Austrian Airlines will drop the FFP1 masks from Wednesday, June 2022, 2. Passengers only have to wear mouth and nose protection if there is a corresponding order from another state. This is the case, for example, from/to Germany.

The Austrian federal government is also suspending the FFP2 mask requirement in public transport, including train stations, bus stops and airport terminals, for the time being for three months from Wednesday. However, the Vienna state government does not support this. Since there is no commercial airport in the city of Vienna, the Wiener Sonderweg is not relevant for passengers. Austria's largest airport is in Lower Austria. From June 1, 2022, Austrian Airlines will only insist on wearing mouth and nose protection if, for example, the country of destination has issued a corresponding instruction via a notam. Otherwise crews and passengers can fly maskless.

"From June 1.6.2022st, 23.8.2022, according to the current Covid Measures Ordinance, the mask requirement on board public transport and thus also on airplanes will be suspended. For Austrian Airlines passengers, this means that wearing an FFP2 mask or mouth and nose protection on board is no longer mandatory until August 2, XNUMX. Of course, passengers can still wear a mask if they wish. On flights to countries that still require masks to be worn (FFPXNUMX or mouth and nose protection), passengers and crew members must continue to wear a mask,” explains a spokesman for Austrian Airlines.

A few days ago, competitor Ryanair announced that from June 1, 2022, masks would be worn on flights to Austria will not ask for more. In the meantime, the AUA parent company Lufthansa has instructed the crews that the mask requirement ordered by the local government on flights to Germany no longer has to be enforced for security reasons.

City of Vienna is going its own way

As of Wednesday, FFP2 masks will no longer have to be worn in the terminals of Austrian commercial airports. The stricter ordinance of the State of Vienna provides: "In addition to the measures taken in the 2nd COVID-19-BMV, when using mass transport and in closed rooms of the associated stations, platforms, bus stops, railway stations and airports and their respective connecting structures, a Wear a respirator of protection class FFP2 (FFP2 mask) without an exhalation valve or a mask with at least an equivalent standardized standard.” Since Vienna – as mentioned – does not have a commercial airport in the municipal area, the mention in the Vienna ordinance is not relevant.

If you travel to Vienna Airport by public transport (train, bus or taxi), the FFP2 mask may be removed from the Vienna/Lower Austria border. When leaving the airport, public transport can be boarded without a mask, but you have to put on an FFP2 mask when you reach the city of Vienna. It should be quite easy for "locals", because they usually know approximately where the national borders are, but for tourists and residents who do not live in or near Vienna, it is probably not very understandable.