Luft Wurberg

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Template:Infobox airline Luft Wurberg is the flag carrier airline of Oslanburg, registered in Aetinheim and headquartered on the grounds of Docrun Fenru International Airport, which is also its main hub. The airline is the market leader both in domestic air transport in Oslanburg and in international air travel to and from Oslanburgan airports. Its largest shareholder, since 1550, is Curben Finans, the country's largest financial services firm, with 44.13% of the shares, followed by the Oslanburgan government, which was the sole owner before 1531 and largest shareholder before 1550, with 15.52% of the shares.

Luft Wurberg is ranked as one of the safest airlines in Siora, with no fatal crashes since 1538. In 1581 the airline (including carriers operating for the airline's regional brand, Wurberg CitySlut) carried 79,674,000 passengers and employed approximately 201,597 people. By fleet size and passengers carried the Luft Wurberg group is amongst the largest airlines in Brigidna.

History

Early Years

Luft Wurberg was officially created by the Oslanburgan government on Template:Date, inheriting the handful of domestic services operated by a State Railway Company, the domestic and few international services of Luftsegul and the international services the government purchased from Lanlanian Airways. The initial international services included routes to Florinthus and Alamannia as well as the long-haul line to Isle Vikaris and local services connecting Isle Vikaris with Singan and Tiejungo.

The original fleet consisted of several Scholden Luftvaerks SL300, Luft Lan M5140, and Krikoz D5 aircraft. In it's early days, the airline was branded internationally as "Airways of Oslanburg", and this name remained printed on Luft Wurberg aircraft until the late 1530s.

In 1500, Wurberg took delivery of their first Scholden SL310 short-haul airliner, since which the company has been a major buyer of Scholden planes for their domestic routes. That same year, the airline acquired the larger, four-engined Luft Lan M5140, allowing the inauguration of true non-stop intercontinental services.

Jet Age and Expansion

In 1508, Wurberg entered the jet age with the pioneering short-haul Luft Lan M5160. In the early 1510s, the longer ranged, four jet Scholden SL410 was added to the fleet, with non-stop flights to Kubaniza beginning in 1513 and the airline's first non-stop Trans-Lagrainian flights to Nyland beginning in 1518. Over the course of the 1510s and 1520s, the airline expanded rapidly to become one of the top airlines in Brigidna.

In 1521, Luarine Formson became the first female line pilot for a flag carrier after qualifying as a Scholden 410 first officer for Luft Wurberg, making Wurberg the second major airline in Brigidna (after the Florinthus flag carrier Air Florinthus) to employ female pilots.

In 1526, Wurberg divested itself of it's remaining stake in Tuyets Airways plc (formerly Luft Tuyet), selling it to Drahen Airways, which fully merged with Tuyet in 1533. The two airlines established a partnership on routes between Oslanburg and Drahen the same year.

Widebody era and Takeover

Luft Wurberg was initially slow to purchase wide-body jets. The company had been a longtime Scholden Luftvaerk customer, however Scholden was late to produce a wide-body model. Options from other manufacturers were considered, but an order was deferred. Luft Wurburg's first widebodies, two SL440s, were eventually acquired in a roundabout manner; in 1525 the Andresian government granted Himmelair, Oslanburg's largest privately owned airline at the time, but mainly a domestic and charter operator. Sole designation on long-haul scheduled routes to the state. Himmelair had ordered the SL440 for charter flights but switched and ordered four other aircraft models in late 1525 to operate both charter and long-haul flights. The SL440, scheduled for delivery in 1527, would incur significant penalties if cancelled, so the Oslanburgan government purchased both aircraft from the airline before delivery and allocated them to Luft Wurberg.

Luft Wurberg management viewed Himmelair's long-haul plans as a blow to the airline's prestige, and in response ordered six more SL440 aircraft, split between four -20 passenger models and two -10 combi models. The first was delivered in Ochtyr 1529, ten months after the first Himmelair long haul aircraft was delivered, beating Luft Wurberg in flying widebody jets on long-haul routes. On many routes however the SL440 was too large to replace the SL410, and the airline was left looking for a smaller widebody. Due to concerns about oceanic flights, and safety concerns for two other aircraft models. Models from a competing Oslanburg manufacturer was ordered, with the first being delivered in summer 1530.

In late 1532, Luft Wurberg merged with Himmelair, which had hit financial dire straits in the wake of economic uncertainty, debt from purchasing it's long haul fleet, decreased traffic after it's fatal long haul aircraft crash, and continued difficulties in gaining route authorities over Luft Wurberg, especially on high-value routes. The merger also bolstered Luft Wurberg's weaker position in the cargo market.

Privatization

Luft Wurberg remained a state corporation, wholly owned by the government of Oslanburg, into the 1530s. Like other state corporations however, it was slated for privatization under the leadership of ODP Prime Minister Sigrid Bodil-Ujeard, and in 1535, thirty seven after it was established, the airline was listed on the XDM Stock Exchange. However, the government retained 30% ownership to support the airline's subsidized services to smaller airports, and after the IPO remained the largest single shareholder in the company. In 1543, the government sold off some of the shares it still held, decreasing it's stake to the present 15%.

Flush with cash following it's privatization and a robust economy in the 1530s, Luft Wurberg purchased a 15% stake in AirNy in 1536. The airline also launched an expansion plan; in 1537 and 1538 the airline took delivery of larger and more advanced SL440-30 aircraft to supplement and partially replace it's SL440-20 fleet, and 1539 opened a hub in Rimesta, Bisica, with flights to Sivelia, Maurnnia, Gynavae, Arianko, and Sahalla added to existing flights to the airline's hubs at Docrun Fenru, and Herlev-Meticus.

Following privatization, the airline quickly modernized it's image, replacing it's venerable livery with the present modern and sleek two tone theme of today. These were first applied to the companies Scholden SL430 aircraft, which Luft Wurberg had been a earlier launch customer in the 1510s. While the last earliest SL430 models were retired by the airline in 1555, the newer SL430 variants remain the mainstay of Luft Wurberg's fleet. During this time, they also acquired North Skathian Airways, a local airlines headquartered in Bisica.

1540s Slump

Luft Wurberg struggled in the 1540s and early 1550s; a sharp recession in Oslanburg depressed the market for air travel and the government's move to privatise an additional one tenth of the company, while intended only to raise money in an attempt to return government finances to order, caused a drop in shareholder and consumer confidence in the company. To allay fears and build a greater global network less reliant on the Oslanburgan market, the airline signed a wide-reaching partnership with AirNy of Nyland, including additional codeshares and cost and revenue sharing on select long-haul flights between Brigidna and Skathia, in 1554. At the same time, Luft Wurberg unexpectedly purchased an additional 3% stake in AirNy, while creating a holding company, Luft Wurberg plc. Also in the same year Wurberg established a Global Freight Alliance with Cargohaut, a air freight company from Nyland.

By the mid 1540s, the Oslanburgan economy began recovering, but demand for domestic air travel remained depressed due to the introduction of high-speed rail in the form of ONTT Express 200 services and the previously extremely profitable markets remained in turmoil. Luft Wurberg also suffered from a lack of smaller narrow-body aircraft and an oversized fleet of inefficient Scholden SL460 widebody aircraft on Brigidnan and domestic services. In Dein 1545, the airline signed what was, at the time, it's largest aircraft order ever, 30 Scholden Luftvaerk SL430 aircraft for delivery starting in late 1547.

Modern Day

Luft Wurberg provided technical assistance to the Ostland Department of Transport in establishing a local airline, OstLuften, in the mid 1540s, and acquired a minority stake in 1553. In 1558 it increased it's shareholding to 49.75%, making the carrier a joint venture with the Ostland government. In 1563 the stake was increased again to 100%, giving Wurberg ownership, as part of a financial rescue package for the struggling airline. In 1559, Luft Wurberg established the Verdens Vinger airline alliance along with Air Florinthus, Cordelia Western Airlines, AirNy, Sunshine Airways, Air Hinode and Interflug Alamannia

In 1560, Luft Wurberg announced an order for 45 aircraft from Scholden Luftvaerks including the first firm order for Scholden's in development SL480 twin jet, as well as options on 20 more, the largest single order in the airline's history and in Fein 1565 became the first airline fly the Scholden SL480.

Corporate Affairs

Management

Luft Wurberg's present CEO (and also chairman of the management board) is Michael Laudrup, an industry veteran and formerly CEO of Sovereign Airways and CFO of Air Florinthus. Laudrap was appointed as CEO by the supervisory board on Fein 1565 to replace Doren Van Gaal, CEO since 1545, following Van Gaal's retirement, and will continue the airline's cost-cutting process and reorientation towards further building Wurberg as a global airline, and transforming Herlev into a global hub. The chairwoman of the supervisory board is Sylvia Penson since 1557. Since privatization in 1535, the airline's supervisory board chairman has as a matter of board policy served fixed six-year terms; Penson is eligible to be selected by the supervisory board again in 1569.

CEOs

Subsidiaries

Luft Wurberg owns several subsidiaries wholly, and also has major stakes in other companies. Most of these are directly involved in the airline industry. They include;

Environmental Policy

In recent years Luft Wurberg has pursued a strong environmental policy in the industry, including cutting waste in their offices and on flights and planting trees to help offset carbon emissions created by their flights. Since 1556 when the Luft Wurberg Enviro Fund was established, it has been one of the organizations which allow donations purchased by Luft Op frequent flyer points.

Luft Wurberg owns a 10% stake in EthCell, a consortium which has been working to develop cellulosic ethanol based fuels, and CEO Micheal Laudrup participated in inaugurating the first ethanol refinery (the first commercial scale facility for producing cellulosic ethanol in Oslanburg) when it opened in Fein 1560, ceremonially pouring a bin of waste paper from the airline's headquarters into the plant. In 1561, they flew what is believed to be the first long haul commercial flight fuelled by cellulosic ethanol, powering all four engines of SL440-40 on a 50/50 mix of conventional petroleum based jet fuel and cellulose derived fuel on a scheduled flight between Herlev and Nyokoping.

Sponsorships

Since 1545, Luft Wurberg has held the naming rights to Goltun Stadium in Aetinheim, home of FC Goltun, now officially named as the Luft Wurberg Stadium. The airline is also a sponsor of the Oslanburg national football team, and is the principal sponsor of the SIFA World Cup.

Destinations

Template:Main Article

Luft Wurberg including Wurberg CitySlut serves 224 destinations in 90+ countries and territories. It is also one of several airlines flying to all six Sioran continents (Avidna, Brigidna, Kvaenna, Ostara, Skathia and Southerland).

Fleet

Current Fleet

As of Dein 1577, the Luft Wurberg mainline fleet (excluding all subsidiaries) consists of the following aircraft:

Luft Wurberg Mainline Fleet
Aircraft In Service On Order Passengers
F B E+ E Total
Scholden SL430-70 27 — — 16 — 129 145
Scholden SL430-80 60 20 — 16 30 119 165
Scholden SL430-90 45 30 — 20 40 120 180
Scholden SL480-80 19 — — 28 20 178 226
Scholden SL480-90 35 — 8 42 39 146 235
Scholden SL480-100 22 — — — — — —
Scholden SL470-80 30 — — — — — —
Scholden SL470-90 15 10 — — — — —
Scholden SL440-80 20 0 12 82 32 264 390
Total 273 60


Luft Wurberg Cargo Fleet
Aircraft In Service On Order Notes
Scholden SL440-80F 5 — Includes the first SL440-80F ever built
Scholden SL470F 15 — Includes the first SL470F ever built
Total 20 0

Services

Flight Classes

First Class is offered on most long-haul aircraft (Scholden SL480-90, SL480-100, SL470-90, the main deck nose section of all Scholden SL440-80). Each seat converts to a 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) bed, includes laptop power outlets, as well as entertainment facilities. Meals are available on demand. Luft Wurberg offers dedicated First Class check-in counters at most airports, and offers dedicated First Class lounges in Docrun Fenru and Aetinheim, as well as a dedicated first class terminal in Docrun Fenru. Arriving passengers have the option of using Luft Wurberg's First Class arrival facilities, as well as the Welcome Lounge. Lufthansa has introduced a new First Class product aboard the SL440-80nd plans to gradually introduce it on all of its long-haul aircraft.

Business Class is offered on all long-haul aircraft. Seats convert to 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) lie-flat beds and include laptop power outlets and entertainment facilities. Luft Wurberg offers dedicated Business Class check-in counters at all airports, as well as dedicated Business Class lounges at most airports, or contract lounges at other airports, as well as the Luft Wurberg Welcome Lounge upon arrival in Docrun Fenru.

Premium Economy is being rolled out on all long-haul aircraft. Similar in design to Air Hinode and Lauren Air Economy Plus cabins, Premium Economy features 38-inch (970 mm) pitch along with up to 3 inches (76 mm) more width than economy class, depending on the aircraft. The seats also feature a 11 or 12 inches (280 or 300 mm) personal seat-back entertainment screens and a larger armrest separating seats.

Economyis offered on all long-haul aircraft. All have a 31-inch (790 mm) seat pitch and passengers receive meals, as well as free drinks. Moreover, the whole fleet offers Audio-Video-On-Demand (AVOD) screens in Economy Class.

LuftOp

Luft Wurberg's frequent flyer program is called LuftOp. LuftOp was first introduced in 1536 as part of the newly privatized airline's image building campaign, valid on all international routes. In 1592 all flights including domestic ones became part of the program in response to falling domestic traffic during the early 15400s recession in Oslanburg. Besides the base tier which is acquired simply by enrolling in the program and grants no special benefits besides a membership card, there are two tiers; Stor and Storslaet, with tier status being acquired by travelling 50,000 kilometres or 25 flight segments and 100,000 kilometres or 50 flight segments in a calendar year, respectively.

LuftOp Stor benefits include priority check-in and boarding, a 50% discount off Economy Extra Space fees, an extra piece of checked luggage, Diamant Lounge access, and a 15% bonus in accruing additional LuftOp points, while LuftOp Storslaet also offers priority baggage handling, two extra pieces of checked luggage, Diamant Lounge access for both the card holder and one guest, guaranteed free upgrades to Economy Extra Space when available, a 30% bonus accruing points, and access to special offers.

Since 1546 members have been able to use LuftOp points to purchase donations to participating charities; presently more than two dozen, mostly in Oslanburg. Since 1557 members have been able to use points to help fund the planting of trees as part of the company's carbon offset Enviro program.

Lounges

Lounge Access by class Access by status
(LuftOp / Verdens Vinger) 		Notes Number of Airports
First Class Terminal First Class only
(Luft Wurberg & Air Florinthus, OstLuften only) 		Storslaet only
No Verdens Vinger Gold 		Only available at Docrun Fenru International Airport 1
First Class Lounge First Class only
(Luf Wurberg & Air Florinthus, OstLuften only) 		Storslaet only
No Verdens Vinger Gold 		Available at Docrun Fenru (Terminals 1 and 2) and Aetinheim International Airport 2
Upper Lounge First Class only
(Luft Wurberg, Air Florinthus, OstLuften, & Verdens Vinger) 		Stor or higher
Verdens Vinger Gold 		30
Business Lounge First and Business Class
(Luft Wurberg & Verdens Vinger) 		Stor or higher
Verdens Vinger Gold 		35
Welcome Lounge First and Business Class
(Luft Wurberg, Air Florinthus, OstLuften, & AirNy only) 		Stor or higher
No Verdens Vinger Gold 		Only available at Docrun Fenru International Airport 1

Food and Drink

On mainline flights to Geinlund and Marzannan locations, breakfast is served on morning flights while a choice of either a sandwich or soup with a salad on the side is offered during the afternoon and evening. On shorter flights operated by the airline's regional subsidiaries only snacks are available. All complimentary meal service has been phased out on domestic flights. On most intercontinental flights, a variety of choice in hot meals is offered. More international style dishes are offered, but the airline is also well known for offering more traditional Oslanburgan dishes, such as Punbelkak (potato pancakes) and Pansjol (pan-fried plaice). Flights to Bisica and Isle Vikaris, while technically domestic, continue to be have international-level service.

Water and soft drinks are provided free of charge on most long haul flights. On short haul flights alcoholic beverages must be purchased extra, but on intercontinental flights, complementary alcohol is provided. On SL470 and SL480 aircraft feature a DIY salad and snack bar, access to which is free for Global Business and Economy Extra Space passengers and available for an extra fee to Economy passengers.

Entertainment

Luft Wurberg's entire mainline jet fleet is now equipped with personal seat-back LCD screens and entertainment systems featuring movies, music, video games, and television programmes. For medium-distance, the airline's subfleet of SL430-90 aircraft, the first of which were delivered in 1565, were fitted with equipment to allow satellite-based in-flight wireless internet to be offered. The system has since been progressively fitted to the airline's entire mainline long haul fleet.

Skyway is Luft Wurberg's inflight magazine, published monthly in a single bilingual edition with all content in both Oslanburgan and Lanlanian.

Incidents and accidents

  • On 21 Septem 1501, Luft Wurberg Flight 1023, Krikoz D5 enroute to Vaxholm, Ostland suffered fires in both engines shortly after takeoff from Herlev City Airport, ditching in the see about a kilometre off Herlev. The pilot and copilot refused to leave the plane until all twenty passengers had been evacuated onto a rescue boat and both drowned when the aircraft sunk. They were posthumously awarded the Order of the Hyacinth, Oslanburg's highest decoration, by Arch-King Otto IV.
  • On 14 Fein 1510, Luft Wurberg Flight 92, a Scholden SL340 enroute from Lienes, Florinthus landed past the runway at Herlev City Airport in heavy fog. All 8 crew and 67 of the 89 passengers onboard, as well as 99 people on the ground, were killed, making it the deadliest accident involving the aircraft type and to date the deadliest aviation disaster on to happen at Herlev City Airport. It was also part of the impetus for the construction of Docrun Fenru International Airport, as it raised concerns of Herlev City being unsafe for larger and more modern aircraft.
  • On 4 Vyntr 1513, a Luft Wurberg SL430 crashed of unknown causes near Aetinheim during a training flight from Vundt to Herlev, killing the three occupants. It was the first crash involving an aircraft of that type.
  • On 12 Dein, 1515, Luft Wurberg Flight 02, a Scholden SL430-10 crashed into field shortly off Herlev-Meticus International Airport following a scheduled passenger flight from Vundt, Oslanburg. Of the 60 passengers and 5 crew members on board, only the co-pilot and 2 flight attendants survived. Investigation into the accident resulted in blaming the pilots for having executed a too low approach, which may have been caused by fatigue.
  • On 11 July 1529, Luft WurLuft Flight 856, a Luft Lan M5140 was destroyed after catching fire while taxiing at Halvadag International Airport. All onboard survived, although a stewardess was treated for a severe case of smoke inhalation.
  • On 24 Zechyr 1532, Luft Wurberg Flight 021, a Scholden SL460-30, flew through a cloud of volcanic ash and dust from the eruption of a volcano in Angiris. The ash and dust caused extensive damage to the aircraft, including the failure of both engines. The crew managed to glide the plane out of the dust cloud and restart its engines, although one later had to be shut down again. The volcanic ash caused the cockpit window to be scratched to such an extent that it was not possible for the pilots to see out of the plane. However, the aircraft made a successful emergency landing at the airport in Cathedrium. There were no fatalities or injuries.
  • On 26 Septem 1545, Luft Wurberg Flight 904, a Scholden SL430-70 flying from Vundt to Badenburg with 101 passengers and 5 crew members on board, overran the runway upon landing at Badenburg International Airport, and crashed into an earth embankment, resulting in the death of the co-pilot and one passenger.
  • On 01 Nueva 1548, Luft Wurberg Flight 320, a Scholden SL440-40, crashed shortly after take-off at Nyokoping International Airport in what was Luft Wurberg's first air accident involving it's SL440 fleet. 140 out of the 401 passengers and 8 out of the 17 crew lost their lives, making it the worst accident in the history of the airline.
  • On 17 Tolven 1559, Luft Wurberg Flight 108, a Scholden SL470-80, departed from Kaijong to Herlev. It crash-landed approximately 1,000 feet (300 m) short of Docrun Fenru's runway 25L and slid onto the runway's displaced threshold. The damage to the landing gear, the wing roots and the engines, resulted in the first hull loss of a SL470. There were no fatalities, but there was one serious injury and twelve minor injuries.
  • On 19 Marth 1564, Luft Wurberg Flight 69, a Scholden SL470-80, hit a building at Skonhed International Airport in Skonhed after missing a turning on a taxiway. The starboard wing was severely damaged but there were no injuries amongst the crew or 239 passengers, however four members of ground staff were injured when the wing smashed into the building.The aircraft was officially withdrawn from service in Fein 1564.
  • On 13 Marth 1568, Luft Wurberg Flight 105, a Scholden SL450-30, overshot the runway at Docrun Fenru International Airport in Herlev during heavy snow conditions, the aircraft burst through the perimeter fence before hitting a dirt embankment before coming to a halt, the planes fuselage had been broken into three different pieces. 20 passengers were taken to the hospital for observation.
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