At the end of this month, the 2022 summer flight schedule will also come into effect at Vienna-Schwechat Airport. The most striking innovation is that Terminal 2, including gate areas B, C and D will go back into operation. In addition to the new security check, there will also be new lounges in this complex, which will be reactivated.

The airlines operating from Vienna-Schwechat are significantly increasing their offers again. This does not apply to Wizz Air, which will reduce its presence at Austria's largest airport. It was recently decided that another 15 goals canceled and two planes are withdrawn. Competitor Ryanair says it is launching 15 additional destinations. Austrian Airlines is resuming Los Angeles, Gothenburg and Bologna.

After a break due to the pandemic, Air Corsica, China Airlines, Condor, EVA Air, Flynas, Kuwait and Volotea are also returning to Vienna. There are more frequencies on existing connections from Emirates, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines and SunExpress. There are many offers to choose from, especially to Europe and the Mediterranean region. With a total of 190 destinations, Vienna Airport in the summer of 2022 already covers almost the pre-crisis offer (2019). The continuing military operations in Ukraine are very affecting: There are currently no flights between Ukraine, Russia and Vienna, further effects of developments in Ukraine on aviation are currently difficult to assess.

“The new summer timetable reflects the Austrians’ desire to travel after two years of the pandemic: Up to 190 destinations in 60 countries will be accessible directly from Vienna this year, which is almost the same as the range of destinations before the COVID-19 pandemic. Connections to southern Europe and North America in particular will be served more intensively again. From March 29, 2022, the redesigned Terminal 2 and the City Airport Train will also be available to passengers again. However, we are still deeply affected by the ongoing difficult situation in Ukraine and I hope that the acts of war will soon come to an end,” said Julian Jäger, CEO of Flughafen Wien AG.

AUA and Ryanair with the most destinations

With 110 destinations, Austrian Airlines is still the carrier with the widest range of offers at Vienna-Schwechat Airport. Los Angeles, Gothenburg and Bologna will resume the airline, and holiday destinations such as Athens, Barcelona, ​​Ibiza, Keflavik, Larnaca, Milan, Palma de Mallorca, Thessaloniki and many more can be reached with Austrian Airlines. Long-haul connections to Chicago, New York, Washington and Montreal are available to passengers year-round. Austrian Airlines is reactivating the entire aircraft fleet for the summer flight schedule.

Competitor Ryanair will operate from Vienna-Schwechat in the upcoming 2022 summer timetable period offer around 90 destinations. The Irish airline is adding Bremen to its route network in the summer timetable and is also serving 15 new popular holiday and city destinations such as Amman, Bremen, Genoa, Lamezia Terme, Manchester, Perugia, Pula, Rimini, Venice and Zagagoza. Ryanair is stationing five additional aircraft at Vienna Airport over the summer, expanding the airline's base in Vienna to 19 aircraft. The subsidiaries Lauda Europe, Buzz and Malta Air operate locally based aircraft. The aircraft type Airbus A320 is used by the first-named carrier and the two sister companies fly Boeing 737-800.

Competitor Wizz Air is significantly reducing its presence in Vienna-Schwechat. So have been recently 15 destinations – without taking into account the Ukraine destinations, which cannot be served due to the war – deleted. This also includes holiday routes such as Palma de Mallorca and Greek islands. New to the program are non-stop flights to the capital of the United Arab Emirates: Abu Dhabi. Also new are flights to London-Gatwick (Luton will be discontinued in return) and Kukes.

Increases and comebacks

Airlines that suspended their connections due to the corona crisis are also returning to Vienna: Air Corsica, Flynas, Kuwait Airlines and Volotea are again serving destinations from Vienna in the summer flight schedule. After a four-year break, Condor Vienna is also resuming its route network and will be serving Palma de Mallorca, Rhodes, Crete and Kos from the beginning of April. There is also news on long-haul routes: China Airlines is operating isolated flights to Taipei again and Eva Air will start a monthly flight to Taipei from April and will operate the connection weekly from July with a stop via Bangkok.

Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways are increasing the existing range of connections. SunExpress is increasing frequencies to Antalya, Ankara and Izmir and adding the destinations Kayseri and Samsun from June. Turkish Airlines is increasing frequencies to Istanbul and Ankara and will also be adding Antalya from May.