Austrian Airlines to cease flying to Kuala Lumpur next year

Austrian Airlines will cease flying to Kuala Lumpur from March 25 next year, local newspaper reported Friday.

The airlines made its decision to halt its flights from Vienna, Austria, to Kuala Lumpur two weeks ago, as the route is no longer profitable, said Austrian Airlines country manager for Malaysia and Singapore Wilson Tay.

This move will also affect its flights to Sydney, Australia, as the airlines currently operates Boeing 777s on the so-called " Kangaroo route" between Vienna and Sydney through Kuala Lumpur, flying six times a week.

"Primary reasons for termination of the services are spiraling fuel prices and vicious competition, which have resulted in a low- yield environment. (It has deteriorated to a point where) the operation has become extremely cost-intensive, therefore unlivable to sustain," Tay was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times ( NST), a local English-language newspaper in Malaysia.

Besides Kuala Lumpur, Austrian Airlines will also pull out of Singapore. It operates three flights per week between Vienna and Melbourne through Singapore.

Nonetheless, Austrian Airlines will maintain its off-line business presence in Malaysia, to enable passengers to book a flight with the airline to Vienna via Bangkok, Thailand, said Tay.

The latest announcement is part of the Austrian Airlines Group's plans to cut unprofitable routes worldwide.

Currently, European airlines serving Kuala Lumpur are Austrian Airlines, Air France-KLM, Lufthansa German Airlines and Transaero, said the NST report.

Finnair, the national carrier of Finland, will start flying into Kuala Lumpur from May next year.

Source: Xinhua