Austrian Airlines cancellation compensation
Compensation is due unless you were told at least 14 days before departure, or were told later but re-routed on a flight that fell inside the timing windows set by Article 5(1)(c). You are also entitled to choose between a full refund and a replacement flight, whatever the notice.
Which Austrian Airlines flights are covered
Austrian Airlines is registered in Austria, so it counts as an EU carrier and its flights are covered in both directions.
- Departing an EU airport: covered by EU261.
- Departing a UK airport: covered by UK261.
- Arriving in the EU from outside Europe: covered by EU261, because Austrian Airlines is an EU carrier.
- Arriving in the UK from outside Europe: covered by UK261, which also protects arrivals on EU carriers.
Worked examples on Austrian Airlines routes
| Route | Distance | Rules | Per passenger |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vienna (VIE) → Paris (CDG) | 1,035 km | EU261 | €250 |
| Vienna (VIE) → Barcelona (BCN) | 1,370 km | EU261 | €250 |
| Vienna (VIE) → Rome (FCO) | 780 km | EU261 | €250 |
| Vienna (VIE) → Amsterdam (AMS) | 959 km | EU261 | €250 |
What Austrian Airlines is likely to say — and the answer
“You were offered an alternative flight” — only relevant if it fell inside the Article 5 windows. Check the departure and arrival times.
“We told you in advance” — the question is whether it was 14 days or more, counted from when you were actually informed.
“Operational reasons” — not a category in the Regulation.
A voucher offered instead of money — you are entitled to be paid in money.
Specific to Austrian Airlines
Vienna is a connecting hub for Central and Eastern Europe, so a large share of Austrian claims are missed connections. On a single booking the delay is measured where you finished, not where you missed the connection.
Austria has a dedicated passenger-rights conciliation body, the Agentur für Passagier- und Fahrgastrechte (APF), which handles air passenger complaints free of charge.
Austrian limitation is three years from the flight, with no end-of-year extension — shorter in practice than the German rule despite the same headline number.
As part of the Lufthansa group they use similar wording in rejections, and the same counter-arguments apply.
Time limit: Austrian Airlines is based in Austria, where claims run for 3 years from the date of the flight. How that works
Check it free, then send the letter yourself.
If your Austrian Airlines cancellation appears eligible, the claim letter is £15 flat, with Austrian Airlines’s likely objection answered in advance. You keep 100% of what they pay. If the airline rejects your claim on eligibility grounds, we refund the £15. Forward us their reply and we refund within five working days.
Austrian Airlines cancellation: common questions
How much can I claim from Austrian Airlines for a cancellation?
Between €250 and €600 (or £220 and £520 under UK261) per passenger, depending on distance. The worked examples on this page show the figure for some of Austrian Airlines’s routes.
Austrian Airlines cancelled my flight and put me on another one. Can I still claim?
Possibly. If you were told less than 14 days before, the airline only escapes compensation if the replacement fell inside strict windows — for example, with under 7 days’ notice, departing no more than an hour early and arriving less than two hours late. Outside those windows, compensation is due, although it can be halved if you arrived within 2, 3 or 4 hours depending on distance.
What reasons does Austrian Airlines give for refusing cancellation claims?
The most common are: You were offered an alternative flight; We told you in advance; Operational reasons; A voucher offered instead of money. Most of these do not hold up against the Regulation or the case law.
How long do I have to make a Austrian Airlines cancellation claim?
Where Austrian Airlines is based, the limit is 3 years. You can usually also claim in the country your flight departed from or arrived in, which may give you longer.
Other Austrian Airlines claims
- Austrian Airlines: delayCompensation is due when you arrive at your final destination 3 hours or more after the scheduled arrival time.
- Austrian Airlines: cancellationCompensation is due unless you were told at least 14 days before departure, or were told later but re-routed on a flight that fell inside the timing windows set by Article 5(1)(c).
- Austrian Airlines: denied boardingCompensation is due immediately when you are refused boarding against your will — most often because the flight was overbooked — provided you checked in on time with a confirmed reservation.
- Austrian Airlines: missed connectionWhere all your flights were on a single booking, a delay that makes you miss a connection is measured at your final destination.