Austrian Airlines Launches Fleet Renewal with Departure of First E195 Aircraft

Austrian Airlines has officially said goodbye to its first Embraer E195 as part of a fleet transition aimed at consolidating its short and medium-haul services exclusively with Airbus A320 family jets.

The initial Embraer, now carrying the registration I-ENJA, departed from Vienna International Airport (VIE) on December 12, 2025. It successfully landed at Verona Airport (VRN) where it will commence operations under Air Dolomiti in Italy.

Out of the 17 Embraer aircraft, 13 will be transferred to Air Dolomiti, while the remaining four are scheduled for external sale starting in 2026.

Austrian Airlines describes the first delivery of the E195 as a significant milestone in the decommissioning process for these 17 aircraft.

“Today, we bid farewell to our first Embraer aircraft, which has been a reliable workhorse for many years. We are pleased to see a significant portion of our Embraer fleet continuing to serve under sister airline Air Dolomiti,” commented Stefan-Kenan Scheib, COO of Austrian Airlines.

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He expressed gratitude, stating, “I want to recognize the efforts of the entire Austrian team in ensuring that the start of this fleet transition for our short- and medium-haul operations has been quick, safe, and smooth.”

The first Embraer E195 was introduced to Austrian Airlines in January 2016, intended to replace older Fokker aircraft in its fleet.

The aircraft transitioned to service with Air Dolomiti starting April 18, 2016, with its inaugural flight from Vienna to Stuttgart, marking the fourth Embraer added to the fleet at that time.

Transitioning Away from Embraers

In place of the 17 Embraer aircraft, Austrian Airlines is set to acquire six brand-new Airbus A320neo planes, each designed to seat 180 passengers.

The first of these A320neo aircraft is anticipated in the summer of 2026, which will expand the airline’s Airbus fleet to a total of 46 planes.

Additions to the long-haul fleet began in 2024 with the introduction of two Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. Looking ahead, the airline plans to add 10 more by the end of 2028.

With this transition, Austrian Airlines’ fleet will consist solely of Airbus A320 family aircraft and Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, phasing out all Embraer E195s by the conclusion of 2028. The next Embraer is slated to exit service in February 2026.