Austria lockdown - affect OS flights to VIE?
Nov 22, 2021, 1:26 pm
#32
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 171
Nov 22, 2021, 1:44 pm
#33
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: MCO
Programs: Hilton Diamond, AA PP
Posts: 541
The lockdown is for all restaurants, shops except essential. Theater and symphony shut down, no Christmas markets. Museums shut down. People to work from home and only go out for essential trips lime food and doctors. If we can’t do anything and can’t see our friends, why go? We changed our flights and are going to Firenze instead.
Nov 23, 2021, 2:25 am
#34
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Wedged somewhere between BTS and VIE ✈
Programs: Star Alliance Gold (A3 Gold), Oneworld Emerald (BA Gold), Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,338
I am at VIE now. Everything seems normal, McDonald's and Spar open as normal. Lounges are open, but only giving out food to consume outside the lounge. I'm in the Sky Lounge (sign says open from 5am to 9:30pm), they are offering baguettes to take away. Quite a few people coming from OS lounge carrying a 'goody-bag'. Airside there are some shops that sell food and drinks open, and restaurants are only selling food to go. Not as deserted as I thought, seems pretty busy.
Nov 23, 2021, 2:34 am
#35
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: PVG, FRA, SEA, HEL
Programs: UA Premier Gold
Posts: 4,783
Just to confirm, if we have flights that land into VIE with no other flights connecting, would we be able to collect bags and then fly elsewhere in Europe? Or is collecting bags considered landside?
Nov 23, 2021, 2:56 am
#36
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Germany
Posts: 3,805
But the only way to leave the bag collection area is to go landside, correct? So it's a moot point where the bag collection area itself is located - you can neither check in your bags for the next flight nor go via security without going landside first.
Nov 23, 2021, 6:37 am
#37
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: KOA/PHKO
Programs: Starbucks Gold :-)
Posts: 831
I am at VIE now. Everything seems normal, McDonald's and Spar open as normal. Lounges are open, but only giving out food to consume outside the lounge. I'm in the Sky Lounge (sign says open from 5am to 9:30pm), they are offering baguettes to take away. Quite a few people coming from OS lounge carrying a 'goody-bag'. Airside there are some shops that sell food and drinks open, and restaurants are only selling food to go. Not as deserted as I thought, seems pretty busy.
Nov 23, 2021, 7:28 am
#38
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 171
Nov 23, 2021, 7:38 am
#39
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: MEX
Programs: AC E75K
Posts: 4,171
What makes you say that? All the indication from this thread suggests that the recent lockdown order does not impact who is allowed to enter Austria. You just can't stay in a hotel if it's not for business purposes.
Nov 23, 2021, 3:45 pm
#40
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 4,130
I am supposed to be flying to Vienna for the weekend on Friday. OS tickets booked on LH website. I'm on light fares. It is outrageous that there is no fee waiver / refund voucher in place. It certainly means I won't be flying Austrian again. BA, for example, has waived all change fees and will offer vouchers for all flights through end of August 2022. I'll book with them next time.
Nov 23, 2021, 4:21 pm
#41
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: MEX
Programs: AC E75K
Posts: 4,171
I am supposed to be flying to Vienna for the weekend on Friday. OS tickets booked on LH website. I'm on light fares. It is outrageous that there is no fee waiver / refund voucher in place. It certainly means I won't be flying Austrian again. BA, for example, has waived all change fees and will offer vouchers for all flights through end of August 2022. I'll book with them next time.
Nov 24, 2021, 12:44 am
#42
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Wedged somewhere between BTS and VIE ✈
Programs: Star Alliance Gold (A3 Gold), Oneworld Emerald (BA Gold), Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,338
One elderly couple were 'told off' for drinking coffee while I was there.
Nov 24, 2021, 1:35 am
#43
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: PVG, FRA, SEA, HEL
Programs: UA Premier Gold
Posts: 4,783
So this means I am screwed if I can't somehow add a connecting flight to another country from VIE onto my OS itinerary?
Nov 24, 2021, 9:56 am
#44
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: KOA/PHKO
Programs: Starbucks Gold :-)
Posts: 831
This is a bit ridiculous I have to admit - their service offering has dwindled. You can go have a smoke in the smoking areas of the lounge apparently... I hope my flight cancels so I have leverage with UA to re-route. A 5-hour layover without food in VIE, so I can eat on the bench outside the lounge makes little sense.
Nov 24, 2021, 8:05 pm
#45
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC SE MM, BW Diamond Select
Posts: 706
When trying to book a hotel near VIE, Expedia's booking page writes "This property can only accept bookings for essential travel or stays. You may be asked to provide evidence of this on arrival. For more information, check local advisories before you book.". I suppose one should assume that Expedia is being over-cautious, and therefore, take their advisory with a grain of salt.
My arrival into VIE is December 23, so I think I should be good to go and book this?
My arrival into VIE is December 23, so I think I should be good to go and book this?