The remaining minority shareholders of Austrian Airlines AG (AUA.VI) will be bought out against their wills by the airline's new owner Lufthansa Airlines, it was decided by an extraordinary shareholders meeting Wednesday, Austrian Airlines said in a statement.

The squeeze out resolution foresees the purchase at EUR0.5 a share of the 4.6% shares still in freefloat by Deutsche Lufthansa AG (LHA.XE), which secured a controlling stake in Austrian Air in September.

The minority shareholders will be paid for their shares after notification of the squeeze out has been entered in the commercial register, Austrian Airlines said.

"This will probably occur in the first half of 2010," it said.

After the squeeze out, Lufthansa-controlled entity Oesterreichische Luftverkehrs-Holding GmbH will hold 100% of Austrian Airlines shares, an arrangement conceived to allow the German airline to maintain an Austrian flight license.

Company Web site: www.austrianairlines.com

-By Flemming E. Hansen, Dow Jones Newswires; +43 1 513 69 22 10; flemming.hansen@dowjones.com