Austrian Launches "Dubai Deal" Test Flights, Admits They'll Be Unpleasant

This stage length seems to work US west coast to Hawaii, with less inflight service than Austrian will offer. Good that OS is setting expectations realistically.

If I was forced into economy from VIE to DXB I would actually choose this flight over EK...even if the same price. Quick boarding and deplaning and a more stealth approach makes this far better than fighting 400+ passengers on the A380 and the complications that come from it. I am betting this flight will do very well.

I'm based in Italy, I love Austrian and I fly to Dubai frequently for business. I hate to say it but I wouldn't take this flight. But honestly I don't think they're trying to attract business travellers like me whose companies pay for their travel.

This sort of concept is right up my street, but the westbound timing is horrendous. The departure is too early for getting any meaningful amount of sleep on the ground and the arrival is too late for catching many of the morning connections via VIE (e.g. OS713 to BUD, the SN flight to BRU). If the plane isn't going to be used for other sectors, why couldn't they push the departure back to some less inhumane time?

The aircraft would not be grounded otherwise because “it’s winter”, but because of night-time restrictions in the EU.
There is a bunch of routes on which Western European airlines are running a rotation to AMM, CAI, TLV or similar, Admittedly, DXB is a bit longer, but still the aircraft only leaves in the evening and is back in the morning, so it’s a handy additional utilization.

Flying to the Canaries (VIE-TFS 04h45m) is not much quicker than flying to DXB (VIE-DXB 05h05m).

While it initially sounds crazy to fly from VIE to DXB on an A320neo, it’s quite common to fly to the Canaries on an A320…and the planes are full during winter. Ryanair, Wizz, Tuifly, Easyjet, Jet2 also don’t have a business class and also no seatback entertainment.

So while this OS flight will not necessarily appeal to OMAAT readers, I am sure that there is a market.

Okay. Im comparing eastbound to westbound and A320neo to B777 here…but you get the point: it could work out.

It's an interesting idea. The flight time is no longer than the many narrowbodies flying coast to coast daily in the US. Is a bigger plane a better customer experience? Typically. But plenty of people are on A320's or 737's for 5-6 hours daily.
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"That’s especially true when you consider that Austrian will be competing head-to-head against Emirates in this market."

But they aren't doing that... They believe there's a segment of travelers large enough to merit this flight that refuse to fly Wizzair but don't want to pay Emirates prices. I think they will be proven wrong.

Sounds just like every Avianca flight to North America or the south cone, but better because OS offers WiFi.

The real question is: why would it appeal to flyers over Wizzair? Plus, there's Etihad for the 80% who aren't actually heading to the UAE.

If you're flying economy and own a tablet I imagine it's not that different.

But why would that segment be willing to fly OS? That's the major flaw in their thinking. They're offering Wizzair products at triple price.

US coast to cost flights don't compete with Emirates and Wizzair. US airlines can afford subpar product due to lack of competition. That's not the case on VIE-DXB.

Ryanair, Wizz, TUI, easyJet, and Jet2 are cheap. OS is not. Low-cost market does exist of course. But high-cost low-quality market doesn't.

Air Arabia fly SHJ - VIE with some success, so there must be a lower cost market between the two countries. I'm sure plenty of people will suffer the discomfort for the non stop instead of the extra time of transiting via Doha or Istanbul.
Interestingly Virgin Atlantic are sending their super high density A350s to DXB in the winter, so there are plenty of people from Europe seeking warm winter sun without business class fares

Well, as a frequent traveller on this route, I do hope nobody in my company will come up with the idea to try this.... nothing beats EK A380..

Of course there is a lower cost market on that route. That's not the problem. The problem is that the lower cost market is taken by airlines that are actually cheap, unlike OS. OS proposition isn't competitive neither on price, nor on quality.

There's plenty of EU airports with no night time restrictions (there aren't any "EU night time restrictions", just various local ones). It's just that people don't fancy arriving late at night. The Caucasus and Middle Eastern destinations can get away with it because they're low yield so most airlines basically only operate them when the fixed costs are basically zero (the plane would otherwise spend the night at base).

@Samo €700 is less than what you'd normally pay for premium economy between Europe and the UAE. Eurobusiness is a decent compromise if you're not tall and you don't need to sleep.

I’m sure most of the traffic will be connecting traffic and people booking a business class ticket won’t realize what they’re up for until they step on the plane. I doubt these tickets will be cheaper than competitors.

I think it's the opposite. Getting a ticket for a premium economy price with lounge access, more luggage etc thrown in will be attractive to connecting pax. Those who are likely to suffer are any LH/LX C pax who fall victim to IROPS!

Agree. There are no EU restrictions. This was simplified for editorial purposes.
But no, airlines can get away with bad flight times in the middle of the night, when there’s no competition and people have tongue whatever is on offer.
TLV for example is traditionally a high yield market, compared to distance flown, fares are have been very high from Europe, much higher than to LCA, which is next door.
WK even tried such an overnight rotation to one or two destinations in the Canaries.
It doesn’t have anything to do with yield, but with the demand and supply situation

And I thought DXB was a premium market with good yields rather than a leisure destination.

Wait, why can't it appeal to both?
Despite being mostly a desert hellhole, Dubai still commands an incredible reputation among many non-premium travelers, largely due to the online influencer crowd. There's tons of people who want to take a picture at the fountain or visit the mall without actually spending a ton on their vacation. Case in point: look at the myriad of LCCs currently serving DWC, SHJ and RKT from Europe.

Americans sometimes don't realise that the MENA region is the only realistic option for a long weekend or similar escapade during the miserable N. European winter. I'm a fan of Oman, but someone who wants to switch off and spend three days by the pool is probably better off going to the UAE.

I doubt the price will be different. You’ll see the same prices for eg DXB-NYC on LH/LX/OS, but the product will differ.

Lufthansa’s decision-making doesn’t make much sense. Offering VIE-DXB as a budget flight while treating BER-DXB as a full-service route reflects a fragmented strategy. It suggests a lack of clear planning and raises doubts about Lufthansa's competence.

I don't know about US connections, you may well be right about them. I was talking regional ones.

Makes sense to me. Consider that some flights in Europe are three hours or more. I think you have a different idea of long haul even for domestic routes because east coast to west coast USA for example has more of a proper business class. There are many discount or cheap airlines that fly to Dubai too.

They're openly admitting they won't compete on product. But there's plenty of travelers willing to sacrifice product if the price is right.

Economy in 10-across 777 really isn't that much better than a narrow-body anyway, so this may be competitive.

But those flight times!

The point is to use an aircraft overnight at an airport which has no curfew.

I don't really mind the eastbound timing, I can work for an almost full day (even with a connection from elsewhere in Europe), catch a short nap onboard and then have a few coffees before an 11am early check in and another nap in the hotel. However, the timing of the return flight is pure sadism.

Air Arabia offers SHJ-VIE, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi offers AUH-VIE (for now) so it isn't entirely unusual to have this routing.

And none of your response can still explain why OS can't fill a plane with a premium cabin.

Might as well have Tim Dunn address the issue by not addressing the issue like DL doesn't fly DXB because their A350 are too premium bullsh*t.

It's worth highlighting how the flight times are rather unpleasant. This makes you arrive in your hotel around 5am upon arrival, and you have to leave around 3am - two bad nights.

I did try a similar service that LOT operates Warsaw - Riyadh earlier this year, and while the outbound was timed more pleasantly and not full, so overall a positive experience, the return was painful. Not doing this again.

There are JetBlue Mint and some premium offerings by the big three US carriers coast to coast. And Emirates business class isn't exactly leading (on all planes).

Ouch. The new seats they installed in the A320neo are terrible. Upright, unergonomical, non-reclining, hard torture benches. My back was screaming after a short 1 hour flight to Rome.

I’d take 6-7 hours on a United or Delta 737 over 1 hour in the Austrian A320neo any day.