Austria

Diverging traffic development in the Vienna Airport Group in the first half of 2026

The operating company of the Vienna Airport Group reports uneven passenger figures for the first half of 2026, characterized by significant regional differences. While the entire group, which includes the main airport in Vienna as well as the airports in Malta and Košice, Slovakia, saw a decline in passenger numbers in the first six months, the airports in the Vienna area experienced a decline in passenger numbers.

July 14, 2026 09:37

Puppies seized at Vienna Airport: Customs uncovers suspected smuggling

Austrian customs officials at Vienna Airport have seized five puppies suspected of being illegally imported. The animals were discovered in April during a routine check of a passenger who had arrived on a flight from China. According to the Federal Ministry of Finance, the puppies were in poor health and were subsequently deported.

July 14, 2026 08:04

Customs seizes tons of plant souvenirs at Vienna Airport

Entry regulations for travelers from countries outside the European Union are increasingly affecting the private import of agricultural products. At Vienna Airport (Schwechat), the responsible control authorities seized a significant quantity of unauthorized plants and foodstuffs in the first half of 2026. Since the beginning of the year

July 14, 2026 04:35

Emirates is reintroducing a fourth class of service on the Vienna–Dubai route

Emirates, the Dubai-based airline, will change its capacity on the flight route between Vienna and its Arabian hub from July 10, 2026. The airline will again deploy a modified Boeing 777 with a four-class configuration on one of its two daily flights. This marks the return of the premium product.

July 10, 2026 18:01

Vienna Airport: Angelika Ponecz takes over management of Vienna AirportCity Event GmbH

Vienna AirportCity Event GmbH (VAC), a subsidiary of Flughafen Wien AG, has a new operational management team. Effective July 1, 2026, Angelika Ponecz has assumed the role of Managing Director. She succeeds Christoph Schmidt, who is leaving the company to pursue self-employment.

July 9, 2026 13:09

Flight schedule for the summer season: Ryanair advertises city connections from Austrian airports

Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair has unveiled its current flight schedule for the remainder of the 2026 summer season, operating from Austrian bases. The airline group is focusing on marketing city connections to major cities in southwestern and eastern Europe. These routes will primarily be served via its hub in Vienna-Schwechat, as well as the regional airports of Salzburg and Linz.

July 9, 2026 08:05

Response to parliamentary decision: Vienna Airport welcomes amendment to the aviation law

Vienna Airport AG has expressed a positive view of the amendment to the Aviation Act passed by the National Council. The operating company of Austria's largest airport sees the new legislation as a necessary instrument to strengthen Austria's position as an aviation hub internationally. According to airport management, the reform brings significant bureaucratic simplifications and

July 8, 2026 12:08

Legal reform in parliament: National Council adopts comprehensive amendment to the aviation law

The Austrian National Council has passed a far-reaching reform of the aviation law. The legislative initiative, based on a motion from the coalition parties ÖVP, SPÖ, and NEOS, aims to modernize the legal framework for civil aviation. Key aspects of the amendment include a redesign of the reliability checks for employees in security-relevant airport areas, which

July 7, 2026 14:05

Aviation law: National Council committee adopts comprehensive amendment to the Aviation Act

The Transport Committee of the Austrian National Council, with the votes of the coalition parties, has passed a comprehensive amendment to the Aviation Act. The new regulations are based on a last-minute, sweeping amendment to an existing initiative proposal. Key components of the reform include stricter and more precisely defined background checks for personnel in security-relevant areas of air transport, as well as altered framework conditions.

July 6, 2026 09:03

Salzburg: Construction begins on new hangar, launching multi-year terminal project

Salzburg Airport is undergoing a comprehensive transformation of its infrastructure. With the start of construction on the new Hangar 1 scheduled for July 2026, the airport company is initiating the largest construction project at the Salzburg Airport site in decades. This project serves as an essential preliminary step for the planned redesign of the entire airport.

July 3, 2026 09:32