Nikki Lauda to buy Aero Lloyd
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Nikki Lauda to buy Aero Lloyd
Form ITV Formula 1 website:
Niki Lauda has taken control of a struggling German airline and is to bring low-cost flights to Germany, Austria and beyond.
Lauda left the F1 paddock at the end of 2002 after a turbulent stint at Jaguar.
A parting of the ways saw the energetic Austrian receive a pay-off amounting to several million pounds as the Big Cat sought to cut costs.
The perfect springboard then for Lauda to get straight back into business.
However one of the separation clauses meant he was unable to be involved with another F1 team for a year.
But that wasn’t going to halt the former world champion’s ambitions.
He spent the early part of the year launching LaudaMotion which rents out a fleet of Smart cars at £1 per day by offering advertising on them.
And now this week it has been announced that he’s going back into the airline business as he took over Aero Lloyd.
He plans a budget style service along the lines of EasyJet and RyanAir.
Speaking in last Sunday’s Telegraph, Lauda said, “I believe in living a life that involves a lot of risk.
“If you don’t take risks, you can expect it to be a success. It would be far too boring.
“But don’t leap without preparing. That’s not how you win races. But you need to be physically and mentally fit to be a winner on the track, and it’s the same in business.
“I take my time to prepare the ground and then I go for it. That’s because you might have a great idea, but if you choose the wrong moment economically to launch it, it will still be a failure.
“Of course, you do also have to be prepared to take advantage of lucky breaks, but with preparation you can give luck the best chance.”
Lauda ran a hugely successful airline, LaudaAir until 2000 before finally selling out to Austrian Airlines.
He was world champion in 1975 and 1977 with Ferrari and capped an amazing driving career as he won the title for a third time in 1984 with McLaren.
“Racing taught me not to hold back if you want to be a winner.
“That’s why I have had so many ups and downs.
”But if nothing else, I can at least say it’s never been dull.”
Amen to that, Niki.
A good thing or a pipe dream ??
Niki Lauda has taken control of a struggling German airline and is to bring low-cost flights to Germany, Austria and beyond.
Lauda left the F1 paddock at the end of 2002 after a turbulent stint at Jaguar.
A parting of the ways saw the energetic Austrian receive a pay-off amounting to several million pounds as the Big Cat sought to cut costs.
The perfect springboard then for Lauda to get straight back into business.
However one of the separation clauses meant he was unable to be involved with another F1 team for a year.
But that wasn’t going to halt the former world champion’s ambitions.
He spent the early part of the year launching LaudaMotion which rents out a fleet of Smart cars at £1 per day by offering advertising on them.
And now this week it has been announced that he’s going back into the airline business as he took over Aero Lloyd.
He plans a budget style service along the lines of EasyJet and RyanAir.
Speaking in last Sunday’s Telegraph, Lauda said, “I believe in living a life that involves a lot of risk.
“If you don’t take risks, you can expect it to be a success. It would be far too boring.
“But don’t leap without preparing. That’s not how you win races. But you need to be physically and mentally fit to be a winner on the track, and it’s the same in business.
“I take my time to prepare the ground and then I go for it. That’s because you might have a great idea, but if you choose the wrong moment economically to launch it, it will still be a failure.
“Of course, you do also have to be prepared to take advantage of lucky breaks, but with preparation you can give luck the best chance.”
Lauda ran a hugely successful airline, LaudaAir until 2000 before finally selling out to Austrian Airlines.
He was world champion in 1975 and 1977 with Ferrari and capped an amazing driving career as he won the title for a third time in 1984 with McLaren.
“Racing taught me not to hold back if you want to be a winner.
“That’s why I have had so many ups and downs.
”But if nothing else, I can at least say it’s never been dull.”
Amen to that, Niki.
A good thing or a pipe dream ??
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Hi,
Great news on Aero Lloyd one airline I haven't yet caught a picture of and hope i will get to soon. Maybe they can brighten up their livery or keep the football logos on because that will be great.
Thanks Dave
Great news on Aero Lloyd one airline I haven't yet caught a picture of and hope i will get to soon. Maybe they can brighten up their livery or keep the football logos on because that will be great.
Thanks Dave
Join Date: Jun 2001
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The pilot profession would certainly have been better off if Niki Lauda had remained out of aviation for the rest of his life (or just kept to flying around in his personal Learjet).
With his enormous popularity in otherwise hero-starved Austria he has managed to keep the pilot's point of view out of most media in Austria while he (rather less successfully) chaired Lauda Air 1 & 2.
It is amazing how someone who managed to pay investors in his second airline a mere 50ct to the Euro is still able to find new money for a new airline.
And of course we look forward to seeing Mr. national Niki on national TV as the sole source of expert aviation information available to Austrian media.........
With his enormous popularity in otherwise hero-starved Austria he has managed to keep the pilot's point of view out of most media in Austria while he (rather less successfully) chaired Lauda Air 1 & 2.
It is amazing how someone who managed to pay investors in his second airline a mere 50ct to the Euro is still able to find new money for a new airline.
And of course we look forward to seeing Mr. national Niki on national TV as the sole source of expert aviation information available to Austrian media.........
"The INTRODUCER"
...not quite true...see ATI's copyrighted story below...completely separately, efforts underway to get some sort of Aero Lloyd German ops back up for spring 04.
Niki Lauda plans to launch charter flights in days
Kurt Hofmann, Salzburg (17Nov03, 17:40 GMT, 451 words)
Former Grand Prix driver Niki Lauda plans to commence services later this month with the newly-acquired Austrian division of grounded German charter operator Aero Lloyd.
He has yet to devise a brand name for the carrier – currently identified only by the working title ‘FlyNiki’ – but intends to launch first flights on 28 November to the Canary Islands resort of Tenerife.
It follows his acquisition of a majority share in Aero Lloyd Austria – understood to be around 75%, although Lauda has not confirmed this figure – giving him control over the carrier from Austrian film producer Michael Wolkenstein. The acquisition price has not been disclosed but Lauda has contributed around €4 million ($4.7 million) of his own capital.
Lauda, who has been seeking to re-enter the airline business since resigning from Lauda Air three years ago, tells ATI: “For me it is much easier to start with a new airline because I’ll start from a white piece of paper, with no debts.
“First I need the right structure. Everything has happened very fast, in just a few days.”
The new airline will begin operating with a single Airbus A320 or A321 from the existing Aero Lloyd fleet. It will start services from Vienna and fly six days per week exclusively for tour operator Neckermann Reisen. Destinations include the Canary Islands, Madeira and resorts in Egypt.
A second aircraft could join the fleet later in the winter while two more Airbuses will probably be introduced for the 2004 summer season. The fleet could expand to as many as ten aircraft and the network increase to include destinations in eastern Europe, France and Germany. First crews will be taken from Aero Lloyd; the existing Aero Lloyd Austria management will largely remain in place.
Charter operator Lauda Air – originally founded by Niki Lauda – could, ironically, become the new carrier’s toughest competitor.
To achieve competitiveness, Lauda is trying to cut lease rates for the Airbuses by about 20% to around €200,000 per month and he aims to establish a cost structure which is 30% lower than that of budget airlines such as EasyJet or Ryanair.
Lauda says he is “not in a hurry” to find a brand name for the airline and the aircraft will fly as white-tails initially. But he is working on a concept designed particularly to attract younger passengers, and is looking at the possibility of moving into ‘flight-only’ bookings.
He is also seeking a type rating for the A320, stating: “Passengers should be able to say ‘I fly with the real Lauda’.”
No firm details have yet emerged on other potential investors in Lauda’s latest venture although Ferrari chief and close business partner Luca di Montezemolo is being linked with the new carrier.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
Niki Lauda plans to launch charter flights in days
Kurt Hofmann, Salzburg (17Nov03, 17:40 GMT, 451 words)
Former Grand Prix driver Niki Lauda plans to commence services later this month with the newly-acquired Austrian division of grounded German charter operator Aero Lloyd.
He has yet to devise a brand name for the carrier – currently identified only by the working title ‘FlyNiki’ – but intends to launch first flights on 28 November to the Canary Islands resort of Tenerife.
It follows his acquisition of a majority share in Aero Lloyd Austria – understood to be around 75%, although Lauda has not confirmed this figure – giving him control over the carrier from Austrian film producer Michael Wolkenstein. The acquisition price has not been disclosed but Lauda has contributed around €4 million ($4.7 million) of his own capital.
Lauda, who has been seeking to re-enter the airline business since resigning from Lauda Air three years ago, tells ATI: “For me it is much easier to start with a new airline because I’ll start from a white piece of paper, with no debts.
“First I need the right structure. Everything has happened very fast, in just a few days.”
The new airline will begin operating with a single Airbus A320 or A321 from the existing Aero Lloyd fleet. It will start services from Vienna and fly six days per week exclusively for tour operator Neckermann Reisen. Destinations include the Canary Islands, Madeira and resorts in Egypt.
A second aircraft could join the fleet later in the winter while two more Airbuses will probably be introduced for the 2004 summer season. The fleet could expand to as many as ten aircraft and the network increase to include destinations in eastern Europe, France and Germany. First crews will be taken from Aero Lloyd; the existing Aero Lloyd Austria management will largely remain in place.
Charter operator Lauda Air – originally founded by Niki Lauda – could, ironically, become the new carrier’s toughest competitor.
To achieve competitiveness, Lauda is trying to cut lease rates for the Airbuses by about 20% to around €200,000 per month and he aims to establish a cost structure which is 30% lower than that of budget airlines such as EasyJet or Ryanair.
Lauda says he is “not in a hurry” to find a brand name for the airline and the aircraft will fly as white-tails initially. But he is working on a concept designed particularly to attract younger passengers, and is looking at the possibility of moving into ‘flight-only’ bookings.
He is also seeking a type rating for the A320, stating: “Passengers should be able to say ‘I fly with the real Lauda’.”
No firm details have yet emerged on other potential investors in Lauda’s latest venture although Ferrari chief and close business partner Luca di Montezemolo is being linked with the new carrier.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
