No other airport is as closely tied to the history of Tyrolean Airways as Innsbruck. Its location amid the Alps made it one of the most demanding commercial airports in Europe and directly shaped which aircraft the Tyrolean airline could operate.
Early Years and the Glungezer Disaster
Civil flight operations in Innsbruck date back well into the 20th century. The most defining event in the airport’s history, however, was 29 February 1964: a Bristol Britannia of the British airline British Eagle struck the 2,601-metre Glungezer in poor visibility while on approach, killing all 83 occupants. It was, and remains, the worst aviation accident on Austrian soil. More on this: Incidents and safety record.
The consequences shaped flight operations for decades: it was not until 1976 that a special instrument approach procedure for safely descending through cloud cover was introduced. Larger airliners did not return to regular service at Innsbruck until roughly 15 years after the disaster.
Tyrolean Airways and the Choice of Aircraft
When Tyrolean Airways began scheduled flight operations in 1980, Innsbruck’s alpine location was the decisive reason for choosing the de Havilland Canada DHC-7 “Dash 7”: its short take-off and landing distances suited the limited runway conditions and the demanding terrain approach. The later Dash 8, and subsequent regional jets such as the Fokker 70 and the Canadair CRJ100/200, also had to prove themselves under these particular operating conditions.
The Airport Today
Innsbruck remains an important regional airport, above all for winter sports traffic, with strongly seasonal fluctuations. Its distinctive topography still requires special pilot training for scheduled pilots wishing to land here, a legacy of the decades-long learning curve to which Tyrolean Airways also contributed.
Read on: The History of Tyrolean Airways · De Havilland Dash 8
Sources (selection)
- vol.at: Austria’s worst aviation accident, exactly 60 years ago (German)
- innsbruck.info: Innsbruck Airport turns 100 (German)
Part of the Austrian aviation history section. An independent, private history project with no connection to Austrian Airlines AG or the Lufthansa Group.