Annette Mann (46) had a real record year in 2023. She has been supporting the AUA for two years – and not just because that is her name. In an interview at the beginning of the year, she talks to the ‘Krone’ about full flights despite the crisis, political mistakes and whether customers actually voluntarily book more expensive eco fares.
While the planes take off outside, the boss stays with both feet on the ground. In this case in the hangar, where we meet CEO Annette Mann of “Austrian Airlines” for an interview. The 46-year-old has been at the helm of the AUA for two years. As the first woman in the company’s history. She matches her man – and not just because that’s her name.
In 2023, after previously turbulent times, the economist ended up in the black and had a truly record year with a significant increase in turnover of 57 percent in the first half of the year (the second half is not yet available).
The times when the airline was sold to Lufthansa for a symbolic euro, including a dowry of 500 million from the state, seem to have disappeared on the horizon fifteen years ago. Or when all planes remained on the ground during Corona and people were already afraid of the next crash.
Annette Mann, married to a manager of a medium-sized company, is from Bavaria and comes from Simbach am Inn – right on the Austrian border. Nothing about her seems strange or messy. She doesn’t even speak Bavarian. Nearly twenty years at Lufthansa in Frankfurt have shaped her. Natural, reserved, authoritative. Maintaining a status is foreign to her (you will eventually notice that yourself). “I also like to offer employees their first names,” says the boss of 6,000 employees: “I am more of a first-name person because it makes it easier to start a conversation.” What she notices in Austria: “The fact that The hierarchies seem more pronounced than in Germany or Switzerland, and some people find it a bit difficult to deal with the first name.” She likes to take flights to talk to the staff. It flies Eco, Business or even the competition – just for comparison.
“Kron”: When was the last time you flew?
Annette Mann: From Frankfurt last week. Everything was fine, the flight was on time.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
