AUA boss Annette Mann does not expect any increases in ticket prices in the near future, but in the medium term the regulatory costs for environmental measures are likely to lead to price increases in Europe. “The blending quota for sustainable fuels will swallow up a lot of money, as will the European emissions trading system. Accordingly, I assume that ticket prices will continue to rise,” she said on Saturday in the Ö1 series “Im Journal zu Gast”.
Next year, Mann expects additional costs of 90 million euros due to the blending quota and emissions trading; the annual profit in 2023 was only 127 million euros in comparison. “In relation to this, you can clearly see that we cannot simply bear this, but actually have to pass it on in the ticket prices if we want to continue to be an economically successful company.” Mann did not provide any specific information on possible increases in 2025.
Capacities are being expanded
The airline does not want to change its climate targets despite production backlogs at aircraft manufacturers, which are an important factor in the green transition. Mann also referred to the EU-wide requirement that two percent of kerosene must be mixed from non-fossil sources (Sustainable Aviation Fuel, SAF) from 2025. AUA is currently also working on programs with even higher SAF shares. “Capacities are being expanded,” said Mann, and pressure is being put on suppliers. The airline is aiming for CO2-neutral operations by 2050.
Regarding possible concerns about the safety of Boeing aircraft at AUA, Mann gave the all-clear. “We have our own offices on site (…), where we are very, very intensively involved in quality control right from the start.” There is therefore no reason to worry. In any case, it is still unclear whether 737 aircraft will be used at AUA at all, as an allocation has not yet been made.
“Very satisfied” with passenger numbers
Mann was “very satisfied” with the passenger numbers over the summer. In general, despite some setbacks such as the weak result in the first half of the year, there was some good news. For example, the airline recently managed to put several long-haul aircraft back into operation with the AUA Dreamliners, an offer that was very well received. In addition, the loss in the first half of the year was partly due to one-off effects, explained the AUA boss.