Montana Austria

Montana Air Service GmbH ( outer appearance Montana Austria ) was an Austrian airline based in Vienna, which existed from 1976 to 1981.

The company was founded by Captain Hans -Jörg Stöckl in October 1976, against fierce resistance on the part of the then incumbent Austrian Airlines. The flight operations began on November 7, 1976, a Boeing 707 between Bangkok and Vienna. The later fleet included three Boeing 707, including two copies of type 707- 138B, originally for Qantas prepared special version with a shortened fuselage and longer range. Montana flew mainly tourist destinations overseas to, especially Bangkok (via Baghdad / Sharjah ) and New York. In addition, Montana has also worked in the freight business and flew mainly in the off season for other airlines in the ACMI.

In the late 1970s, the company became increasingly economic difficulties. On 13 May 1981, a machine of Montana by U.S. Customs in Houston was seized and arrested the crew. This was a planned arms smuggling to South Africa, contrary to the international embargo against the apartheid regime prevented. On July 24, 1981 Montana eventually filed for bankruptcy, after the financier Carl Press had asked the deferred lease rates for the aircraft due.

Fleet

With cessation of Montana Austria had three aircraft in operation: