Austrian Airlines is making an unusually clear announcement to the Austrian federal government regarding landing bans for non-stop flights that have started in the United Kingdom or South Africa: The passengers concerned will simply be rebooked on connecting flights so that they can "continue to travel to Austria unhindered".

The Ministry of Health led by Rudolf Anschober (Greens) extended - as reported - the ban on non-stop flights with passengers who have started in the UK or South Africa by two weeks for the time being. However, only non-stop flights and not connecting flights are recorded. Specifically, this means that people from the United Kingdom or South Africa can continue to fly to Austria as long as they switch to another aircraft in another country. Therefore, Austrian Airlines boss Alexis von Hoensbroech considers the ban imposed by Anschober to be ineffective.

“Landing bans are disproportionate and ineffective. We demand nationwide entry controls by means of a corona test after arrival for all travelers from these areas, regardless of their flight route, ”said the AUA General Director.

Due to the measure ordered by the Austrian federal government, the carrier will cancel all flights from the UK and South Africa to Austria until January 24, 2020. It is possible to fly in the opposite direction and the AUA intends to do so: “The flights to Great Britain can be operated with the exception of individual connections, but all return flights from London Heathrow to Vienna must be canceled by the specified date. Austrian Airlines has offered the Austrian federal government to be available again for repatriation flights - a corresponding approval for this has not yet been granted, ”the company wrote in a press release. Ultimately, this means that Austrian Airlines will fly back to Austria empty from the UK, and legally, because flights without passengers are not included.

“We are legally obliged to rebook our passengers on other airlines and also to bear the costs for this rebooking. This means that the landing bans are epidemiologically ineffective, as travelers can continue to travel to Austria completely unhindered, while we as the Austrian airline alone bear the damage, ”said Alexis von Hoensbroech.

South Africa passengers are rebooked via Dubai and / or Istanbul, for example, according to Austrian Airlines. The travelers are then not even covered by the ban, because - as mentioned - only non-stop flights with passengers are officially prohibited. Alternatively, Austrian Airlines also offers a refund of the flight price.

Austrian Airlines also transports around 40 percent of transfer passengers on the route from South Africa to Vienna. These guests use the hub in Vienna for onward travel, so they do not enter Austria at all. On flights from Great Britain this percentage is 30 percent.

The German federal government recently introduced compulsory corona testing for passengers from Ireland, South Africa and Great Britain. Austrian Airlines CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech also wants such a sustainable and epidemiologically sensible solution for Austria: “We demand nationwide entry controls by means of a corona test after arrival for all travelers from South Africa and Great Britain, regardless of their flight route. This means that all back doors can be closed and effective methods used to fight the containment of the virus. "