Lauda Air was founded in April 1979 by former driver and Formula 1 champion Niki Lauda and began operations in 1985 with charter service and air taxi. The authorization for regular operations was granted in 1987 and in 1990 obtained permission to operate flights internacionales.1 In 1989 Lauda Air started its first long-range flight from Vienna to Sydney and Melbourne via Kuala Lumpur. Daily flights to Miami via Munich, Dubai and Cuba followed.
He became a wholly owned subsidiary of 100% of Austrian Airlines in December 2000 and has 35 employees (March 2007) In 2005 a flight operations were taken over by Austrian Airlines and Lauda Air is currently used as the brand that operates charter flights of Austrian Airlines Group. Niki Lauda has started after a new airline named Niki.
Meanwhile Austrian Airlines Group will take the decision to integrate the entire fleet of Lauda Air Charter Flight to common design or Austrian Airlines in early 2007. The objectives would be to identify as a single airline (simplicity) and to avoid the publicity of the new airline from Niki Lauda. This would mean the total disappearance of Lauda Air.