Demands after the AUA strike
Demands after the AUA strike
In March and April, there were an increasing number of flight cancellations at Austrian Airlines due to works meetings and strikes. Tens of thousands of passengers were directly affected by the measures. Austrian Airlines rebooked and canceled flights - the Agency for Passenger Rights compiled a checklist of claims based on the concerns and questions formulated by those affected in numerous consultations:
Rights in the event of flight cancellation at short notice
Due to the strike measures and works meetings at Austrian Airlines, there were so-called "short-term flight cancellations". Travelers were informed of the cancellation less than seven days before departure.
In such cases, the airline must generally offer passengers the choice between reimbursement of the ticket price including compensation or alternative transportation. A strike by airline employees does not constitute an "extraordinary circumstance" that exempts the airline from making compensation payments.
If passengers opt for alternative transportation, it must be ensured that airlines are not only allowed to offer flights from their own company or group of companies. Ultimately, the aim is to minimize the delay at the destination airport. The earliest possible connection must therefore be offered. If the alternative flight is not acceptable to the passengers, passengers can also book an alternative themselves and submit the costs to the airline. However, care should be taken to minimize costs (no cab rides across Europe).
In such cases, passengers are entitled to care services during the waiting time for the alternative flight. This includes food, drinks, but also hotel accommodation and transfers in the event of long waiting times. Compensation payments are due if certain time limits for the departure and arrival times of the alternative transportation are not met. In this specific case, these are as follows: Advance by a maximum of one hour before the planned departure or arrival by a maximum of two hours after the planned arrival.
Rights in the event of reimbursement:
Passengers do not take the booked flight in agreement with the airline and as a result receive:
Ticket costs (refund of the amount paid for the flight including taxes and fees)
AND
Compensation payment (between 250 and 600 euros per person depending on the flight distance)
Rights in the event of alternative transportation:
Passengers who opt for alternative transportation receive:
Travel to the destination at the earliest possible time
AND
Assistance if the waiting time is longer than one hour (food, drinks, hotel accommodation, transfer)
AND
Compensation for non-compliance with the time limits (between 250 and 600 euros depending on the flight distance).
Those affected who have not received these benefits from the airline, or who have incurred additional expenses for care services or alternative transportation, can now contact the Agency for Passenger Rights free of charge via an online arbitrationarbitration request.