At the end of May 2022, the Graz labor court had to deal with an unusual case: Austrian Airlines parted ways with a technician who was on sick leave. A private detective is said to have provided the necessary "evidence" that led to his dismissal without notice.

The Austrian Lufthansa subsidiary closed the Graz station some time ago. There are no longer any staff stationed on site, since only the Vienna route is now being served. The decentralized routes to Düsseldorf and Stuttgart are now offered by the sister company Eurowings. As a result, technicians are no longer needed in Styria and they have been offered the opportunity to carry out their duties at the home base in Vienna in the future.

However, this option does not seem to have been well received by everyone and now it is also a matter of statement against statement: A maintenance worker claims that less wages should be paid for the work in Vienna. Among other things, he explained to the newspaper “Today” that there were various discrepancies, for example in the area of ​​parental part-time work. He was no longer mentally fit and was therefore given medical leave.

Austrian Airlines is said to have hired a private detective. According to the information provided by the person concerned, he carried out shadowing and also took photos of him and his children on the private property of the AUA employee. At first, however, he claims he didn't notice anything and only found out about it after receiving his dismissal without notice.

Austrian Airlines is said to have argued through a lawyer that he played with his children in the garden while he was sick. Quoted today from the letter: "Photos show the defendant physically active in the garden, playing with his children and drinking alcohol". This drives the technician up the wall and he wants to defend himself against the summary dismissal before the labor court. The first hearing will take place at the end of May 2022.

Austrian Airlines did not want to comment on the quite piquant matter with reference to the ongoing court proceedings. How the matter will end is now up to the judges responsible.