The minimum prices for flight tickets planned by Austria's Transport and Climate Protection Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) are facing headwinds from Brussels. The EU Commission has now asked the government to explain in detail how a minimum price of 40 euros should reduce carbon dioxide emissions on short trips.

According to ORF, Brussels is of the opinion that Leonore Gewessler's plans could violate EU regulation 1008/2008. This guarantees the aviation sector price freedom. Spain also felt this in the past, because this state wanted to ban tariffs without luggage included. The European Court of Justice prohibited the Spanish initiative with reference to the EU regulation.

Leonore Gewessler announced in June 2020 that there will be minimum prices for flight tickets in Austria in the future. She named the price of taxes and fees, according to her around 40 euros, as the lower limit. The change should come into force in September 2020, but the project has not yet been implemented. State Secretary Magnus Brunner (ÖVP), who is responsible for aviation, initially expressed concerns about European law. Experts also said that going it alone in Austria would de facto only affect airlines with domestic certificates, as foreign providers would not even be included due to international agreements.