Austrian Airlines COO Francesco Sciortino Appointed Lufthansa Hub Manager Frankfurt
(IN SHORT) Francesco Sciortino, currently Chief Operating Officer of Austrian Airlines, will transition to Hub Manager Frankfurt and Accountable Manager on the Lufthansa Airlines Executive Board starting 1 September 2025. During his 4½-year tenure at Austrian, he championed the introduction of the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 787-9, led the decision to phase out the Embraer 195, and oversaw operations that ranked the airline third among Europe’s most punctual carriers. His leadership also earned Austrian Airlines the Skytrax Best Airline Staff Europe Award in 2023 and 2025, as well as a spot among the top 20 cabin crews worldwide. Before Austrian, Sciortino held senior roles at Germanwings and SunExpress Germany and flies Airbus A330/340 for Lufthansa. CEO Annette Mann and Supervisory Board Chairman Till Streichert lauded his achievements as industry benchmarks. The process to appoint a new COO at Austrian Airlines has commenced.
(PRESS RELEASE) VIENNA, Austria, 2025-Aug-1 — /Travel PR News/ — Effective 1 September 2025, Francesco Sciortino will step into the role of Hub Manager Frankfurt and Accountable Manager on the Lufthansa Airlines Executive Board. Sciortino departs Austrian Airlines after steering its operations to record punctuality rates—the carrier has ranked among the top seven most on-time airlines in Europe for three consecutive years and currently holds third place. Under his leadership, the airline also secured the Skytrax Best Airline Staff Europe Award in both 2023 and 2025 and was named one of the world’s top 20 cabin crews.
Since assuming the position of Chief Operating Officer at Austrian Airlines on 1 April 2021, Sciortino has driven several key initiatives, including the seamless introduction of the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 787-9 into the fleet. His recent announcement to retire the Embraer 195 further paves the way for a leaner, more efficient aircraft lineup. Reflecting on his tenure, Sciortino—who began his flying career in 1997 as an A320 co-pilot—expressed gratitude for his time at Austrian and enthusiasm for his new responsibilities at Lufthansa Airlines.
Prior to joining Austrian, Sciortino served as Managing Director and Accountable Manager at Germanwings and led long-haul project development at SunExpress Germany. He continues to fly as a captain on the Airbus A330/340 for Lufthansa. His elevation to the Lufthansa Airlines Executive Board not only marks a significant career advancement for the 52-year-old but also signals a return to his hometown of Frankfurt.
Austrian Airlines CEO Annette Mann praised Sciortino’s “dedicated and inspiring leadership,” noting that his accomplishments have set benchmarks across the entire Lufthansa Group. Till Streichert, Chairman of the Supervisory Board at Austrian Airlines and CFO of Lufthansa AG, added that Sciortino’s operational expertise has been instrumental in elevating Austrian Airlines’ performance. The search for his successor at Austrian Airlines is already underway.
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SOURCE: Austrian Airlines AG
