Austrian Flight Cancellation Compensation

Austrian flight cancellation refund.

Austrian flight cancellation compensation. What is the difference between compensation and refund? Which can you get? In which situations can you receive both? How much is compensation? There are a number of reasons why airlines cancel their flights. All you need to know is, if your Austrian flight is cancelled due to the airline’s fault, you may be entitled to both – a full refund from Austrian and compensation of up to €600.

It applies to most Austrian flights to and from the EU.

There are two ways you can claim flight cancellation compensation.

1. Austrian Flight Cancellation Compensation: EU Regulations

What happens if your Austrian flight is cancelled?

What are your rights in the event of flight cancellation? Will you be booked on a new flight for free? Can you get free meals if you are stuck at the airport due to flight cancellation? Are you entitled to flight cancellation compensation?

According to EU law, flight cancellation procedures are very specific.

If you are notified of the cancellation 7 – 14 days before the scheduled time of departure:

• You choose a new flight offered by your airline, which departs not more than 2 hours before the original departure time and you reach your destination less than 4 hours after the original arrival time. In this situation you are not entitled to compensation.
• In other situations you are entitled to compensation.

If you are notified of the cancellation less than 7 days before the scheduled time of departure:

• You choose a new flight offered by your airline, which departs not more than 1 hour before the original departure time and you reach your destination less than 2 hours after the original arrival time. In this situation you are not entitled to compensation.
• In other situations you are entitled to compensation.

Could you be entitled to Austrian flight cancellation compensation? 

You are eligible to Austrian flight cancellation compensation when:

• Cancellation is due to the fault of Austrian;
• It’s a last-minute flight cancellation (up to 14 days before departure);
• Flight is to/from Europe (including the UK and EEA countries).

By Europe and EU here on this page (and on this website in general) we mean all EU Member States, the United Kingdom (UK), Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Reunion, Mayotte, Saint Martin (French Antilles), the Azores, Madeira, the Canary Islands, Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland.

1.1 Extraordinary Circumstances

Sometimes reasons for flight cancellations are out of the airline’s control.

Situations like these are known as extraordinary circumstances. In such cases, you aren’t entitled to flight cancellation compensation no matter how last-minute is the cancellation.

If your Austrian flight is cancelled due to bad weather, natural disaster, political or civil unrest, terrorism threat or security issues at the airport, you aren’t entitled to flight cancellation compensation from Austrian Airlines. Because these events are out of the airline’s control. The airline simply can’t do anything about it. So it’s not responsible for flights cancelled due to extraordinary circumstances.

On the other hand, if your flight is cancelled due to technical issues, you might be entitled to compensation. Also you might be entitled to compensation if your flight is delayed due to certain types of strikes. If it’s an Austrian staff strike, you might get compensation.

There is one more thing you should remember — always double check!

Often airlines tell wrong reasons for flight cancellation. Airlines often tend to avoid paying compensation, just to avoid financial losses. And that’s why often passengers are not told the truth. To avoid this, we recommend to work with a flight compensation company. They will pursue compensation on your behalf. You won’t need to negotiate with the airline. 

Our partners offer such services.

Just fill in a claim form, and a team of professionals will check your flight on your behalf.

1.2 Right to Care

Your Austrian flight is cancelled last-minute.

Now you have to wait at the airport for a new flight.

In this situations, you have the right to receive care from the airline. If you have to wait for 3+ hours until your replacement flight departs, you are entitled to receive certain services from the airline. It applies to all EU airline flights, and all passengers, no matter their nationality. What does it mean for you as a passenger?

Austrian must offer you free meals and drinks in a reasonable relation to the waiting time, two free phone calls, e-mails or faxes. If your new flight is leaving only on the next day, a free hotel stay (including free transfer) must be offered.

It doesn’t affect your chances of getting compensation.

1.3 Austrian Flight Cancellation Refund, Austrian Refund Policy

And again, the rules are very specific.

If your Austrian flight is cancelled, the airline has to offer you a new flight or a full refund. The replacement aeroplane ticket must be issued at no cost. If you choose the cancellation refund, it has to be paid in full. These are the EU’s legislation. Austrian internal policies (Austrian refund policy) have no bearing on this legislation.

It applies to most Austrian Airlines flight cancellations. You can get a free flight/full refund even if your flight is cancelled due to extraordinary circumstances such as bad weather, natural disaster, civil unrest, etc. 

If you choose a refund, it should be paid within 7 days. 

You don’t have to agree to an Austrian voucher refund.

Here’s an excerpt from the Regulation (EC) No 261/2004:

Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, Article 5

Cancellation

In case of cancellation of a flight, the passengers concerned shall: (a) be offered assistance by the operating air carrier in accordance with Article 8.

Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, Article 8

Right to reimbursement or re-routing

Where reference is made to this Article, passengers shall be offered the choice between: (a) – reimbursement within seven days (b) re-routing, under comparable transport conditions, to their final destination at the earliest opportunity.

It doesn’t cover cases when you cancel Austrian booking yourself.

2. How to Claim Austrian Compensation?

There are two ways how you can claim Austrian flight cancellation compensation.

One of them is more time consuming, the other – easier.

One of the options is to contact Austrian directly. Use the contact form on Austrian Airlines’s website to contact the airline and request flight cancellation compensation from Austrian Airlines. This is the most time consuming option. Because not always the airlines cooperate, and your might need to take additional steps to get compensation from Austrian. 

You can also take the easiest path — legal representation.

Everything is done on your behalf. You fill in and sign one form, and the flight compensation company takes over. They will do all the necessary steps to get flight cancellation compensation from Austrian Airlines on your behalf. 

Our partners offer such services.

Read more: 

• How to Claim Austrian Compensation?
• Your Austrian Refund Is Taking Forever. What Can You Do About It?
• Austrian Missed Connection Compensation

2.1 How Long Does It Take?

If everything goes smoothly, 2 to 3 months.

2 to 3 months from the moment you file an Austrian compensation claim until you get your money. But unfortunately it’s not always the case. It’s very common for people wait several months until the process is finished and compensation is transferred to their bank account.

Airlines often deny claims. Work with a compensation claim company to avoid the hassle of dealing with an unresponsive airline.

3. How Much Can You Claim?

The compensation amount in the EU is up to €600 per person.

Here is how you can calculate your Austrian compensation:

When your destination is within the EU/UK:

When your destination is outside the EU/UK:

There’s one exception. When the flight distance is 3500+ kilometres and you reach your destination 3 to 4 hours later than planned, you are entitled only to 50% of the compensation amount (that means €300, not €600).

3.1 Austrian Voucher Refund or Cash?

What if you are offered a voucher instead of compensation?

Do you have to accept Austrian travel voucher compensation/voucher refund? Or can you request bank transfer? 

According to the European Regulation EC 261/04, compensation and refunds have to be paid in cash or by bank transfer. If you are flying with a European airline, it applies to all of its flights. So, you don’t have to accept an Austrian voucher. 

Ask for a bank transfer instead.

4. What Happens If a Flight Is Cancelled?

What to do if your Austrian flight is cancelled?

First of all, wait for the email from Austrian Airlines.

If you have received the email already, you can see what the airline offers you. According to the European Regulation EC 261/04, it has to be a choice between a new flight or full refund. You can choose either. If you choose a new flight, see what are the available options. Probably, it is stated in the email. If you choose a refund, keep in mind that the refund has to be paid within 7 days.

If you are already at the airport, and it’s a very last-minute cancellation, there’s nothing much you can do. Just wait for the announcement from the airline. Just like in the previous situation, you will be offered a choice between a new flight or full refund. 

Keep in mind that there are situations when you are entitled to flight cancellation compensation from Austrian Airlines. 

Compensation has to be paid when the flight is cancelled less than 14 days before departure, and it is due to the airline’s fault.

4.1 Connecting Flights

Do you need to be on time for another flight? 

Austrian Airlines is a full-service airline which offers connecting flights. 

If you have an Austrian connecting flight, you don’t have to worry about missing your flight. If you miss it, the airline will book you on another flight free of charge. It is Austrian protected connecting flight. And this is how protected connecting flights work. 

But if it’s a self-transfer (separately booked flights), it’s your responsibility. Even if these are separately booked Austrian Airlines flights. If you haven’t booked your flights under one booking reference (like it is with airline-protected connecting flights), the airline is not responsible for your connection. If you miss your connection, you have to deal with the consequences yourself. You will have to book a new flight.

If you have travel insurance, it might cover the costs.

Austrian Flight Cancellation Compensation and Refund: FAQ

Austrian Refund

EU – Non-EU Flights, Tourists

Other Situations

What is your experience? Have you ever received Austrian flight cancellation compensation? Do you still have questions about Austrian compensation claim procedures and policies? Ask in the comments.