In 2022, the apf conciliation body has so far received more than 5,300 conciliation requests in the rail, bus, air and shipping sectors and opened almost 3,900 proceedings. The rail sector accounts for 839 of these proceedings (approx. 21 percent of total proceedings). This means that the number of arbitration procedure in the rail sector has already surpassed the previous record year of 2012. With 1,053 arbitration applications, apf also exceeded the previous record set in 2019 (1,047)

Today, on International Day of Honor for People with Disabilities, we would like to draw attention to the rights of people with disabilities on public transport, especially on trains and planes.

On the occasion of today's warning strike by employees in the rail sector, we are providing information about the rights of affected passengers.

Recently, apf has received an increasing number of media inquiries about overcrowded trains and reservations. In this blog post, we would like to take a closer look at the issue and offer recommendations for travelers in view of the upcoming holidays.

After the language week in London, a class from AHS Köflach was no longer taken to its destination by Lufthansa from Frankfurt, despite having made a booking.
A complaint to Lufthansa was not answered in time. apf was able to mediate between Lufthansa and the school class and agreed on EUR 6,000 for those affected on the basis of the Passenger Rights Regulation.

As part of a student exchange, a class from Saalfelden High School and its teaching staff booked a trip from Saalfelden via Salzburg to Paris on March 24, 2022. The plan was to travel to the French capital by night train in a climate-friendly way.
Due to a technical problem with the overhead line on the French section of the route, the train between Vienna Central Station and Paris was canceled

In our blog in June, we dealt in detail with the booking of seats for small children in the ticket store of ÖBB-Personenverkehrs AG (ÖBB-PV): There are now improvements for passengers at www.nightjet.at. We also took another look at the bookability of night trains via the portal and can report a change here too

After FF Langenzersdorf and Austrian Airlines were unable to agree on compensation under the EU Passenger Rights Regulation, the apf arbitration board took up the case.

In our latest blog post, we take stock of the travel summer procedures in the air and rail sector and take a look at the ÖBB contact form.

Today we are providing information on pricing in rail transport in Austria and in particular at Austria's largest rail company, ÖBB-Personenverkehr AG...

Today we would like to draw your attention to a problem that often causes trouble when traveling with small children...

"Lufthansa and its subsidiary Eurowings have announced that hundreds of flights will be canceled in July. We are taking this as an opportunity to briefly outline the rights of affected passengers. We would also like to remind those affected that they can contact us to assert their rights in the event of flight cancellations. We provide uncomplicated, free and commission-free assistance," says Maria-Theresia Röhsler, Head of Agency for Passenger Rights, apf. ...

The European Air Passenger Rights Regulation (Regulation (EC) No. 261/2004) protects passengers in the event of flight irregularities (e.g. delays or cancellations), and passengers may also be entitled to compensation. "If an airline refuses to pay, the Agency for Passenger Rights (apf) can examine the case free of charge and commission - and then, if necessary, conduct an arbitration procedure between the passenger and the airline," explains Maria-Theresia Röhsler, Head of apf. However, the whole thing often becomes difficult if the booking was made via an online travel portal (with which the apf cannot conduct arbitration procedure ) - we explain here what you should know in advance and what to look out for...

The Agency for Passenger Rights (apf) stands up for passengers traveling by train, bus, ship and air. As part of out-of-court arbitration procedure , apf helps passengers obtain their rights free of charge and commission. The 2021 annual report has now been published...

If a flight arrives three hours or more late at the last point of arrival according to the booking, passengers are generally entitled to compensation in accordance with the EU Passenger Rights Regulation, provided there are no extraordinary circumstances. But does the regulation also apply if the flight is a multi-leg flight booked as a single flight and the delay is due to the second leg of the flight between two third countries and the flight was operated by an airline from a third country?

It is now known that in the event of a flight delay or cancellation, for example, you could have claims thanks to the EU Passenger Rights Regulation. But who does this regulation apply to? And which flight problems does it cover? And is the apf always the responsible point of contact? We answer these and other questions in today's blog post...

If a flight does not take place as planned or booked and compensation or other costs are due, passengers must always submit their claim in writing to the airline concerned as a first step.

You want to travel and then it happens - the flight is canceled. But what now? In today's blog post, we explain what obligations an airline has in such a case and what claims passengers can make.

One question that travelers often ask the apf experts is: "Does the apf service cost anything?".
Today we would like to answer this question and give you a little insight...

If a flight is canceled, i.e. canceled by the airline, or arrives at its destination with a delay of three hours or more, a compensation payment is generally due in accordance with the EU Passenger Rights Regulation. It is not uncommon for airlines to invoke "extraordinary circumstances", which exempt them from their obligation to pay.

But what is an "extraordinary circumstance"? And how does a passenger know whether it actually exists? We discuss these and other questions in today's blog post.

How long does a delay have to be in order to be entitled to financial compensation? And when does an airline actually have to cater for me? We answer these and other questions about flight delays in today's blog post...

In today's blog post, we provide information on when bus passenger rights apply, what claims you have as an affected passenger[nbsp] and what deadlines need to be observed.

...and if planned, have a good trip!

If a flight does not take place as planned or booked and compensation or other costs are due, passengers must always submit their claim in writing to the airline concerned as a first step.

What obligations do airlines and airport operators have to make travel as accessible as possible? We have compiled the most important information on this in today's blog post.

You submit an application to a rail company - but how long should a reply take? We answer this question in today's blog post.

Since May 2015, the apf has been the statutory arbitration and enforcement body for rail, bus, ship and air transport. As part of its arbitration activity , it is responsible for resolving passenger complaints by means of out-of-court dispute resolution and helps passengers and air passengers to assert their rights in the event of a dispute with a company.

But what does arbitration actually mean? In today's article, we answer the most important questions about arbitration procedure...