The Omicron Corona mutation is also causing headaches for the management team at Austrian Airlines. Sales Director Michael Trestl criticizes the fact that some countries are imposing travel bans again, even though not much is known about the virus. In an interview with the daily newspaper Kurier, he also paints a worst-case scenario that one should "not think about right now". If the USA closes its borders again and the borders within the EU are also closed again, this would "set Austrian Airlines back 14 to 18 months in terms of development." Landing bans are not the right way, according to Trestl. "People are looking for other routes, via Istanbul, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, etc. At Vienna Airport, connecting flights are more strictly controlled, but that is very difficult. It is understandable that politicians are reacting in this way, but the variant is still spreading. And the return journey for Austrians is becoming incredibly difficult," the manager told the Kurier. When asked whether the latest Austrian lockdown had an impact on booking numbers, Michael Trestl replied that there was currently a decline of ten to 15 percent in Europe. This also has an impact on the operation of flights, as the AUA board member also confirmed that frequencies are often combined. "We try to keep the flight schedule as stable as possible. We largely succeed in doing this, there are only a few adjustments. We combine flights with several daily frequencies, but travelers can still fly daily," the manager told the Kurier. Boost in private travel, business travelers still cautious Summer 2022 is said to have gone well in the area of ​​private travel, as according to Trestl, there was