Healthy travelling
The health of our passengers is very important to us. We therefore take numerous measures to ensure that flying does not put your health at risk. As a passenger, you can contribute by finding out about the relevant points in advance.
Medical assistance on board
There are uniform recommendations throughout Europe regarding onboard equipment, and Austrian naturally complies with all these. Standard on all flights:
- Emergency Medical Kit
- First Aid Kit
- Onboard pharmacy (additional feature on some airlines), which contains useful medications for everyday use
In addition, Austrian is part of the Lufthansa Group programme "Doctor on Board". If medical help is required on board, participating doctors are able to assist.
In addition, we appeal to the responsibility of passengers to assess their own fitness to fly and make any necessary arrangements.
Doctors can register free of charge and can enjoy award miles and other benefits as a result. Further details on the registration process can be found on the page Doctor on Board.
Medical clearance
We generally advise passengers with health issues to liaise with their treating physician in order to clarify their fitness to fly. In special cases, it may also be necessary to request medical clearance.
Traveller’s Thrombosis
With a flight duration of more than three to four hours, an increased risk of thrombosis is possible under certain conditions. The degree of thrombosis increases with, for example, various basic diseases, genetic factors, pregnancy or increasing age. A consultation with the treating physician is therefore necessary in advance of the flight.
Causing factors of traveller’s thrombosis:
- Prolonged sitting with low mobility in a confined space causes increased pressure on the thighs.
- The low air humidity on board and a lack of fluids can lead to a thickening of the blood.
The following measures help prevent traveller’s thrombosis:
- Abundant intake of fluids in the form of mineral water, still water, soft drinks, herbal tea or similar drinks – an additional one to two litres, depending on the flight duration.
- Avoid excessive intake of coffee, black tea and alcohol, as these drinks have a dehydrating effect.
- Exercises in the aircraft help to accelerate the flow of blood in the veins.
- Wear clothing that is loose and comfortable to avoid restricting the blood flow.
- Isometric exercises
- Compression stockings of compression class 1 - 2 are recommended, even in the case of a low risk for thrombosis. Most of the time, calf-length stockings are sufficient. Please note: Expert advice is absolutely necessary prior to purchasing because poor quality material or a bad fit at the back of the knee together with folds are unsuitable for prevention.
- Anticoagulant drugs – low molecular heparin can be subcutaneously injected to the fat tissue of the abdominal wall or upper thigh shortly before the flight. The passenger has to learn from the doctor how to self-inject and should also be aware of the side effects and contra-indications.
Additional information is provided on all Austrian Airlines long-haul flights in the form of a video featuring fitness tips and an accompanying announcement.
You can also find valuable information and advice on patienten.thromboseportal.eu.
| Category | Description | Measures |
| Category 1: Low risk | Every prolonged seating period during long-haul flights may present a low risk for passengers. |
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| Category 2: Medium risk | In addition to a prolonged flight duration (see Category 1), pregnancy or post-natal period, or at least two of the following factors:
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| Category 3: High risk | In addition to a prolonged flight duration:
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Vaccinations
We recommend that you seek individual advice from your family doctor before travelling abroad.
On its website, the World Health Organisation (WHO) also provides comprehensive information on infectious diseases, the necessary vaccination protection and the global malaria situation. The American website Traveler’s Health was set up by the "Center for Disease Control and Prevention", an agency of the US Department of Health and Human Services. This website is a reliable source and contains very detailed, current information and useful tips.
Portable medical electronic devices
Portable medical electronic devices are dangerous items that may only be taken on board under special conditions of carriage.
The following portable oxygen concentrators have been tested and approved by our technical department for safe use on board. Non-approved devices may be taken on board, but must not be used during the flight.
| Device type | Manufacturer |
| Lifestyle; Freestyle; Freestyle5; Focus (AS078) | AirSEP Corporation |
| Delphi RS-00400 | Delphi Medical Systems |
| iGo | De Vilbiss Healthcare |
| Inogen One; Inogen One G2; Inogen One G3 | Inogen, Inc. |
| LifeChoice, LifeChoice Activox | Inova Labs, Inc. |
| International Biophysics LifeChoice | Intern. Biophysics, Inc. |
| Invacare XPO2; SOLO2 | Invacare Corporation |
| Oxlife Independence Oxygen Concentrator | Oxlife LLC |
| Oxus RS-00400 | Oxus |
| Easy Pulse | Precision Medical |
| Evergo; Simply Go; Simply Go Mini | Respironics Inc. |
| Eclipse; SAROS | Sequel Technologies |
If you would like to use one of the devices listed above or your CPAP ventilator on board, the following conditions must be met:
Register your medical device no later than 48 hours prior to departure at specialcases@austrian.com.
- Please provide:
- Name, flight and date or booking number
- Brand and exact type of the device
- What type of batteries/rechargeable batteries are used
- Permanent or only partial use on board
- You require medical clearance from the Austrian Airlines medical center.
- Use of your device may be limited for safety reasons, e. g. during take-off, landing, or in accordance with the instructions of the cabin crew.
- The manufacturer and device type must be clearly visible on the device.
- In case of permanent use during the flight, sufficient battery power for 150% of the total flight duration must be available (if the flight duration is 4 hours, you have to take battery power for 6 hours).
Important: an electronic medical device cannot be connected to the electrical supply in the aircraft because a constant electric supply cannot be guaranteed. - Batteries carried on board the aircraft in carry-on baggage must be protected from short circuit and from physical damage.
- The device must comply with our hand luggage dimensions.
Prior to travel please ask your treating physician about the procedures at security control and other possible risks. If you have a cardiac pacemaker, you must submit a medical certificate at the security control.
Allergen Labelling on Food Products
The EU Regulation 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers came into effect on 13 December 2014. The purpose of the new regulation is to ensure that consumers with food allergies or intolerances are informed about the use of allergenic ingredients in food products. All airlines departing from EU countries Switzerland and Norway must be able to provide clear information to passengers about the presence of possible allergens in the meals provided on board.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has prepared a list of 14 potentially allergenic substances for this purpose.
Austrian Airlines provides all passengers on board EU flights and flights from Switzerland and Norway with the required information on possible allergenic ingredients in our onboard food and beverages. If you have any food allergy or similar concerns, we recommend that you talk to your doctor before travelling. Austrian Airlines will not take any responsibility for any allergic reaction you might have to foods served on board one of our flights.
Austrian Airlines offers you a selection of different special menus,which can be booked free of charge on all Austrian Business Class flights and in Economy Class on medium and long-haul flights. Since our menus are always freshly prepared, your order must be submitted no later than 24 hours before flight departure.
You can submit your request at the same time as booking your flight through your travel agency or on austrian.com or place an order at a later point in time. This can be done with ease via my bookings or by calling the Austrian Service Center.
Fear of flying
Do you have a fear of flying? You are not alone. Around one third of all passengers feel uncomfortable when flying or suffer from a fear of flying. This is neither an individual fate nor a personal weakness. We help you in the very places where you encounter your fear: at the airport and in the air. Austrian Airlines has been offering the "Joy of Flying" seminar for more than 30 years. Learn how to deal with your fear through our well-founded programme. You will learn how fear works and how to deal with it. The numbers speak for themselves: 95 percent of all seminar participants have successfully completed the final flight of our "Joy of Flying" seminar.
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