Aviation

A Smile Has Been Flying Around the World for 60 Years

A Smile Has Been Flying Around the World for 60 Years

The very first Austrian Airlines flight took place on March 31, 1958, heading for London
“A history, the company can be proud of” comments CEO Kay Kratky
First edition of the anniversary book is out of print, new edition now available

The sky over Austria was red-white-red on March 31, 1958. For the first time, an Austrian Airlines aircraft took off on a commercial flight. The four-engine Vickers Viscount with the registration number OE-LAD flew to London. There was an extensive program of events for the invited guests i.e. cocktail receptions, dinners and city tours. In Vienna there was also an evening spent at the State Opera, where Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” was performed.

A Smile Has Been Flying Around the World for 60 Years Image courtesy : Austrian Airlines

The inaugural flight turned into a major success. In addition to numerous congratulatory letters sent by invited guests and representatives of international airlines, a newspaper report praised the “Viennese smile” and the “warm hospitality” on board. The aircraft was British, but the atmosphere was Austrian, according to an article appearing in the newspaper “Neues Österreich” on July 6, 1958.

A Smile Has Been Flying Around the World for 60 Years Image courtesy : Austrian Airlines

“In 1958 Austrian Airlines had four chartered Vickers Viscount aircraft and six destinations in its flight schedule”, explains Austrian Airlines CEO Kay Kratky. “60 years later, Austrian Airlines has a fleet of 82 jets and offers a global route network to about 130 destinations. This is a history, the company can be proud of.”

A Smile Has Been Flying Around the World for 60 Years Image courtesy : Austrian Airlines

In addition to London, Austrian Airlines flew to other destinations in the year 1958 for the first time. On May 5, Austrian performed its first flight to Frankfurt, on May 10 to Zurich. A Vickers Viscount took off on the airline’s first commercial flight to Paris on May 27, followed by Rome on June 28 and Warsaw on October 17.

A Smile Has Been Flying Around the World for 60 Years Image courtesy : Austrian Airlines

More detailed information on the history of Austrian Airlines can be found in the book in German entitled “Ein Lächeln fliegt um die Welt – Eine Zeitreise durch die Geschichte von Austrian Airlines” (A Smile Flies Around the World – A Journey Through the History of Austrian Airlines) written by Peter Baumgartner. Due to the fact that the first edition of the book is out of print, a second updated edition is now available from booksellers and at the Austrian Airlines Jetshop.

Related Topics:60 years of flying Austrian Airline

Aviation

Lost Tool Found in Qantas A380 After 34 Flights

An Australian Transportation Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigation recently revealed that a Qantas A380 operated 34 flights with a 1.25-meter nylon tool lodged in one of its engines.

This turning tool, used during borescope inspections to rotate the intermediate-pressure compressor, was left behind during scheduled maintenance at Los Angeles on December 6, 2023. It remained inside the engine until it was discovered by maintenance staff during a subsequent check at Los Angeles on January 1, 2024.

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The ATSB report highlights two critical lapses. First, maintenance engineers failed to notice the tool during final checks for foreign objects after the borescope inspection. Second, the lost tool procedure was not activated when the tool was identified as missing.

The certifying engineer ultimately cleared the aircraft for service without accounting for the misplaced tool. During the time qantas films the tool was inside, the A380 completed 34 flight cycles, accumulating nearly 294 hours without any noticeable effect on engine performance.

Although the tool was deformed by high-energy airflow within the engine, there was no reported damage to the engine itself. ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell commented.

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“This incident underscores the importance of following established maintenance protocols. Engineers missed the tool during foreign object checks, and the required lost tool procedure wasn’t started after realizing the tool was missing.”

Following the investigation, the airline issued a safety directive, urging all engineering and tool storage teams to adhere strictly to these protocols to prevent similar incidents in the future.

A qantas spokesperson stated, “While the tool didn’t impact engine performance, we take this incident very seriously. It is critical to follow the correct lost tool procedures.”