SkyEurope considers new domestic route in Austria

SkyEurope, one of Central Europe’s major discount airlines, is considering launching a new domestic route between two cities in

Austria. The vast majority of the Slovak no-frills carrier’s routes have, thus far, been international and have focused on connecting cities in Western Europe, as well as southern destinations in the Mediterranean, with major airports in Poland, Slovakia and Hungary, as well as other countries in the region. The new route, between Vienna and the southern Austrian town of

Klagenfurt, would add a new dynamic to the company’s business strategy. A number of changes have already been confirmed, and these include moving the airline’s hub from Budapest to Vienna and

Prague. This transition is scheduled to occur by the end of October. The new Austrian route, however, is expected to begin operations in March 2008. This, however, will not be SkyEurope’s only domestic flight in

Austria. The airline began flying between the Austrian capital and the city of

Innsbruck earlier this month.

SkyEurope has hubs at

M.R. Stefanik Airport in Bratislava, Prague’s

Ruznye Airport, and at the

Vienna-Schwechat International Airport. The carrier operates 15 airplanes—all of which are of the Boeing 737-700 variety—and has another 28 currently on order. The airline serves a total of 40 destinations, all within the European Union, except for Croatia and

Switzerland. SkyEurope connects three UK airports to East/Central Europe, including London Stansted,

Birmingham and Manchester International. The carrier was established in 2001, as

Central Europe’s first no-frills airline.

SkyEurope trades on public stock exchanges in Vienna and

Warsaw, and the carrier is valued at over €120 million.

www.skyeurope.com