In June 14, Austrian Airlines had a special surprise in store for 2022 members of the Langenzersdorf volunteer fire brigade after participating in a trade fair in Hanover: the return flight to Vienna was canceled and the carrier did not take care of alternative transport. They also wanted to avoid compensation at first.

The tour group finally organized train tickets on their own and started a nine-hour train journey. When asserting the additional costs and the legal right to compensation of 250 euros per person, the Florianis immediately encountered the next hurdle. After it was not possible to agree on compensation with Austrian Airlines, the fire brigade commander turned to the Agency for Passenger and Passenger Rights. The free and commission-free arbitration board established a claim of FF-Langenzersdorf of 3.500 euros due to the EU passenger rights regulation.

"I am very pleased that in this case we were able to reach an amicable agreement between the Langenzersdorf volunteer fire department and Austrian Airlines. In the case of flight cancellations, you have the option of a refund of the ticket price or an alternative transport to the destination airport on comparable terms. If no such promotion is proactively offered, one can arrange for onward travel oneself. In this case, the APF strongly recommends contacting the company before purchasing alternative tickets and keeping all invoices. The FF-Langenzersdorf has acted in an exemplary manner in this regard!” says Maria-Theresia Röhsler, Managing Director of the APF.

“It was really uncomfortable that we had to take a nearly 9-hour train ride instead of the planned return flight. However, I am very happy that we were able to save ourselves the additional effort and hassle of reimbursement and compensation by commissioning the APF and that we were able to get our rights quickly," says fire brigade commander Stefan Janoschek.