This is an Austrian Airlines connecting flights guide.
This guide covers everything from how to book connecting flights with Austrian Airlines to baggage policy and air passengers rights. Austrian Airlines is the flag carrier of Austria, and one of the Lufthansa Group network airlines. It is a full-service airline, offering flights to more than 120 destinations all around the world.
Did you miss a connecting flight? File a compensation claim online.
1
Is It Protected?
Yes, it’s a protected connection.
Traditional airlines sell airline-protected connecting flights. It’s more convenient and more safe than self-transfer flights. You don’t need a visa for connecting flights like this.
Unless you book flights separately.
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2
Baggage Rules
Airline takes care of your baggage.
Mostly, you will check in baggage only once — you won’t have to recheck baggage for every flight. This is how it works with full-service airlines and airline-protected connecting flights.
Baggage allowance depends on the ticket, destination and occasionally some other factors.
3
Travel Insurance
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1. Austrian Airlines Connecting Flights
Austrian Airlines is a full-service traditional airline.
Just like any other full-service airline, Austrian Airlines offers airline-protected connecting flights. These kind of flights are considered to be better than self transfers. Airline-protected connections is the main reason why people choose traditional airlines over low-cost airlines.
Airline-protected connecting flights are:
- More safe. Your airline takes care of flight problems.
- More convenient. Baggage transfer is automatic.
- Easier to book. You book several flights as a single journey.
Yes, Austrian Airlines sells airline-protected connecting flights.
1.1 Connecting Flights, One Airline
You have booked a connecting flight with Austrian Airlines.
In some cases, all the flights of your connection will be operated by Austrian Airlines. These will be Austrian Airlines airplanes and Austrian Airlines staff. But it’s not always the case with all connecting flights. You may have a connecting flight with Austrian Airlines, booked through their website, but it may still be operated by another airline.
1.2 Austrian Airlines Codeshare Partners
Sometimes airlines share their flights.
This means that one, two or even all of your flights might be operated by another airline. Even though you have booked an Austrian Airlines connecting flight on their website. Connecting flights with different airlines is a very common practice in aviation industry. These kind of flights are called codeshare flights, and the airlines collaborating — codeshare partners.
What you should know is that:
- If you miss a connecting flight, it’s Austrian Airlines’s responsibility. You should contact Austrian Airlines and ask for assistance. They must handle this issue, and offer you a new ticket free of charge. Even if it’s a flight with a different airline. In this case, Austrian Airlines is the so called “marketing airline”, and they are responsible for finding solutions. Keep in mind that you are entitled to a free ticket only if you miss your flight through no fault of your own.
- If your flight is heavily delayed, cancelled or overbooked, compensation is paid by airline operating this particular flight. If it’s operated by some other airline, not Austrian Airlines, then they are called operating airline — they have to pay compensation when it’s due.
See a list of Austrian Airlines codeshare partners here.
1.3 Lufthansa Group
Austrian Airlines is a subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group.
Along with Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines, there are several other subsidiaries of the Lufthansa Group, such as Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, and Swiss International Air Lines.
These airlines also share their flights.
2. What If Austrian Airlines Cancels a Flight?
You’re checking your Austrian Airlines flight status online, and you see that one of your flights is cancelled… Why does it happen?
There are a number of reasons why an airline may cancel a flight. Everything from bad weather to missing aircrafts or technical problems with computer systems. The important thing is that whenever it happens due to airline’s fault, you may be entitled to cancellation compensation. More on this further below.
2.1 One of Your Flights Is Cancelled
Austrian Airlines is a European airline.
According to the EU Regulation 261/2004, they must:
- Offer you a choice between a new flight and full refund.
- Offer you assistance at the airport (you have a right to care).
This applies to all their commercial flights.
If you miss a connecting flight because your previous flight was cancelled, it’s the airline’s responsibility. You should contact Austrian Airlines and ask for assistance. They must handle this issue, and offer you a new ticket free of charge. Even if it’s a flight with a different airline. In this case, Austrian Airlines is the so called “marketing airline”, and they are responsible for finding solutions. Keep in mind that you are entitled to a free ticket only if you miss your flight through no fault of your own.
If you don’t wish to travel anymore because the new flight doesn’t fit your travel plans, you may ask for a full refund. Also you may have a right to compensation (more on this below).
Did you miss a connecting flight? File a compensation claim online.
2.2 All Your Flights Are Cancelled
Overall, for you as a passenger, the options are the same.
According to the EU Regulation 261/2004, Austrian Airlines must:
- Offer you a choice between a new flight and full refund.
- Offer you assistance at the airport if it’s a last-minute cancellation and you are already at the airport (you have a right to care).
This applies to all their commercial flights.
Refund must be paid within seven days.
You may have a right to EU flight cancellation compensation.
2.3 Austrian Airlines Refund for Cancellation
Yes, you have a right to ask for a refund.
If the airline has offered you a new flight, but you can’t take this flight because it doesn’t fit your travel plans, you may ask for a full refund. You don’t have to take this flight, as you must have a choice between a new flight or a full refund.
Refund must be paid by bank transfer.
This applies to all Austrian Airlines cancellations. No matter the reason of the cancellation. At the same time, if you have an Austrian Airlines flight cancelled due to airline’s fault, you may also be entitled to compensation.
3. Austrian Airlines Missed Connecting Flight
There are a number of reasons why people miss their flights.
However, the most common is — delayed or cancelled previous flight.
But there are other reasons too. Long lines at check-in or security. Airport congestion. Or you can simply miss a flight because you were waiting at the wrong gate or fell asleep while waiting for your connecting flight. What a bummer!
3.1 What Happens If You Miss Austrian Airlines Connection?
If it’s your fault that it happened — it’s your responsibility.
If it’s not your fault, then your airline has to take care of that. If you booked a flight from Austrian Airlines, it doesn’t even matter if the flight is operated by Austrian Airlines or not, you should contact Austrian Airlines. It’s the airline’s responsibility to offer a solution. You missed a connecting flight, and Austrian Airlines has to help you.
According to the EU Regulation 261/2004, they must:
- Take you to your final destination as soon as possible.
- Offer you assistance at the airport (you have a right to care).
Contact Austrian Airlines. Rebooking might be the solution.
Read more: Missed Connecting Flight Due to Delay
3.2 Right to Compensation from Austrian Airlines
Sometimes you have a right to compensation.
If you have arrived at your final destination 3 or more hours later than scheduled, you may be entitled to compensation from Austrian Airlines. As long as the delay or cancellation was due to the fault of the airline. File a compensation claim to find out if you are entitled to compensation.
Look for Austrian Airlines compensation form / Austrian Airlines complaints form. Alternatively, submit your claim via a flight compensation company.
Flight cancelled less than 2 weeks before the trip?
You might be entitled to flight cancellation compensation.
GET FLIGHT COMPENSATION
File a Claim Online
3.3 Right to Care from Austrian Airlines
On all Austrian Airlines flights you have a right to care.
According to the EU Regulation 261/2004 airline should provide:
- Free food and drinks in a reasonable relation to the waiting time.
- Free hotel accommodation if a stay of one or more nights is necessary;
- Free airport transfer to hotel and back.
- Plus, two telephone calls, telex or fax messages, or e-mails. You will need to get in touch with your family and friends to let them know you are coming home later, right? Or that your travel plans has changed. This is why the airline has to provide means for communication.
It applies to all domestic and international flights with Austrian Airlines. Again, it’s because Austrian Airlines is a European airline. With non-European airlines it applies only to flights departing from European airports.
When it comes to air passenger rights, unless otherwise stated, we talk about air passenger rights in the EU, EEA and UK. When we say Europe or European, we mean EU, EEA or UK. This is done for the simplicity, since the according laws in these countries are about the same.
4. How to Book Connecting Flights with Austrian Airlines?
You can do it directly from Austrian Airlines or via a third-party.
Visit www.kiwi.com or www.skyscanner.net (or any other flight finder) to see the best flight deals. Once you have found the best option, you have a choice either to book it with a third-party booking website provided on the flight finder or visit the official website of the airline and book there.
How to Book?
Airline website (directly).
This is the easiest way to book a connecting flight. It’s also the safest way to book a connection. You make a single booking, have a single reservation code and the booking includes several flights. Sometimes they are all with one airline, other times – two or more. Anyway, in this case, you can be 100% sure that you have a proper connecting flight.
Other Option
Flight booking websites.
Few examples: skyscanner.net, expedia.com, momondo.com.
Pay attention to the details. Because some of these sites are only search engines, and sellers are other websites. Apart from that, they often sell both airline-protected connecting flights and self-transfer flights. If it’s a self-transfer, know that it comes with its own risks, and there are things you should take into account. Self-transfer is not the same thing as airline-protected transfer.
For extra protection, buy also a travel insurance covering flight disruptions, or book with sites like kiwi.com, who offer extra protection.
With kiwi.com you are more protected than normally.
Read more: How to Book Connecting Flights?
5. Austrian Airlines Connecting Flights: Baggage
Since Austrian Airlines is a traditional airline, everything’s very easy.
Baggage rules on connecting flights with Austrian Airlines are simple.
In short, Austrian Airlines takes care of your baggage. Upon arriving at the airport, you are going to check in your bag. If you have an airline-protected connecting flight, your bag will be checked all the way to your final destination. You won’t need to collect and recheck it. Unless you are transiting through U.S. or other country that requires everyone to collect and recheck their baggage.
But in most cases, you won’t need to recheck your baggage. If you are not sure, ask at the check-in counter if your bags will be going to your final destination.
If you have a self transfer — collect and recheck your baggage at every stop.
5.1 Baggage Transfer: Different Airlines
What happens if there are several airlines?
What if one of your flights is operated by different airline, not Austrian Airlines? As we already talked, you may experience this, because Austrian Airlines does share some of its flights with its codeshare partners. In this situation the rules are the same — your baggage is being taken care of by an airline. In most cases you won’t have to worry about it.
Read more:
- Connecting Flight Baggage Transfer: Different Airlines
- Lost Baggage on Connecting Flights
- Delayed Baggage on Connecting Flights
- What is Checked Baggage?
5.2 Austrian Airlines Free Baggage Allowance
Baggage allowance varies — it’s not the same on all flights.
Baggage policy varies from airline to airline. Some airlines offer free checked baggage, others don’t. Also baggage allowance depends on your travel class and destination. Check your Austrian Airlines booking confirmation to see how many bags you can bring on board, and if you have any checked baggage allowance.
When booking a flight, make sure you check what’s the baggage allowance. So there are no unpleasant surprises at the airport.
5.3 Austrian Airlines Economy Light
This is the cheapest option for long-haul flights.
Economy Light comes without free baggage allowance.
We see this all across the industry. Full-service traditional airlines are offering also tickets without free checked baggage allowance. The wording is also often the same — Economy Light. So, if you see this, most likely it’s without checked baggage (carry on baggage only).
Austrian Airlines offers “Economy Light” tickets.
6. Connecting Flight Examples
Here are two connecting flight examples with Austrian Airlines.
6.1 Protected Connecting Flights with Austrian Airlines (Most Common)
For this example I’ll be using the website of Austrian Airlines.
For example, I want to fly from Vienna (Austria) to Auckland (New Zealand).
I look for flights for October 30, and these are my options:
On their website Austrian Airlines sells only protected connecting flights. But not all of them are operated by Austrian Airlines. Some connecting flights may be partly operated by other airlines (which are Austrian Airlines’ partners). For example, the first flight is partly operated by Air New Zealand. If it matters to you, pay attention to details like this when booking a flight.
Total flight duration, number of stops and price also vary.
The latter is also very important.
6.2 Self-Transfer Flights with Austrian Airlines
But let’s assume Auckland is not your final destination.
You want to fly to Wellington, the capital of New Zealand. But before flying to Wellington you want to spend at least one day exploring Auckland, which is a popular tourist destination.
How to book this flight?
- You book a connecting flight to Auckland, like in the example above. For example, you’re taking one of the cheapest options, the first one, which arrives in Auckland at 6:30 am.
- And then you go to kiwi.com, or some other flight booking website, and book a flight from Auckland to Wellington. Leaving yourself, let’s say, 30 hours in Auckland.
Until Auckland you have an airline-protected connecting flight. If your first flight is delayed or cancelled, Austrian Airlines will take care of that. Most likely they will put you on another flight for free. However, the last leg, Auckland – Wellington flight, includes a self-transfer layover. Take this into account when booking a self-transfer flight. Don’t risk with too short layovers! Leave yourself plenty of time. And don’t forget that you’ll have to check in for the last flight separately, and to recheck your baggage, etc.
What else to keep in mind? As you can see, the cheapest connecting flight has a layover in Chicago O’Hare International Airport, the U.S. Do not forget that you need to apply for an ESTA before travelling to the U.S. Yes, even if it’s a connecting flight! Even then you still need either ESTA or visa for transit.
What is your experience with Austrian Airlines? Have you ever missed a connecting flight with Austrian Airlines? How did the airline solve this? Did you receive compensation from Austrian Airlines?
Featured photo by Sarah Loetscher
About the author:
Una is an organized globetrotter and foodie who’s been living a digital nomad lifestyle since 2013. She always starts her day early with a good book before diving into work. Apart from traveling and aviation, her other passions include gym, hiking and cycling. Una is also a strong proponent of AI technology. She firmly believes in its potential to simplify life and has often advocated for its wider adoption in our day-to-day activities. Her favorite airlines are Qatar Airways, Emirates, and KLM.
