AUA boss Alexis von Hoensbroech gave ZIB little hope on Holy Saturday that the aviation crisis would soon be over.
“The crisis does not end when the planes start flying again, but when all planes flee again,” said the AUA chief. It is the first industry to be hit by the coronavirus crisis and the last to come out of it. It would take “a few years” for this severe aviation crisis to be overcome worldwide.
ZIB anchor Marthin Thür asked why the Austrian taxpayer should save a German-owned company (the AUA belongs to Lufthansa). “The AUA is an Austrian airline,” answered Hoenbroech. You create jobs here, pay taxes here and ensure flight operations here.
“Flying difficult in times of Corona”
Hoensbroech cannot gain anything from a state participation in the AUA in return for state aid, as recently requested by the SPÖ and FPÖ. He also found that there was currently no interest in this in the government. He could rule it out at the present time.
Those who have booked a flight for the summer are currently being offered rebookings or credits, according to the AUA boss. You will probably have to get used to the idea of not being able to go on holiday to distant travel destinations in the summer. “It saddens us as an airline, but flying in Corona times is difficult,” said Hoenbroech.
