to be missed, of course – my tour of bars and clubs of Tel Aviv! This is truly a city that never sleeps. If you just want to meet some friends for a beer, then you’re best off heading for somewhere on the Boulevard Rothschild. This is home to small pubs, bars and clubs, and the perfect place to round off an eventful day.
If you’re more of a party animal, however, or fancy hitting the dancefloor with those friends, then you also have an endless number of options open to you in Tel Aviv by night – and not just at the weekend.

Tel Aviv really is an impressive, lively and pulsating city. It doesn’t just offer great beaches and the sea, but also has its cultural side, and something for every age group to enjoy

Thanks very much Stephanie for your great travel report, and all those tiny details we love to help us out when we’re next in the city! Did you enjoy it as much as we did? Would you like to experience the city? If so, you can book your flight to this amazing city by going to www.austrian.com.

1 comment(s) - Originally posted at Austrian Airlines red|blog - My journey to Tel Aviv.

The casting for the Life Ball 2012

“Actually, I’ve just come here straight from the Vienna-Moscow flight – slept for 2 hours, showered at home, put on fresh make up and set off again for the casting,” flight attendant Julia Sauer tells us with a mischievous smile.

 
Julia Sauer has been working for Austrian Airlines for 8 years, and has been on the Life Ball Flight from New York to Vienna three times already: “To be able to attend the whole thing from the flight through to the event itself would be the icing on the cake, of course – if it can happen!”

 
Why did you apply for this casting? “I love parties and i love to party – and it’s all for a good cause at once!”, says Theresa Pattermann. She has been working for Austrian Airlines for 22 years. For Andrea Baumgärtner, who has been with Austrian for 25 years now, it’s the good cause and theme of the Life Ball that are very important: “As the mother of three children, you obviously have concerns.”

The questions of the jury

 
Why do you want to be part of the Life Ball?
What does the Life Ball mean to you?
Do you play a musical instrument, or have you had dance training?
 
The 77 ladies and gentlemen now have to be subjected to the questions of the jury. The jury consists of 3 employees of Austrian Airlines and 5 employees of the Life Ball. Isabella Reichl, Director Marketing, and Claudia Schilberg, Cabin Crew Manager, represent Austrian Airlines. Deborah Grumberg, Head of Sponsoring/Marketing, Doris Pommerening and Udo Moser represent the Life Ball Jury.

And how do candidates score? “With foreign languages! As there will be certainly a lot of international stars. The attitude towards the Life Ball and the theme is also very important. And, of course, you score when you know how to dance!”, points Isabella Reichl out. What initially gave the impression of being very strict is actually very funny and pleasant: “The jury were all very laid-back and friendly, which made it easy to stand in front of a jury. It was a very pleasant feeling,” Andrea tells us as she comes out of the casting room.

The winners of the casting get the chance to accompany the stars across the Magenta Carpet at the Life Ball, and to experience the evening there with them live. The male participants, Joachim Egresits and Roland Gombotz, are also looking forward to their big night. This will be the seventh time Roland has been to the Life Ball: “I definitely want to be there, because it’s a great opportunity to see the stars in the flesh – and even accompany them – for once!”

 
In the end 12 ladies and 8 gentlemen will succeed and accompany the stars across the Magenta Carpet. 8 candidates more will be deployed as Backup and will support the journalists. By the way: our crew will get a special Austrian outfit for their performance at the Magenta Carpet – but we don’t reveal too much at this point yet…;)

 
 
 
We’re glad we also had the chance to be there at the casting session! It really was fun. We’d like to congratulate all our Austrian colleagues who are able to be there at the Life Ball, and wish them all a great night! Of course we will refer to the great performance of the crew in our redblog – stay tuned…

0 comment(s) - Originally posted at Austrian Airlines red|blog - Austrian Crew at the Life Ball 2012: the casting.

Have a great flight!

0 comment(s) - Originally posted at Austrian Airlines red|blog - Quick Check-in machines at the Terminal.

Once again, Servus from me, and a very warm welcome! I was really pleased to see how many people had read through my Red report. As critical feedback is also very important to me – just like Austrian Airlines – I’m always happy to take that on board too. For me as an aircraft fan, of course, the main focus in my first report was on my flights into and out of Sofia – and now I’d like to tell you a bit more about what the Bulgarian capital itself has to offer!

After touching down, I found myself standing at the terminal. Sofia Airport (Terminal 2) is friendly and highly modern; there’s also no chance of getting lost, because all the signposting is in English as well as Cyrillic. The moment I went out of the airport, I could see the cupolas of Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, my first destination.

The no. 84 bus leaves from directly outside the airport, and takes you straight into the town centre. The bus driver didn’t speak any English at all, unfortunately, but I still managed to get a ticket somehow! After a bus ride lasting around 30 minutes, I got off next to a park (just keep an eye out for the Memorial to the Red Army). I didn’t have the faintest idea where I was, to be honest, but when everybody else on the bus got out, I thought this must be about right. And sure enough, when I saw the golden cupolas of the Cathedral a few moments later, I immediately knew where I was, my map of the city started to make sense, and I could get around the city centre.

After a few minutes’ walk, I found myself standing in front of the Orthodox Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. You just have to see this from the inside to believe it: I can only recommend it to anyone who visits Sofia. My travel guide suggested that I take a walk between the city’s most important attractions. So as I didn’t have a huge amount of time, and wanted to gain a lasting first impression of Sofia, I took the advice and did the main sights.

I started off at the Cathedral to the Russian Church, wandering through a small art market on the way there. I then continued past the National Art Gallery and House of the Party, finishing at the Presidential Palace, where you can see the changing of the guard ceremony on the hour, every hour. The rear court there is also home to the Sveti Georgi Rotunda.

One thing I particularly liked about Sofia were its dozens of parks of every shape and size. In the part of the city I visited, there seemed to be beautifully kept parkland around every corner.

I then moved on past the Archaeological Museum, the National Theatre, the Crystal Park (named after the cafe on its southern edge) and the National Collection, before heading back to the Cathedral again.

Since I still had some time on my hands, I visited the small Botanical Garden nearby the Cathedral. I’m sure you’re probably also wondering what I ate while I was in the city, and where I ate it. Yes, they even have the Billa supermarket chain in Sofia and I went to Mc Donalds for a quick snack. I could tell what was what with the help of the pictures. The next time I’m in Sofia, I definitely want to visit the Central Market Hall. Somehow I managed to miss that during my visit to the city this time.

After a warm but cloudy day in the city, I caught the bus back to Terminal 2. The journey took an hour this time, however, as we had to contend with the evening rush hour. Despite this, I still had some time to kill at the airport, and discovered a park at the foot of the multi-storey car park, where I took a nice stroll. If you look across at the end of the park, you can watch the aircraft landing. After watching a few aircraft touch down, I made my way back to the Terminal again and headed for home.

 
In summary, the people I met were all very friendly, and above all, I never had reason to feel unsafe at any time during my stay. You sometimes hear negative rumours about the east, but I don’t hold with them myself, and can confirm they are little more than make-believe. The entrance prices – prices in general, in fact – are also very cheap.
 

 
So it wasn’t just the flights that I enjoyed, but also the Bulgarian capital. Sofia will always be worth a visit.
 
And on that note, thanks for reading the report – and “Servus and Goodbye!”

We also want to say thank you, for the great city report! Do you also have experiences or stories about trips you wanna share? Let us know! Here or on the Austrian Airlines Facebook Page.

0 comment(s) - Originally posted at Austrian Airlines red|blog - City Report: Sofia.

Aircraft maintenance

In our Fleet Special we have already told you quite a bit about „aircraft maintenance“. An aircraft has to pass a lot of regular checks and tests, such as the pre-flight check, the daily check and the so-called A-, B- and C-checks.

All maintenance and repair work is carried out at the Austrian Airlines Technical Base at Vienna Airport. The Base consists of several hangars. Hangar 1 has a size of 6,000 m²; Hangar 2 covers 9,700 m² of floor space. Then there’s the apron and movement area as well as several small workshops – including the Training Workshop! Click here for more facts and figures. For you we have been on site to find out the details ….

„We distinguish between base maintenance and line maintenance. Base maintenance work is done in the first and smallest Hangar 1. Here we carry out larger maintenance activities that take more than a few days. Line maintenance deals with routine work that can be done during line operation. Those activities take place in Hangar 2 which can house up to 7 aircraft – nicely parked and arranged, of course!” specifies Dr. Anton Novak, Head of the Visit Austrian Program, while he is showing us round the Technical Base.

Engineers at the Austrian Technical Base work in 2 shifts – from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM and 7:00 PM to 7:00 AM, the nightshifts constituting 2/3 of all shifts. To get from one hangar to the other during working hours, people rely on a well-tried means of transport:

“Everyone here is using bicycles – there’s just one thing that’s absolutely forbidden: To use someone else’s bike! You are of course allowed to borrow one “, Dr. Anton Novak explains with a chuckle.

Today we gave you a small foretaste – in our next redblog stories we will visit the workshops, starting with the Workshop for the tires. Do you actually know what are aircraft tires filled up with?

0 comment(s) - Originally posted at Austrian Airlines red|blog - Welcome to the Austrian Airlines Technical Base.

The brake shop

What’s so special about the brake shop at Austrian Airlines?

It has a special function: this is where several different airlines look after their brakes at the same time! The brake shop is what’s known as a pool manager for brakes, so that the airlines in the pool can get hold of a brake quickly when necessary. “This is a huge advantage, as brakes are often needed quickly. That’s why it’s more efficient to create a joint pool than to store lots of brakes in reserve,” Dr. Anton Novak explains to us during the hangar tour.

Brakes are sent to the brake shop by the airlines, where they are exchanged for new ones. In the meantime, the originals can be taken apart and renewed where necessary. The “lifetime” of each brake is tracked and precisely documented while this is being done!

“After around 1,500 – 2,000 landings, the brake comes to the brake shop to be checked. To do this, a stud on the inner side of the brake which is ground down with every braking procedure serves as an indicator of just how worn down the brake really is,” colleague Wolfgang Kraus explains.

Brake, brake, brake!

Get ready for landing! Of all the parts that go to make up an aircraft, few are subjected to quite as much strain, or are as important for safety, as its wheel brakes. Vehicles with braking wheels were still a rarity one hundred years ago – back then, some machines were fitted with runners rather than wheels!*

During landing, the brakes are only activated at the final stage. The aircraft’s full delay system consists of several different braking procedures: the aerodynamic braking effect of the spoilers, the reversal of engine thrust achieved by the reversers, the rolling resistance and finally the brakes.

Like on a car, an aircraft has an anti-blocking system (ABS), which prevents the brakes from slipping when the runway is wet. (Source)

How does the brake work?

First the brake has to be running hot: for a brake to function effectively, it needs to be running at a temperature of around 200 degrees. To reach this temperature, the aircraft first taxis with the brake lightly applied before it is fully activated.

Once there was steel, now there’s carbon fibre. Aircraft these days use brakes made from carbon fibre rather than steel disc brakes. A carbon fibre is thinner than a hair, and has the benefit of being lighter and more efficient in producing the braking effect. Brakes made from carbon fibre have a longer lifetime than normal steel brakes.

Have you got any questions about the brakes of an aircraft? We look forward to reading your comments. In the next redblog story, we’ll be getting a little extra drive – from the engines! Stay tuned…

* Source: Breuer, Bert/ Bill, Karlheinz H. (Hrsg.): Bremsenhandbuch. Wiesbaden: Friedr. Vieweg & Sohn Verlag, 2006, S. 243

0 comment(s) - Originally posted at Austrian Airlines red|blog - The Aircraft: the brakes.

Washington D.C. is worth a visit!

This is where you’ll find the most important address in the USA: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue – the address of the White House, seat of the American President. Built in 1800, every American President in the country’s history has resided here – with the exception of the first President, George Washington. But there’s plenty more to discover in Washington as well as the White House, of course! Our flight attendant Claudia Burkert-Schindl looked into Washington in more detail and revealed her personal tips in the inflight magazine skylines:

You’ve just got back from Washington; what did you most like about it there?

“For us, the city feels relatively ‘European’.”
 
What should you be absolutely sure of seeing?

“Don’t miss the ‘Mall’ between the Capitol and the Washington Monument, with its countless great museums of the Smithsonian Institute, which you can visit free of charge. Particularly impressive: the Air & Space Museum.”
 
What’s your favourite local restaurant?

“Founding Farmers (1924 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW) has creative regional American cuisine.”
 
Where’s the best shopping?

“The ‘Tysons Corner’or ‘Pentagon City’ shopping centres; you’ll find all the important chains here; the letter is easy to reach on the underground.”
 
What did you buy yourself in Washington?

“Baseball Caps with the initials of the local teams the ‘National’ and the ‘Capitals’.”
 
Do you have any insider tips for us?

“A visit to the Georgetown district is a ‘must’! The boutiques along Wisconsin Avenue and M-Street are great for rooting around in. If you fancy a snack: Sprinkles, the Original Cupcakery (3015 M Street, NW, Georgetown).”
 
If there’s time for an excursion, where should you  go?

“You can get to Mount Vernon, the country estate of the first President of United States, George Washington, in about an hour. This beautiful historic building on the banks of the Potomac was renovated in 2010, and is impressive thanks to its appealing visitor centre. On the way back, drop by a really romantic restaurant: Restaurant Eve (110 South Pitt Street, Alexandria, Virginia).”
 
What have you brought back from Washington with you as souvenirs?

“The ‘White House Christmas Tree Ornament’; it’s redesigned every year.”

Thanks to Claudia for all her tips! Do you have a few tips for Washington in stock? Share them with us!

0 comment(s) - Originally posted at Austrian Airlines red|blog - Washington: Tips from flight attendant Claudia.

Sofia for one day: Thomas Enser, a fan on our Austrian Airlines Facebook Page, got a 50,- Euro voucher and headed to Sofia with us! And: Thomas sent us a great and detailed travel report – read it yourself …

A warm hello and very Austrian welcome to the report of my day trip to the city of Sofia.
Please just lie back and read it at your own pace, and enjoy the impressions it offers.
I wish you a pleasant flight with Austrian today.

As I had won a € 50 voucher in the Facebook Web Check-in competition, I naturally wanted to spend it as soon as possible. Sofia is one of the few routes you can reach from Vienna, have a look around, and be back in Austria that same evening, and all pretty cheaply, so the choice wasn’t a particularly difficult one. Apart from that, most of the flights I take are heading west, so I was interested to fly east for once.

It was Thursday, 19th April 2012, and the weather in Vienna was beautiful and spring-like.  As I had checked in quickly and easily online for my flight, of course, I just headed straight for Gate C37 on arriving at the airport, and was able to take my favorite seat, next to the engine, which I had booked in advance. I love the sound the engine makes.

The 737 fleet will soon be going out of service at Austrian, of course, so I was all the more pleased to see that the Boeing 737-800, OE-LNS ‘Geschriebenstein’ was being used on the flight.

We were all welcomed onto the aircraft with a smile, as always, and before long we were off. We pushed back and onwards to taxiway 16. After queuing behind 6 other aircraft for a few minutes, the turbines roared into action and we were in the air.

After we had reached cruising altitude, we were served drinks and a snack. All the crew were very friendly, and the traditional Austrian snack tasted delicious. I’m a huge fan of aircraft food, like cooking some of the recipes myself and learn a great deal from the way they’re presented.

The flight took us over Lake Balaton and Belgrade, before we began our descent and finally our approach flight directly above Sofia. As we had landed a little later than usual, everyone up in the cockpit was already very busy again, of course, otherwise I would have loved to take a look around.

I spent all day in Sofia, returning in the evening. It’s a relatively quick ride by bus into the city centre from the airport, even if you have to make yourself understood with your fingers and toes when trying to buy a ticket. Some impressions:
 

The aircraft from Vienna landed right on time in Sofia.
 

After boarding, we got moving relatively quickly, and the Fokker 100, OE-LVD ‘Skopje’, left the twinkling capital absolutely on time on flight OS794. Although it had a bit of a job dealing with the strong wind, it quickly reached cruising altitude. Once we were up, the inflight service began, and we were served drinks and an oven-fresh sandwich.
 

We left Belgrade and Budapest behind us, it wasn’t long before we were coming back down into Vienna. The approach flight was a dream. You could see the airport from a distance, and e touched down at 9.05 p.m. When we got off the place 30 minutes early, I asked the flight attendant jokingly whether the captain had stolen something in Sofia or he had just wanted to get home for his dinner. As the Fokker was parked on the apron in front of the Skylink, a bus took us to the arrivals area. So yet again I didn’t get a chance to look into the cockpit, as otherwise the rest of the passengers would have had to wait for me.

All in all, I’d like to say thanks for the great flights, and special praise to both crews.
I hope to see you again very soon on my favorite airline Austrian, and on that note, wish you all:
“Servus und auf Wiedersehen!“

Dear Thomas, thank you for your report! Do you also have experiences or stories about trips you wanna share?  Let us know!

0 comment(s) - Originally posted at Austrian Airlines red|blog - Sofia – a guest report from Thomas Enser.

See Vienna …

Wander through dreamy alleyways, twisting paths and magnificently blooming gardens to see the real beauty of this city. Start off at Schloss Schönbrunn palace, which offers an unforgettable view at the very heart of the palace grounds. The unique architecture and exquisite furnishings of its state rooms make Schloss Schönbrunn a cultural delicacy and a tourist attraction you should be sure not to miss.

This is sightseeing with a difference. Rather than taking a typical double-decker bus tour of the capital, you can now travel through the capital on the Vienna Ring Tram. This takes you from the State Opera to the Hofburg, then on to the Parliament, City Hall and much more. But don’t miss the very Heart of Vienna, the St. Stephen’s Cathedral, or Stephansdom. With its famed southern tower (known affectionately in the local dialect as ‘Steffl’), which is no less than 136.7 metres high including the eagle at the very top, the Stephansdom is the single best-known landmark of the Austrian capital.

Just take a walk through the higgledy-piggledy lanes of the 1st District, and you’ll be surprised by the small shops and hidden sights such as the Ruprechtskirche church, the Anker Clock at Hoher Markt, and the Donnerbrunnen fountain.

And anyone who hasn’t yet seen enough can dedicate their energies to one of the wealth of different exhibitions showing in Vienna all year round, where you can let your eyes drink in the wonder of artistic masterpieces from around the world.
 
Want to see more now? Then you‘ll find some exciting videos here: Vienna – Now or Never!

Taste Vienna …

Hungry? Here, too, Vienna has plenty to offer by way of Austrian culinary delicacies. Try out the very best of Viennese cuisine, whether it be a Wiener schnitzel with traditional potato salad at Figlmüller, Tafelspitz prime boiled beef at Plachutta, or Stelze – knuckle of pork – at the Schweizerhaus in the Prater. Whichever you opt for, we wish you ‘Guten Appetit’! Those of you with a sweet tooth, meanwhile, may prefer to try the world-famous Sachertorte, or a home-made apple strudel. And don’t forget, if you want cream on top, always ask for Obers!

Smell Vienna …

Herbs, cheese, fruit and freshly cooked dishes of every shape and colour– but where? At Vienna’s Naschmarkt, where you’ll find a culinary selection ranging from Viennese to Indian, and just about everywhere you can imagine in-between!  The most famous market in Vienna offers unique (olfactory) impressions from around the world at around 120 market stalls.

There’s also free WLAN, by the way – and the flea market on Saturdays is a must-do for bargain hunters and lovers of antique nick-knacks! We recommend you get up early, though, as the best pieces are usually snapped up early.

Hear Vienna …

Alles Walzer! Let yourself be enchanted by the greats such as Mozart and Strauss at the city’s State Opera House. You can listen to the Sound of Vienna at the Kursalon, and even encounter one or two talented musicians on the streets of the capital. At the MuseumsQuartier, meanwhile, you’ll often find yourself being treated to a surprise outdoor concert where you never would have expected to see one.

Experience Vienna …

Living and experiencing Vienna is also about sitting and enjoying a cup of mélange at an old-style Viennese Kaffeehaus. Sitting in coffee houses has become inextricably linked with Viennese culture over the years, at such famous locations as the Café Hawelka and Café Sacher. Nowhere else on Earth is a cup of coffee celebrated in quite the same way as in Vienna. To find out more about why that is, and why a mélange just isn’t a mélange without the right amount of milky foam, read on here: All about Coffee!

If you feel like experiencing Vienna now too, you can read more about the Austrian capital, and gain some interesting initial impressions, by clicking here. And you can book your flight at the same time by going to www.austrian.com.

p.s. The Austrian boarding pass entitles you to a wide range of benefits and privileges. Which ones? To read more, click on the world’s most valuable boarding pass.

0 comment(s) - Originally posted at Austrian Airlines red|blog - Vienna – a city for all the senses.

The tyres of an aircraft…

…are certainly built to last! Although one tyre can weigh up to 200 kg, its surface area is ONLY the same as three A4 sheets of paper. When a Boeing 747, with its huge weight, is taking off, the weight pressing down from the 16 main undercarriage tyres onto the runway can be up to 25 tons – that’s a tyre load 100 times greater than on a medium-sized car! On average, the taxiing route from a landing to the next take-off is 8 km. That’s something like running around a football field 30 times.

And when is the wear on the tyres at its greatest?  A lot of rubber is rubbed off when the aircraft brakes on landing. The typically grey-blue clouds of rubber during landing are deceptive, however: the greatest wear on an aircraft’s tyres is not – as many people assume – when it lands, but when the aircraft is taxiing and above all taking off! (Source)

How often is the tyre changed? An aircraft tyre is changed when it is so worn that the base of the longitudinal groove has been reached. “Depending on the type of aircraft, this happens after 450 – 700 landings – so once or twice a year,” says our colleague from Engineering. By the way, a long-haul aircraft takes off and lands over 15,000 times in its lifetime!

Tyre change = full retreading!

An aircraft tyre is retreaded up to 6 times – that means it must be treated very carefully. Just as on a car, the tyre of an aircraft is tubeless, but it gets very hot due to the taxiing and braking. “The tyre sticks very strongly to the wheel rim due to the heat. For the retreading, therefore, it has to be pressed off the wheel rim with special appliances. “On a car, the tyre is simply squeezed off, because you only use it once,” the Manager of the Visit Austrian Programme, Dr. Anton Novak, explains to us.  Once the tyre has been successfully separated from the wheel rim, it is given a new layer of rubber. The wheel rim is also inspected: it is split, cleaned and examined for cracks or similar damage.

Pressure chamber for the tyres

What is an aircraft tyre filled with? Unlike on a car, the tyre of an aircraft is not filled with air, but with pure nitrogen. Because nitrogen conducts heat less effectively than air, this prevents the aircraft tyre from overheating. As well as this, the risk of a fire developing in case of a tyre blow-out is minimised by the nitrogen.

Do aircraft need winter tyres?

No! An aircraft does not need winter tyres, as the tyres of an aircraft have a different function to those on a car. “An aircraft tyre has longitudinal profiles – a car, on the other hand, has cross-profiles. The cross-profiles propel the car, while an aircraft is propelled by the engine. Above all, the longitudinal profiles prevent aquaplaning, as they divert the water in the case of rain. Apart from this, the take-off and landing runways are of course subject to strict checks to prevent the accumulation of water, snow or slush.”

Any other questions about the tyres of our aircraft? Then let us know! In the next redblog article, we’ll be paying a visit to the workshop for brakes: look forward to seeing you there!

0 comment(s) - Originally posted at Austrian Airlines red|blog - The aircraft: the tyres.

 
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Not a member of the Miles & More programme yet? Registering for the programme is quick and easy. Just complete the form on our website and start earning miles by using the temporary paper card.

 
Benefits

Depending on your frequent flyer status, the Miles & More programme offers a range of different benefits for members. Examples include preferential treatment on waitlists, preferential check-in service, preferential treatment of baggage and greater baggage allowance, and access to airport lounges worldwide.

 
Calculator

How many miles do I still need to get my award? How many miles do I need to fly to Asia? What will an upgrade cost me? All these questions and more can be answered quickly and easily using the mileage calculator.

 
Check-in

Depending on what status level you have, you receive benefits when checking in at the airport. That means you can enjoy shorter waiting times, use of priority zones and much more besides.

 
Credit

Miles you have earned are automatically credited to your mileage account when you present your card. Should this ever not be case, mileage can also be credited retrospectively if you let us know within six months. To do this, please be absolutely sure to keep hold of the receipts for any flights you want credited.

 
Credit card

If you combine your credit card with Miles & More, every day you go shopping is turned into a day you are earning miles, and every euro you spend is immediately turned into a mileage point. As well as this, your miles remain valid for an unlimited period of time, and do not expire after 36 months.

 
Flight awards

Flights can be purchased with flight awards. Your mileage calculator tells you how many award points you require for which flight.

 
Ground

Miles can be earned not just in the air, but also with Miles & More partners based on the ground. That means hotels, car rental companies, taxi firms and many more. In total, this includes 250 partner companies.

 
Information

Any information about the programme, the latest offers and personal mileage data can be pulled up on the Miles & More website at any time.

 
JetFriends

JetFriends is the free Miles & More club for children and young people who are interested in aircraft, pilots and airlines. Anyone between 2 and 17 years of age can find games and interesting information about aircraft and flying on the online portal. They can also earn and redeem miles.

 
Lufthansa

Lufthansa founded Miles & More in 1993. Today, it is the largest and most successful frequent flyer programme in Europe, with 22 million members.

 
Miles

There are three different types of miles. You can distinguish between:

• Status miles: these define your frequent flyer status, and can only be earned on Star Alliance flights.

• Award miles: these miles can be used to shop, and earned with all Miles & More partners.

Mobile

Simply register on your mobile, and you can quickly and easily check in and pull up your current flight status by SMS. You can also use the Miles & More App “Member Scout” app on your mobile. To do this, download the app at the Apple Store, and you can start exchanging tips and travel experiences with other Miles & More frequent flyers immediately.

 
Newsletter

The Miles & More Newsletter offers all the latest offers at a glance, and is sent out every month. You are also credited with 500 miles when you first subscribe.

 
Online Service Center

At the Online Service Center, members can find information about their mileage status, purchase miles, and have these retrospectively credited. You can also send an e-mail to the Service Team if you have any further queries.

 
Partners

Miles & More has numerous partners where miles can be earned and redeemed. These include more than 40 partner airlines, hotels, tour operators and car rental companies. There are also numerous partners from other sectors. You can find an overview by clicking here.

 
Shopping

If you are still a few miles short of a flight award, you can also shop for miles or be given them as a gift. There are various ways of doing this, at different prices: 1,000 miles cost 35 euros, for example, while you can buy 12,000 miles for 290 euros. Here’s where you can shop for miles online.

 
Status level

The status of frequent flyers depends on how many miles they have earned. The more miles are earned, the higher the status and the more benefits can be used. We distinguish between Frequent Traveler, Senator and HON Circle Members.
Worldwide

 
The Miles & More programme has partners worldwide. To see who and where they are, check out this overview.

We’ve given you a brief overview of the Miles & More programme today – in our next redblog articles, we’ll be telling you more about earning and spending miles, special  campaigns and benefit programmes. So stay tuned!

0 comment(s) - Originally posted at Austrian Airlines red|blog - An A to Z of Miles & More.

How much does an aircraft actually weigh?

There are several kinds of weight: Empty weight, takeoff weight, or landing weight. The difference between empty weight and takeoff weight is the payload.

Christian Scheuer of the Engineering Department has an example: „The Airbus 319 has a basic empty weight of approx. 42 tons. At takeoff one has to add the weight of the cargo, the passengers and the fuel. The aircraft can weigh up to 68 tons then.“

In other words the plane takes off with an additional weight of 26 tons, 4 trucks so-to-speak, or the weight of 360 people respectively (assuming an average weight of an EU citizen of 72,2 kg).

Can a passenger jet do a loop-the-loop?

Performing extreme flight manoeuvres with airliners is theoretically possible, however very unlikely in practice.

A loop-the-loop is a flight manoeuvre during which the aircraft flies a complete circle in the vertical plane. It requires very high speed and the shutting-down of several flight systems:

„The aircraft could probably withstand the forces, however, all built-in flight systems would prevent such a manoeuvre“, explains colleague Wolfgang Kraus. „A barrel roll, i.e. a full helical spin, could be possible though…“

What headlights does an aircraft have?

 There are several lights on an aircraft. The most important ones are:

• Landing lights: They are used during takeoff and landing and have up to 600 watts.

• Taxi lights: Dimmed headlights on a car, taxi lights on an aircraft. They are turned on while taxiing on the ground and have a power of 400 to 450 watts.

• Position lights: Position lights mark the position respectively the flight or taxi direction. There’s a green light on the right wing tip leading edge, and a red light on the left wing tip leading edge. They are so-to-speak the flashlights of an aircraft. They are high-energy lights and blink once per second.

In a car, headlights usually have 5-20 watts; an aircraft light on the other hand can have a total power of about 2,250 watts. This could very well power an infrared sauna or up to 40 household light bulbs.

You want to find out more? Then stay tuned! In our next redblog stories we have a closer look at the individual parts of an aircraft: From tires, brakes and emergency chutes to the engines. Look forward to lots of fascinating answers.

0 comment(s) - Originally posted at Austrian Airlines red|blog - The Aircraft: Interesting questions, fascinating answers.

© Richard Ryan

What’s the best way to start a long day out in Stockholm? You got it – with a nice hot cup of coffee!  And much the best place to do this is at Muggen – a coffee shop and bistro on the Götgatan thoroughfare. The amazing salads here are also worth a try at any time of day!

You can then move on to the part of town where Stockholm’s young and creative types live and work: Bohemian SoFo. “SoFo” actually means ‘South of Folkungagatan’. In this district of Stockholm, you’ll find a wide range of interesting and creative shops for design, clothing, jewellery, books, music and much more besides.

Anyone wanting to buy something good to eat is better off heading for the Östermalm Saluhall (also known as Östermalmshalle). As the name suggests, this vast market hall is located in the Östermalm district, and offers the connoisseurs amongst you fine foods of every imaginable kind.

A boat trip or a royal trip?Our crews recommend both a Boat Tour and a day trip to Drottningholm Palace. Drottningholm Palace is the private residence of the Swedish royal family, and located on the island of Lovön.

And before you head out for a taste of the night life Stockholm can offer, we’ve got another stomach-friendly tip for you: the Nyagatan. This trendy restaurant is at the heart of SoFo, offers organic and local fare, and the luxuriant interior design will help you build up your strength for the night to come!

For that night, our crews recommend two special bars:

• Spy Bar
• Absolut Icebar Stockholm

The Spy Bar is Stockholm‘s best-known night club. It’s located on Stureplan Square, and is always packed. If you’re going to the Absolut Icebar Stockholm, meanwhile, it might be an idea to wrap up slightly warmer: the temperature here is around -5°C. And small wonder: you’re now in the first permanent ice bar in the world! Everything here is made of ice – even the glasses you get your drink in!

We hope you enjoyed our brief journey to Stockholm! And just in case you’re someone else who’s got interesting insider tips about Stockholm: we want to hear them!

0 comment(s) - Originally posted at Austrian Airlines red|blog - Stockholm – tips from our crews.

In the city that produced the Blues, a visit to a music bar is something you should never miss out on. The Community recommends the following bars:

• Checkerboard Lounge
• Buddy Guy´s Legends
• Chicago Blues Bar
• Chicago Philharmonieorchester
• Soundbar

The Lollapalooza Music Festival, which is being held from 3rd to 5th August this year, is also something you have to see, according to Tobias.

And speaking of seeing things: you should also try to get to a home game of the Chicago Bulls at Wrigley Field. And here are some other must-do experiences for your list of amazing experiences when sightseeing:

• Navy Pier
• Brunnen von „Eine schrecklich nette Familie“
• The Bean
• Willis Tower
• Citybeach
• Lakeshore Drive
• Rivercruise Tour
• Untouchable Tour: In the footsteps of Al Capone
• Downtown

There’s also plenty to do for those with an interest in culture:

• Art Institute of Chicago
• Chicago History Museum

Discovering a new city is bound to make you hungry and thirsty, of course. And the undisputed number one tip from our Facebook fans is the famous Garrett Popcorn. There are ten popcorn shops in Chicago, which sell the special Chicago Mix. Some other culinary highlights might also include the following:

• Signature Room
• Plymouth Grill
• Chicago Veggie Diner
• Bhabis Kitchen
• Billy Goat Tavern
• Giordanos Pizzeria
• Morton´s Original Stake House
• Kuma´s Corner
• The Melting Pot
• The Exchequer Pub
• Roof Top Bar
• Park Grill at Millenium Park

Thanks to our Facebook fans for their great tips – and to all of you with an urge to travel, have fun discovering Chicago!

0 comment(s) - Originally posted at Austrian Airlines red|blog - Chicago travel tips from our Austrian Facebook fans.

We’re touching back down! Our Culinary Highlights have led us through the kitchens of DO & CO, to the airport and beyond. Now we’ve collected together the best photos for you and stuck them in an album… so have fun browsing through the images!

We hope you’ve had fun on our culinary journey – and above all that it’s made you hungry!

The Culinary Highlights are over! You’ll find the best images in our summary.

0 comment(s) - Originally posted at Austrian Airlines red|blog - Culinary highlights: photo album.

Training in a flight simulator

The instructor sits behind the cockpit, that is, behind the captain and the co-pilot and sets the course of the training. “He defines the conditions and the flight situation. Weather, rain, snow, hail, gusts of wind…. everything! The performance data of the simulator will exactly match those of the aircraft. So in reality things would happen just the way they do in the simulator”, our pilot and flight instructor explain.

The training in a flight simulator involves approx. 40 hours of practice. One training unit is precisely defined and replicated from A to Z. “It could be an exercise with cross wind, in a light aircraft, in a heavy aircraft, and then with engine problems …. That’s how the complexity of the training gradually increases”

What is so special about a flight simulator?

Today, the Austrian Training Center boasts three flight simulators. Two Airbus A320-200 and one Dash 8-Q400.
The Dash 8-Q400 flight simulator is only 2 years old and “probably the most realistic simulation of a Q 400 that has ever been built”, says our colleague. He was also a project pilot when the simulator was being constructed and reveals that this particular model was designed following the “Master Aircraft concept. This means that an actually existing aircraft was used as a reference“

 
 
 The flight simulators at the Austrian Training Center also have the highest level of approval.

„Concerning flight simulators there is an EU regulation governing approval. The flight simulators we are using here have the highest level of approval …, which allows for Zero Flight Time Training. This means that you can complete your pilot education even if it were carried out entirely in a simulator. As soon as the line training starts you’d be allowed into the aircraft without once having piloted one for real.”
So it’s quite the experience to be sitting in a flight simulator.

By the way, the flight simulators are in great demand: “Yes, there’s a real run on them. Our simulators here are working to full capacity; they are basically operative 24/7. Except for the times when we do the preventive checks.”
Who of you has ever been in a flight simulator? And who would like to be? As always we look forward to your stories.

0 comment(s) - Originally posted at Austrian Airlines red|blog - Flight simulators – Part 2.

The red|xbag at Web Check-in

Do you know the feeling? Already long before the journey actually starts, you know that you will have more baggage than allowed free of charge. As of now you can save time and money with redxbag at Web Check-in: In addition to the free baggage allowance (23 kg) you may register excess baggage via Web Check-in. Simply choose redxbag in the redservices menu and pay the fee of EUR 50,- by credit card. You will save valuable time at the airport.

The best thing is: Pay your excess baggage via Austrian Web Check-in and save the ticket service charge of minimum EUR 10,-!

Flying with red|xbag

Take off with excess baggage: redxbag can be used on all flights operated by Austrian Airlines within Europe – the option is however restricted to one piece of baggage per passenger. The costs for the item are calculated until the final destination. Please note: The fee paid for excess baggage via Austrian Web Check-in cannot be refunded!

You have not yet tried our Web Check-in? Just click here for more information and how to save time!

PS. Those who are interested in how their suitcases travel: you can find out more in Part 1 and Part 2 of our redblog series: “The journey of a suitcase”.

6 comment(s) - Originally posted at Austrian Airlines red|blog - New at Austrian Web Check-in: red|xbag.

Things heat up above the clouds

How do things actually work with the in-flight ovens? We’ve already given you some of the details in our redblog articles “Culinary highlights at DO & CO: the hot kitchen” and “Culinary highlights: the road to the airport”. The trolleys carrying the meals from DO & CO are prepared for loading at the airport by Skygourmet, the logistics service of DO & CO. Finally, the oveninserts containing the hot meals are placed straight in the in-flight ovens by airport staff during loading.  Short- or medium-haul aircraft have up to 6 ovens on board, by the way!

Then things heat up: about 20 minutes before being served, the crew turn on the ovens containing the hot meals. After being heated up for 18 to 22 minutes, the meals are taken out of the ovens, placed on the trolleys and served on the trays. Enjoy your meal!

Feedback above the clouds

Did you enjoy your meal? After every flight, flight attendants take feedback from passengers and enter it in the EVEREST system of Austrian Airlines. The reports produced are called Cabin Voyage Reports, include 5 different categories and include, as well as technical details from the cabin, a ‘Catering’ category. This lets us gather and passed on praise and criticism from passengers. Indirect feedback is also recorded:

“Customer feedback might show us, for example, that when it comes to the choice passengers are given between a hot meal of chicken and pasta (we might be serving 60% chicken meals and 40% pasta, for instance), the share we’re using of each doesn’t match what people actually request.  If this turns out to be the case, we can adjust it!” Alexander Mayer, Head of Inflight Product & Cabin Standards, explains.

Feedback on Catering is then gone through in a weekly meeting held with DO & CO. At these meetings, an average of 500 reports are summarised and passed on. DO & CO then either implements these immediately or integrates a new process to take the feedback into consideration.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our culinary highlights – in the next redblog, you’ll find all the culinary photos of our journey into the DO & CO kitchens collected together again. We’ll see each other later – above the clouds!

0 comment(s) - Originally posted at Austrian Airlines red|blog - Service above the clouds.

So let’s get moving…

 Even the little ones made the most of the chance to hit the heights!

Meanwhile, “down on the ground”, we handed out alcohol-free punch at our tent and admired the airborne goings-on!

Thanks again to all our fans who took part in our YOG 2012 competition on twitter!

0 comment(s) - Originally posted at Austrian Airlines red|blog - That was YOG 2012!.