From 10 to 20 percent of a normal year and back again.
The AUA (Austrian Airlines) is currently only flying a fraction of its offer due to corona, which is usual on a day in mid-November in a normal year. Around 10 percent of last year's offer is currently in the air, said AUA spokeswoman Tanja Gruber to the APA. That was already the case before the second lockdown, and no new adjustments have resulted from this. “We'll increase it to around 20 percent around Christmas time and then reduce it again.”
On average, the Austrian Lufthansa subsidiary plans to fly between 10 and 20 percent of the previous year's flight schedule from mid-November to the end of February. Various routes that were temporarily canceled in November would be resumed over Christmas and New Year. Therefore, the offer then increases to 20 percent compared to the previous year.
These destinations include Bologna, Chicago, Yerevan, Nice and Zagreb, among others. The AUA will keep Cape Town and the Maldives in the program even after Christmas and New Year. The airline flies to around 60 destinations over Christmas and New Year. Then there will be around 40 again by the end of February 2021.
Since November 17th, tightening of the previously imposed lockdown light has been in force in Austria – with all-day exit and contact restrictions. The measures will remain in effect until December 6th. According to this, you can only leave your own private living area for specific reasons – apart from trips to work (business travelers), for private travelers this is, for example, covering the need for accommodation or supporting relatives.
The controls to determine whether the exit rules are being complied with in lockdown will take place both in the city and in the country as part of normal police activities, the Interior Ministry said last week when the exit restrictions were announced.
Airlines have corresponding expectations of air passengers. The AUA said there are no nationwide police controls on the flights directly. “We provide the infrastructure here, i.e. the flight.” I would not have known any cases in which someone was sent away or reported. We are assuming that our passengers will only start their journeys in the case of the exceptions mentioned in the regulation or go straight home after landing at Vienna Airport, “said the airline spokeswoman.
