On Tuesday, 13 October 2026, in the hangars of Austrian Airlines' technical base in Vienna, Boeing 767-300ER OE-LAZ was officially taken out of service. It is the first of the airline's last three 767s to go, and the beginning of the end of a type that has flown Austria's long-haul routes for 38 years.

OE-LAZ began its career with Lauda Air in 1999. According to aeroTELEGRAPH, it completed 15,675 flights and logged 124,223 flight hours. Its last revenue flight for Austrian was a round trip to Montreal on 26 and 27 September. Next stop: Arizona, where it will be taken apart for spare parts.

A Lauda Air Inheritance

Austrian's 767s were never really Austrian aircraft to begin with. The type arrived in Vienna in 1988 with Lauda Air, Niki Lauda's airline, and the fleet passed to Austrian as Lauda Air was absorbed into the group. OE-LAZ made its first flight on 23 July 1999 and was delivered to Lauda Air that August.

In later years OE-LAZ and its two remaining sisters worked Austrian's North American routes, to Washington Dulles, Boston and Montreal, in a 211-seat layout with business, premium economy and economy cabins, according to ch-aviation.

Sold for Parts

In September, ch-aviation reported that Austrian had sold all three remaining 767s, OE-LAE, OE-LAY and OE-LAZ, to US company Cobra Aviation to be parted out. The price was not disclosed. OE-LAZ is due to be ferried to the US in October, and the other two will follow at the end of the year. A 767 that is 26 years old is worth more as engines, landing gear and spares for other operators than as a passenger aircraft.

The airline's final scheduled 767 flight is expected to land in Vienna on 1 December 2026, according to Aviation Shop. Austrian has not yet confirmed which of the last two aircraft will fly it.

The 787-9 Takes Over

The replacement is the Boeing 787-9. Austrian received its first two Dreamliners in 2024, and the type is steadily taking over the long-haul network. Aviation Shop reports that Austrian expects seven 787s in service by summer 2027 and a long-haul fleet of twelve 787-9s by the end of the 2028/2029 winter schedule.

For Austrian, that means lower fuel burn and a more modern cabin. For Vienna's aviation fans, it means the last few weeks to see a 767 in red, white and red. After 38 years, two aircraft are left.

Planespotter footage of OE-LAZ landing in Vienna from Washington Dulles during its final weeks with Austrian Airlines (Vienna Planespotter).

Sources: aeroTELEGRAPH (13 October 2026); ch-aviation; Austrian Wings; Aviation Shop; Wikimedia Commons file data for OE-LAZ.