- Marketing cooperation between the prestigious Spanish Riding School and the traditional red-white-red airline
- Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner with the registration OE-LPL flies a piece of Austrian history into the world with the official name“Spanish Riding School”
- Second cooperation as part of the“Highlights of Vienna”naming concept for Austrian Airlines’ new long-haul fleet
- COO Francesco Sciortino:“The Spanish Riding School is the ideal partner for us to name our Dreamliner OE-LPL. Two Austrian institutions steeped in tradition ensure that Austria’s history and culture are carried out into the world together.”
Austrian Airlines and the Spanish Riding School are announcing a special brand cooperation: the name of the world-famous institution surrounding the exquisite “Ballet of the White Stallions” now adorns the fuselage of the Austrian Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner long-haul aircraft with the registration OE-LPL. While at the Spanish Riding School the noble Lipizzaners soar through the air during their most famous lesson, the “capriole”, the name “Spanish Riding School” of the historic institution will now fly around the world with Austrian Airlines.
Founded in 1565, the Spanish Riding School still stands for tradition, elegance, perfection, beauty, a large piece of Austria and above all: horsemanship at the highest level. The world-famous performances of the Lipizzaner stallions and their riders take place in the magnificent baroque Winter Riding School, the most beautiful riding hall in the world. Around 360,000 people visit the Riding School every year. Around 87 percent of visitors come from abroad – with Americans being the second largest visitor group at 16 percent. Austrian Airlines plays a decisive role in this: the airline connects Vienna directly with six major US airports, making the centuries-old equestrian experience ideally accessible for the particularly enthusiastic US public as well as for all international guests from Europe or Asia.
As part of the cooperation, Austrian Airlines will take over the sponsorship of a stallion from the Spanish Riding School. Specifically, it is a 12-year-old Lipizzaner with the official name Favory Wera. His rider is Christian Bachinger, an extremely experienced rider who has been working for the Spanish Riding School since 1981. He has passed on his knowledge and expertise to the young rider Theresa Stefan, among others, who presents Favory Wera in the demonstrations.
Francesco Sciortino, Chief Operating Officer of Austrian Airlines, is enthusiastic about the extraordinary collaboration: “The Spanish Riding School is the ideal partner for us to name our Dreamliner OE-LPL. Two Austrian institutions steeped in tradition ensure that Austria’s history and culture are carried out into the world together.”
Alfred Hudler, Managing Director of the Spanish Riding School and the Lipizzaner Stud Piber, also emphasizes: “The Spanish Riding School and Austrian Airlines combine tradition, precision and the highest quality – both on the ground and in the air. This partnership is a great opportunity to carry the fascination of our Lipizzaners out into the world and to make Austria’s cultural heritage visible in a very special way. The fact that our traditional institution is now traveling on Austrian Airlines’ Dreamliner OE-LPL is a strong sign of the appreciation and international appeal of both brands.”
“Highlights of Vienna” naming concept
The new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner long-haul aircraft in the Austrian Airlines fleet fly around the world with “Highlights of Vienna”. In addition to the aircraft with the registration OE-LPL, another Dreamliner already bears the name of a local landmark: last year, the Boeing 787-9 with the registration OE-LPM was given the name “Schönbrunn Palace”. The naming concept “Highlights of Vienna” is intended to symbolize the strong bond that connects Austrian Airlines with local tourism and thus also with the history of Vienna’s sights. Austrian Airlines flies to over 120 destinations around the world, giving tourists the opportunity to discover the beauty of Austria and its tourist riches.