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Flights to Austria: delays, cancellations and your rights

By passengers on routes within Europe in Eurostat’s 2024 data, Vienna – the hub of Austrian Airlines – was by far Austria’s busiest airport, followed by Salzburg, Graz and Innsbruck. EU261 covers every departure from Austria, whatever the airline, and flights to Austria from outside the EU, Norway, Iceland and Switzerland when an airline licensed in one of those countries operates them.

By the EU261 Flight Delay editorial team Last reviewed: How we write our guides

Check compensation or start a claim with AirHelp straight away

In short: Flying to Austria from elsewhere in Europe, a delay of 3 hours or more is worth €250–€400 per passenger on typical routes (EU261, any airline); from the UK £220 under UK261. On the way home, EU261 covers every flight leaving Austria.

Your rights each way

DirectionRulesCovered airlines3h+ delay / late cancellation
Another EU/EEA country or Switzerland → AustriaEU261any airline€250–€400
Austria → another EU/EEA country or SwitzerlandEU261any airline€250–€400
UK → AustriaUK261any airline£220
Austria → UKEU261any airline€250
Outside Europe → AustriaEU261only an EU airlineby distance, up to €600

Amounts are per passenger and depend on the great-circle distance between your airports – the ranges cover the busiest routes. Whatever the cause, from 2 hours’ delay the airline must provide meals and drinks, and a hotel if you are stuck overnight – where EU261 or UK261 applies. Living in Austria or flying from there? See how to claim in Austria.

Check your flight to or from Austria

Two minutes, free, no sign-up.

What happened?Step 1 of 4

What happened to your flight?
Where did you fly from and to?

With a connection, enter your first departure and your final destination – compensation is based on the total distance.

How late did you arrive at your final destination?

What counts is when the aircraft doors opened at your destination – not the departure delay.

When were you told about the cancellation?
When did you arrive on the replacement flight?
Which airline operated the flight?
When was the flight?

How many passengers were on the booking?

1 passenger

Every passenger gets their own compensation, children too. Infants under 2 without their own seat do not count.

  • Free, no sign-up
  • Fee only if successful (35%)
  • AirHelp: Trustpilot 4.5/5

Rather skip the questions? Start a claim with AirHelp straight away

Airports in Austria

AirportPassengers 2024*ATFM delay per arrival 2025Main cause
Vienna (VIE)26,548,0400.79 minweather (93%)
Salzburg (SZG)1,407,4390.03 minweather (82%)
Graz (GRZ)704,0230.00 minaccident/incident (100%)
Innsbruck (INN)684,6640.39 minweather (50%)
Linz (LNZ)109,3400.00 min–
Klagenfurt (KLU)–0.00 min–

* Passengers on routes reported to Eurostat (both directions).

Routes from the UK to Austria

From the UK: Vienna is Austria’s main airport; in the CAA’s 2025 data UK flights also served Salzburg, Innsbruck, Klagenfurt, Linz and Graz. Flights departing from Austria are covered by EU261 whatever the airline; flights from the UK to Austria by UK261; flights from Austria to the UK by EU261.

Punctuality of the busiest routes in 2025, from UK Civil Aviation Authority data (departures from UK airports).

RouteFlightsOn time3h+ lateCancelled
London Heathrow – Vienna6,07481.4%0.07%0.78%
London Stansted – Vienna2,06665.6%0.34%0.19%
London Gatwick – Innsbruck1,36977.4%0.22%0.44%
London Gatwick – Vienna1,22772.7%0.73%0.08%
Manchester – Vienna1,02275.0%0.78%0.20%
London Gatwick – Salzburg1,00577.2%0.50%0.50%

Busiest European routes

Why flights to Austria are delayed

In 2025, air traffic flow restrictions held back arrivals at Austria’s airports by 0.64 minutes per flight on average (EUROCONTROL, 6 airports). The worst month was Jul.

Causes of air traffic flow delay (2025)

  • weather91%
  • ATC staffing7%
  • equipment (non-ATC)1%
  • aerodrome capacity0%
  • other0%
  • equipment (ATC)0%

Average ATFM delay per arrival by month (min)

  1. J
  2. F
  3. M
  4. A
  5. M
  6. J
  7. J
  8. A
  9. S
  10. O
  11. N
  12. D

Weather and air traffic control restrictions are usually extraordinary circumstances – but the airline must show they caused your delay. Check what happened on your travel day.

Strikes

No strikes affecting flights in Austria are announced in our calendar at the moment.

Strike calendar

Where to complain

  1. The airline first – in writing, with your booking reference. Use our complaint letter generator.
  2. National enforcement body: Agentur für Passagier- und Fahrgastrechte (apf) – Agency for Passenger Rights – Online complaint form in German and English..
  3. Dispute resolution: The apf is also the statutory conciliation body for air passengers. The procedure is free, the airline is obliged to take part once a case is opened, and the proposed solution is not binding. You must first try the airline; if there is no agreement or final answer within six weeks you can apply. It covers airlines established in Austria and flights departing from or landing in Austria.
  4. From the UK: if you flew from a UK airport or with a UK airline, you can also use UK ADR, the CAA or the small claims court.

Tips for flying to Austria

  • Try the airline first and keep the date of your claim: after six weeks without a satisfactory answer you can go to the apf free of charge.
  • In EUROCONTROL’s 2025 data Innsbruck’s arrival flow-control delays peaked in February and were about half weather-related; Vienna’s peaked in July and were almost all weather.
  • If you connect in Vienna on a single booking, what counts for compensation is the delay at your final destination, not at the transfer airport (C-11/11 Folkerts).

Frequently asked questions

Am I covered on a flight to Austria?

From anywhere in the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, yes: EU261 covers every departing flight, whatever the airline – €250–€400 per passenger on typical routes if you arrive 3 hours or more late. From the UK, UK261 covers every departing flight (£220). From outside Europe you are covered only on an EU airline.

Am I covered on the flight home from Austria?

Austria applies EU261 to every departing flight, so you are covered with any airline (€250–€400 on typical routes).

Who enforces passenger rights in Austria?

Agentur für Passagier- und Fahrgastrechte (apf) – Agency for Passenger Rights – Online complaint form in German and English.. Complain to the airline first; if it rejects you or does not answer, you can turn to this body. All national enforcement bodies.

Are strikes covered?

It depends whose staff are on strike. Air traffic control or airport strikes are usually extraordinary circumstances; strikes by the airline’s own staff are not (CJEU C-28/20). See strikes and compensation.

Data: Eurostat 2024, EUROCONTROL, UK Civil Aviation Authority 2025. Information only, not legal advice.

Sources

  1. National enforcement bodies under Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 (updated 13 October 2026) – European Commission
  2. FAQ Schlichtungsverfahren Flug – apf
  3. Judgment C-11/11 Air France v Folkerts (26 February 2013) – delay measured at final destination – EUR-Lex
  4. Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 – full text (Article 3: scope; recital 15: air traffic management decisions) – EUR-Lex
  5. Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 as it applies in the UK (UK261) – Article 3, scope – legislation.gov.uk
  6. UK flight punctuality statistics 2025 (flights by destination from UK airports) – UK Civil Aviation Authority
  7. Airport arrival ATFM (flow-control) delay data, 2024–2025 – EUROCONTROL Aviation Intelligence Unit
  8. Air passenger transport by reporting airport (avia_par), 2024 – Eurostat
  9. Eurostat – air passenger transport routes between partner airports and main airports (2024) – Eurostat
  10. EUROCONTROL – airport arrival ATFM delays (open performance data) – EUROCONTROL
  11. UK flight punctuality statistics 2025 – UK Civil Aviation Authority

We check every rule against the sources above. Spotted an error? Tell us – see our editorial policy.