Austrian Airlines is cutting back its summer schedule by 300 flights over a lack of suitably qualified flight crew for its fleet of seventeen E195s. Around 10% of all pilots cannot yet be deployed due to training deficiencies and contractual problems and as such the airline does not have standby reserves at its disposal in the case of the short-term unavailability of crews.
Austrian is expecting a total of seventeen E195s from Lufthansa to replace its fleet of fifteen Fokker 100s and six Fokker 70s. But, with nine E195s so far delivered, only six are currently operational. The remaining eight are expected to be deployed by the end of next year.
Austrian has wet-leased aircraft to help mitigate its capacity shortage. Thus far, one 737-800 has been leased from Sun Express Deutschland, an A320-200 from Condor and one CRJ-900 from Adria Airways.