Are you experiencing a last-minute flight cancellation?
What to do if your Austrian flight is cancelled last minute?
It can be disruptive when your flight gets cancelled, particularly if it affects connecting flights or scheduled arrangements. Nonetheless, EU legislation and the Austrian flight cancellation policy offer passenger safeguards in these scenarios. For over a decade now, in the event of a flight cancellation by Austrian, it’s the airline’s duty to look after you and propose an appropriate resolution.
1. Austrian Flight Cancellation: Last-Minute Flight Cancellation
Austrian is obligated to support you if they cancel your flight.
- If a last-minute flight cancellation causes a long airport wait, you have the right to care from Austrian. They will provide a complimentary meal voucher for a 3-hour-long wait, and if it stretches overnight — free hotel accommodation and transportation are offered.
- If you opt against the substitute flight proposed to you, you are eligible for a full refund from Austrian. The refund can be either credited to your bank account or given as an Austrian voucher.
- Provided it’s a last-minute flight cancellation (i.e., flight cancelled 0-14 days before the original departure date), and the cancellation is due to Austrian’s fault, you can claim flight cancellation compensation from Austrian.
If a cancellation of your Austrian flight results in a missed connection, you may be entitled to compensation. For more details, refer to our Austrian missed connection compensation guide.
Simply put, the guidelines are much the same as those for flight delays. You need to compare your actual arrival time at the destination with the original expected arrival time.
These compensation rules are applicable to all Austrian flights to and from Europe.
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.
2. What to Do if Your Flight Is Cancelled Last-Minute?
What to do if you are experiencing a last-minute flight cancellation?
The steps to take when your Austrian flight is unexpectedly cancelled can vary depending on where you currently are. If you’ve already begun your journey to the airport, your actions might differ from when you are still at your home or hotel.
2.1 If You Are Still at Home or Hotel
If you’re still at home or your hotel when you receive news of your flight cancellation, it’s advisable to stay put for the moment. Reach out to Austrian’s customer support to understand the subsequent steps.
As mentioned earlier, the Austrian will solve the issue. Your options will be explained to you – you might depart later the same day or the following day, depending on flight availability. Bear in mind that you can ask to be put on a flight from a different airline as well.
2.2 If You Are Already at the Airport
Should you already be at the airport when your flight is cancelled, it’s best to avoid going through airport security. A new flight will be arranged for you, meaning you need to secure a new boarding pass by going through the check-in procedure again. If you have any checked baggage, you will need to check it in again. If you’ve already passed security, try to make your way back to the landside (public access) area of the airport.
Ensure that you get in touch with Austrian airport personnel to get information on what further steps to undertake. They will be at your service, offering you another flight to your destination (or a complete refund) and care.
Keep in mind that you have the right to care, a free alternative flight to your destination, or a refund if that is your choice. Plus, if Austrian cancels your flight due to their fault, you’ll get European flight cancellation compensation.
3. Austrian Flight Cancellation Compensation
You may be entitled to compensation if your flight is cancelled.
The EU has set specific rules concerning flight cancellation compensation.
If your flight is cancelled 0-14 days before departure, it falls under the category of a last-minute flight cancellation, and you could be eligible for compensation.
Your flight is cancelled 7 – 14 days before the scheduled time of departure:
- If you opt for a new flight provided by Austrian, which leaves no more than 2 hours before the original departure time and you arrive at your destination less than 4 hours after the original arrival time. In this scenario, you are not eligible for compensation.
- In any other scenario, you are eligible for compensation.
Your flight is cancelled less than 7 days before the scheduled time of departure:
- If you opt for a new flight provided by Austrian, which leaves no more than 1 hour before the original departure time and you arrive at your destination less than 2 hours after the original arrival time. In this scenario, you are not eligible for compensation.
- In any other scenario, you are eligible for compensation.
Conditions for claiming compensation:
- Flight cancelled due to Austrian’s fault;
- Flight is to/from/within Europe;
- Flight cancelled at last minute (less than 14 days before departure).
Read more: Austrian Flight Cancellation Compensation
4. Austrian Airlines Flight Cancellation Refund
If Austrian Airlines cancels your flight, you are given the choice of a re-routed flight to your final destination or a full refund. The refund, based on your preference, can be either credited back to your banking account or given as an Austrian voucher. Your decision should align with your future travel plans.
You can expect your Austrian Airlines refund within 7 days.
It is essential to clarify that the right to compensation and the right to a refund are distinct entitlements under the EU flight compensation law. Hence, even if you choose a refund, you could still qualify for compensation, depending on the specific circumstances of the flight cancellation, as outlined above.
Read more: Your Austrian Refund Is Taking Forever. What Can You Do About It?
4.1 What If You Cancel a Flight?
If, for any reason, you decide to cancel your flight, the refund conditions become different.
Austrian Airlines’ refund policy is mainly dependent on the type of ticket you bought.
Tickets that are fully-flexible are usually refundable, on the other hand, low-cost, non-flexible tickets might not qualify for a refund. It is always advisable to review the particular terms of your ticket or get in touch with Austrian Airlines’ customer service for more details. If you have bought travel insurance that includes cancellation coverage, you may be able to claim a refund through your insurer.
5. How to Claim Austrian Flight Cancellation Compensation and Cancellation Refund?
To secure a refund for your Austrian flight, make a request in the “My Bookings” section on Austrian Airlines website. The refund sum is generally transferred using the same method of payment that you employed during the ticket purchase.
What about flight cancellation compensation?
In case of a flight cancellation, you might have the right to claim compensation from Austrian Airlines. The most crucial step you should take is to file a claim. If you fail to do so, you will not receive any compensation. You can reach out to Austrian Airlines customer service to lodge your claim.
Do remember, that it’s your right to claim compensation, and you are under no obligation to accept travel vouchers as compensation. Under EC Regulation 261, compensation for flight disruptions within the EU should be directly transferred into your bank account. The compensation amount you are eligible for is fixed and can vary between 250 and 600 euros.
You can also consider opting for legal assistance.
Choosing this option means a flight compensation company will handle everything. They will file a compensation claim and manage the entire process on your behalf.
Our partners offer such services.
When choosing this option, here is all you will have to do:
And that’s it — the rest is handled by professionals.
* Your boarding pass and passport or ID copy.
Read more: How to Claim Austrian Compensation?
Last-minute flight cancellation – have you ever experienced that? How did the airline solve that? Do you still have questions about Austrian compensation policies? Ask in the comments.