Austrian Airlines B777 at takeoff/ Photo: Courtesy of Austrian Airlines/ Photo: Courtesy of Austrian Airlines / Photo: Courtesy of Austrian Airlines
Check-in
I booked this flight via Austrian’s parent airline, Lufthansa, so was pleased to discover that the regular Lufthansa online check-in worked just fine across brands, issuing me a mobile boarding pass. Bag drop at Lyon airport—the gateway to central and eastern France, and home to many Rhône cruises in summer and skiers in the winter—was swift and pleasant.
Boarding
The usual boarding/not-boarding situation had passengers lined up in the boiling-hot glass Jetway, which was quite unpleasant. Airlines should ensure that their outsourced ground handling services, like in Lyon, think about passengers’ comfort and well-being, and not just processing. On the airplane, though, the air-conditioning aboard this Embraer E195 was on “frosty,” and every seat had an overhead nozzle, so it cooled down swiftly. It’s hard to spruce up a basic cabin like this, but I thought the small gingham fabric touches, such as on the curtain separating business from economy, were a lovely callback to the kind of decor one would find in a charming rustic mountain hut.
Austrian’s business class offers an ideal space for working / Photo: Courtesy of Austrian Airlines
The Seat
Austrian is one of the European airlines that give business-class passengers the full pair of seats when an airplane is in a 2-2 configuration, like this Embraer jet. Some don’t, so check carefully before booking. The wide Embraer seat is one of the most comfortable in the sky, and the lack of a central structural pillar means you have a lot of legroom. Austrian says economy is pitched at 29 inches on these planes, but I’d estimate a few extra inches in the business-class section.
In-flight entertainment / Photo: Courtesy of Austrian Airlines
The Flight
Austrian’s crew is delightfully efficient, and this was no exception. The pair of experienced flight attendants really hit the mark with a cheerful welcome and friendly meal service. The food was a hot mushroom pasta bowl with a delicious cheesecake, served with a warm kaiser roll and frequent refills from the bar trolley. It was simple fare, done well, and without unnecessary fuss. After the meal, the crew passed through the plane with a special Austrian-branded chocolate—yum. For this flight, less than an hour and a half, I was impressed that they didn’t just sit down in the galley after completing the meal service, but passed through with a smile and an eye on the level of every passenger’s drink, topping up their glasses proactively. There’s no in-flight entertainment or Wi-Fi on these planes, or indeed on most European continental flights yet, but a downloaded podcast and the beautiful Alpine views out of the Embraer’s big windows provided all the diversion I needed.
Amenity kit / Photo: Courtesy of Austrian Airlines
Arrival
Arrival in Vienna is where the experience really shines. At the height of the Great European Airport Meltdown of 2022, Vienna was busy but efficient. Its compact, well-designed terminal and operation had me off the plane and heading onward swiftly.
The Verdict
Austrian, smaller than parent Lufthansa, is a great choice not just for its efficient Vienna hub, but also for its warm welcome and, certainly in this case, comfortable E-Jets to secondary European airports. I’d choose it again in a heartbeat.
Best for: the entire row and the big Embraer E-Jet windows Flight time: 1 hour, 26 minutes Configuration: 2-2
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.