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COVID-19 ALERT

Travel: What Covid rules are in place when visiting Austria this summer?

From entry rules to local Covid-19 restrictions and the latest data, here is what you need to know before visiting Austria in the summer of 2022.

Travel: What Covid rules are in place when visiting Austria this summer?
Austria can be a fantastic summer destination. - (Photo by JOE KLAMAR / AFP)

Austria is a very popular tourist destination, especially during the summer months, with its pristine lakes and beautiful cities ready to receive thousands of travellers.

However, the pandemic is still not over and many tourists are left with several questions when they decide to visit another country.

Here is what you need to know about the Covid-19 situation, rules, and requirements before visiting the Alpine country.

What are the entry rules?

First of all, what are the rules for entering the country? That’s an easy one: there are currently no Covid-19 restrictions for entering the country.

More specifically: there is no need to show proof that you were recently vaccinated, recovered from Covid-19 or tested negative for the disease.

You also don’t need to quarantine upon entry or fill in a specific online form.

This could change on short notice, though, in case any variant of concern is found in Europe or further afield. 

Here is the official website where you can find more information in English.

Are there any Covid-19 restrictions?

Austria has lifted most of its coronavirus-related restrictions, and life is almost as it was over two years ago. However, there are still a few rules to keep in mind, especially concerning masks.

There are also some differences when it comes to Vienna and the rest of the country, as Mayor Michael Ludwig (SPÖ) chose to stick with the “Viennese way” and keep some restrictions, most notably the mandatory use of masks in public transport.

Currently, masks are no longer mandatory in essential stores or public transport in most of Austria.

READ ALSO: LATEST: These are the Covid rules in Austria and Vienna from June 2022

According to the federal government, there is still an FFP2 mask mandate in “vulnerable” settings. These include hospitals, elderly and care homes, and health services.

Vienna has a few more restrictions when it comes to using of masks. In the capital, they are still mandatory in pharmacies, health care, and public transport (including the stations).

Besides the mandatory FFP2 mask usage in the entire country, Vienna also has a PCR test obligation to visitors. There are no longer visitor restrictions, though.

Self-isolation rules: what if I test positive?

In Vienna, the quarantine after a positive test lasts for ten days. It ends automatically if, during the last 48 hours, the person has shown no symptoms. People can test themselves free after five days if the PCR result is negative or a CT value above 30.

In the rest of Austria, people who tested positive but had a mild course of the disease and showed no symptoms for 48 hours can leave quarantine on the fifth day of isolation.

READ ALSO: What tourists in Austria should do if they test positive for Covid

If they test negative, they are free from restrictions.

Still, if they do not get tested or get a CT value below or equal to 30, they go into “traffic restriction” and need to wear a mask and not visit events or gastronomy for the next five days.

Can I take a free Covid-19 test as a tourist? What about a free vaccination?

Technically, yes. With the tests, it can be a bit more complicated, but we wrote a complete guide on how to get free Covid tests in Austria as a tourist.

READ ALSO: How tourists, visitors (and residents) can get free Covid tests

There are still “test streets” and “test boxes” where you can get tested for free without having an Austrian social insurance number. Remember to carry a picture ID and wear an FFP2 mask in those places, though.

As for vaccination, it is also possible to get a Covid-19 vaccine for free and without Austrian health insurance in the country. You will also need a picture ID and to wear a mask.

What if I get Covid-19 before my trip to Austria?

You are not allowed to enter Austria if you know you have Covid-19 – though there are currently no more checks, this falls largely into personal responsibility.

If you need to cancel your trip due to a positive test result, here is what you need to know about your rights.

READ ALSO: Reader question: Can I get a refund after cancelling my Austria trip due to Covid?

Airline companies are not required to refund you or allow you to make changes to your flight for free – unless the ticket you purchased entitles you to these rights.

The same is valid for hotel reservations. Most of them, primarily if you have used an online booking platform, will have different fees, and travellers have additional rights. It is essential to understand each tariff and what they entitle you to.

What is the current situation regarding Covid-19 in Austria?

Coronavirus numbers are rising in Austria, with many experts alerting to a Covid-19 wave, as The Local reported.

On Monday, July 4th, Austria reported 7,745 new coronavirus infections after 60,917 PCR tests. There were 929 hospitals with Covid-19 and 51 people in intensive care units. Since the beginning of the pandemic, 18,798 people have died from the disease in Austria.

Just under 62 percent of the population has all the necessary vaccination doses for a valid “green pass”, according to the Health Ministry.

READ ALSO: 11,000 new cases: Will Austria reintroduce restrictions as infection numbers rise?

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STRIKES

Austrian Airlines strikes: Are the two sides any closer to a deal?

Austrian Airlines has cancelled 400 flights due to an upcoming scheduled strike as workers negotiate their collective agreements, but how close is a deal and will there be more disruption in the coming weeks?

Austrian Airlines strikes: Are the two sides any closer to a deal?

Austrian Airlines (AUA) announced on Tuesday that it has had to cancel around 400 flights after cabin crew confirmed a strike action during Easter week, as The Local reported. According to the company, around 40,000 passengers affected have already been informed and offered options to cancel their flights or reschedule. 

The strike should last 36 hours, from midnight on Wednesday night until midday on Friday. Yet, while some worker’s representatives say they’d be willing to cancel the strike (though the flights would remain cancelled if that happened) if they came to an agreement with the company, statements by both sides seem to show that they couldn’t be farther from a deal.

And that means more strikes could follow.

READ ALSO: What do Austrians eat during Easter celebrations?

Large salary difference to Lufthansa

One of the issues recently brought up by the trade union, which has demanded salary increases of up to almost 50 percent, is the significant salary gap between workers of Austrian Airlines and those who work for parent company Lufthansa.

Unions claim salaries at Austrian Aitrnes are around 40 percent lower.

“The fact is: from an Austrian perspective, we are in a situation where there are glaring inequalities compared to the Lufthansa Group,” union leader Roman Hebenstreit told Ö1-Morgenjournal on Wednesday.

“From the point of view of the Austrian workforce, we need to be compensated for this,” he added.

But Austrian Airlines CEO Annette Mann went on ORF’s  ZIB2 programme on Tuesday evening and said that the comparison within the Lufthansa group is like comparing “apples with pears”.

She stated that AUA had a profit margin of just over five percent last year, which “had not been high enough”. Additionally, the company has to cover the cost of high investment in its fleet of planes, she said.

Mann criticised the union’s demands, saying that “the higher the pay deal, the more unprofitable the routes become”, which could not happen in the company’s current state. 

Discrepancy of offers

“After a total of 17 rounds of negotiations, the Vida union and the works council still do not want to discuss our offer of an increase in pay of up to 18 percent for flight attendants and pilots, and even up to 28 percent for co-pilots”,  said AUA in a statement on its website.

“With this offer, the company has already moved beyond the economically feasible pain threshold,” the statement reads. “We hope the union and the works council will come to their senses after the strike and reserve the right to revise our offer until then.”

READ ALSO: Everything that changes in Austria in April 2024

Austrian media has reported that the Vida union demands a pay rise starting at 16.94 percent for certain employees (such as senior flight attendants) and up to 49.48 percent for co-pilots. An industry expert consulted by the newspaper said that the average salary increase for foreign airlines was 9.52 percent.

Other demands by union members include more paid leave (42 calendar days from the sixth year of employment) and specifics regarding the hotels the crew stays, such as a requirement that they have a pool and fitness area and be located near the airport for waiting times of up to 12 hours otherwise in the city centre.

Strikes have been averted before

Meanwhile, from the union’s point of view, a collective agreement is still possible by Wednesday shortly before midnight to avert a strike for Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. 

According to Hebenstreit, the union is willing to negotiate “right up to the last minute”. The fact that hundreds of flights will still be cancelled even if the strike is averted is “regrettable”, he said.

This is not the first time company and workers have clashed, with strikes looming over the negotiating table. Just last year, also ahead of Easter week, Austrian Airlines workers and company reached an agreement for flight staff that averted a strike, as The Local reported at the time.

Both parties struck a deal on April 3rd, the Monday of Easter week, as reported. 

We’re (much) closer to the promised strike day, but the cancellation of hundreds of flights over the high season and ahead of spring and summer certainly puts more pressure on the company.

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