Austrian Airlines has withdrawn the first of its 17 Embraer E195s as it launches the renewal of its short- and medium-haul fleet. The aircraft, formerly registered OE-LWM, has been transferred to fellow Lufthansa Group carrier Air Dolomiti, where it will operate under the Italian registration I-ENJA.
According to Austrian Airlines, the phase-out of the Embraer 195 fleet will take place gradually through 2028 as part of a move toward a simplified narrowbody fleet built around the Airbus A320 family. The carrier plans to introduce additional A320neo aircraft, increasing capacity on key European routes and reducing unit costs.
Most of the outgoing Embraer jets are expected to remain within the Lufthansa Group, with Air Dolomiti identified as the primary recipient. The E195s will be replaced by higher-capacity Airbus narrowbodies, reflecting a shift in Austrian’s network strategy and a drive for greater fleet commonality.
The Embraer 195 entered Austrian’s fleet in the mid-2010s and has been deployed mainly on regional and intra-European services from Vienna. Its retirement runs in parallel with the ongoing renewal of the airline’s long-haul fleet, which includes the introduction of Boeing 787-9 aircraft to replace its older Boeing 767s and 777s.
