Austrian Airlines begins short- and medium-haul fleet renewal with Embraer phase-out

Austrian Airlines has officially launched the rollover of its short- and medium-haul fleet with the transfer of its first Embraer 195 aircraft to sister airline Air Dolomiti. The aircraft, previously registered as OE-LWM and now flying as I-ENJA, marks the beginning of the planned decommissioning of all 17 Embraer jets currently operated by the airline.

Of the 17 Embraer 195 aircraft, 13 will be transferred to Air Dolomiti, while the remaining four will be sold externally, with the sales process starting in early 2026. The Embraer fleet, introduced in 2016 to replace Fokker aircraft, has played a key role in Austrian Airlines’ regional operations, with each aircraft configured for 120 passengers.

As part of the modernisation strategy, Austrian Airlines will replace the Embraers with six new Airbus A320neo aircraft, each seating 180 passengers, with the first deliveries expected in summer 2026. This will expand the airline’s Airbus fleet to 46 aircraft.

The short- and medium-haul changes complement a broader fleet transformation that also includes long-haul renewal. Following the introduction of Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners in 2024, Austrian plans to operate a simplified fleet structure in the future, centred solely on the Airbus A320 family and the Boeing 787-9. The complete phase-out of the Embraer 195 fleet is planned by the end of 2028.