Frequent baggage questions
General questions
At least one item of hand luggage is included in each of our fares. You will find more information about this on our baggage allowance page.
No, the free baggage limit does not change.
For flights where the destination and/or departure airports are not the same in both directions, or if you have a stopover of more than 24 hours, the baggage fee for the furthest distance will be charged on the entire route.
Yes, the excess baggage costs apply per leg.
Your free baggage allowance is printed on your booking confirmation. If more baggage is accepted on a flight free of charge, there is no entitlement to more free baggage on other flights. Excess baggage is subject to a charge.
Yes, the first bag in the "Light" fare can be booked in your travel agency after your ticket is issued for individuals persons booked as part of a group booking. Passengers booked as part of a group booking cannot purchase extra bags via austrian.com.
A declaration of higher value for your luggage can be purchased at the airport ticket office before departure.
If you have booked a journey with several airlines, the baggage rules that apply are those of the airline that flies the most significant part of the journey (usually the geographically longest) and under whose flight number this flight was booked. It is irrelevant which airline actually operates the flight.
In accordance with the CTA (Canadian Transport Agency) US-DOT (United States Department of Transportation) if your trip begins or ends in the USA or Canada, your baggage regulations are determined by the first airline stated on the ticket.
Hand Luggage
Yes, you can take an item of hand luggage with you.
You may take two items of hand luggage in Business Class.
We recommend carrying your medication in a personal item in hand luggage in case your hand luggage has to be carried in the cargo hold.
You are generally responsible for your hand luggage and personal items. The liability of airlines is regulated by law. In any case, we recommend you take out a travel insurance policy for your bags.
You can take your musical instrument with you without prior registration in the cabin if it does not exceed the baggage dimensions of 55 x 40 x 23 cm and a weight of 8 kg.
An additional seat must be booked for musical instruments bigger and/or heavier than this. The price for the additional seat is equivalent to the current ticket price. Book the seat for your musical instrument together with your ticket via one of our sales offices or your travel agency, because you cannot book an additional seat online. If your musical instrument exceed the dimensions of the seat used, it must be checked in. Please contact us if you have any further questions.
Would you like to take your cello with you in the cabin? Make sure that the musical instrument is packed in a hard shell case in order to avoid damage to it on board.
Report the loss to the lost luggage office of the airport concerned.
Baggage on the Light fare
You can add the first bag in the “Light” fare on our website, the Austrian Airlines Guest Service Team, your travel agency or directly at the airport. The price for purchasing at the airport will be greater than if you purchase an additional bag in advance. The fee shall be charged once for the outbound and once for the return trip.
Note: In the event of interruptions to your journey (stopovers), the baggage fee must be paid again.
The first bag can only be purchased in connection with a “Light” fare. This bag costs less than an additional bag (excess baggage).
Sports baggage
Yes, you can replace your hold baggage with sports equipment so long as it does not exceed the number and weight allowed.
Yes, as long as it is within the permissible dimensions and weights. Please note the exceptions.
Yes, otherwise it may not be accepted for capacity reasons.
Please note that a ticket service fee is charged and is calculated differently depending on the departure location.
HomeTag baggage label
To get a HomeTag, you must perform the following steps:
- Online check-in at austrian.com
- Enter the number of bags. For the time being, this option is only available to you on selected routes at austrian.com.
- Print the HomeTag for your case once you have received your mobile or printed boarding pass.
- Now fold the HomeTag in accordance with the instructions on the printout.
- Insert the folded HomeTag into the holder provided and attach it to your bag so that your travel details are visible from both sides.
- Print the HomeTag on a sheet of A4 paper.
- Fold the sheet in the middle to A5 size, with the printed side facing outwards.
- Fold the sheet in the middle again to A6 size, with the printed side facing outwards.
- Insert the folded HomeTag into the holder provided, so that the printed side is clearly visible.
- Take your prepared baggage directly to the Bag Drop counter at the airport.
- For departure airports in the EU, please be sure to print the HomeTag in colour.
The holders are issued free of charge at the Baggage Drop-Off counters and can be reused on future trips. If you already have a holder from Lufthansa, SWISS or Brussels Airlines, you can also use this again.
Delayed or damaged baggage
Please enter your transaction number and surname in the appropriate fields.
You can also contact the "Missing Baggage" Service Center in the countries concerned.
If we do not find your bag within five days, please send the completed Baggage Questionnaire Form to vielzos@austrian.com.
Important: List the contents of the missing bag as precisely as possible. This makes it easier for us to search for it.
Please contact:
Austrian Airlines
Feedback Management
P.O. Box 33
A-1300 Vienna Airport
www.austrian.com/feedback
Fax: +43 5 1766-51002
If one or more of your bags is damaged on arrival and/or items from your bag are missing, please report this immediately to Austrian Airlines baggage tracing so that a damage report can be produced. You will receive this in the form of written confirmation with a reference number, which must be kept safe.
Please always attach the original invoice and the damage report when handing over your damaged bag. The current value of your bag will be calculated based on your original invoice and you will receive a bag of equivalent value as a replacement.
If you no longer have an invoice, you will receive a replacement bag from Austrian Airlines or a contractual partner commissioned by us in the event of an irreparable damage; the current value of the bag will be calculated by Austrian Airlines or the respective contractual partner.
What should I do if I do not notice damage and/or missing items until after I have left the airport?
If you notice damage and/or missing items after you have left the airport, please notify us within the legally specified deadline of seven days.
We will gladly issue a damage report for your insurance company. If you do not have private insurance, you must provide proof after having left the airport that the damage was caused during the time that the bag was in the keeping of Austrian Airlines.
We require the following information so that we can compile a damage report:
- Name
- Address
- Telephone
- Flight/Date
- ticket number
- A double-sided scanned tag or the original tag of the double-sided baggage tag and the baggage receipt
- Photographs of the bag clearly showing the damage
- The age and purchase price of the bag
- A short description of the damage
Please send this information
by post to:
Austrian Airlines Central Baggage Tracing
Office Park 2, P.O. Box 100
1300 Vienna Airport
Austria
or by email to:
After we have successfully received your details, you will receive confirmation in writing with a reference number.
We would like to point out that all data provided by you is processed only within the framework of processing your search report and stored for three years after completion of the processing.
- Damage to bags and partial loss: within seven days of delivery of the bags
- Replacement for delayed delivery or total loss: within two years
Compliance with the deadlines will be determined by the postmark, or by the automatic receipt date for fax and email.
You should report the loss of or damage to your bags direct at the local baggage tracing office before you leave the airport.
You can also report this later in writing within the statutory deadlines, but after leaving the airport the passenger is responsible for providing evidence that the damage occurred while in the custody of Austrian Airlines.
Send the damage report, baggage section and the invoice for the repair in the original to:
Austrian Airlines
Feedback Management
P.O. Box 33
A-1300 Vienna Airport
Important: Enter your bank details (for foreign transfers incl. IBAN and BIC).
If your case cannot be repaired, please send us the following documents:
- Original damage report
- Original baggage section
- Damage report from a specialist suitcase retailer
- Original invoice for the damaged case or confirmation from a specialist suitcase retailer of the age and purchase price of the damaged bag
- Your bank details incl. IBAN and BIC
Our address:
Austrian Airlines
Feedback Management
P.O. Box 33
A-1300 Vienna Airport
We will replace the current value of the damaged bag.
We will pay a share of the cost of any replacement items purchased (cosmetics, undergarments, clothing).
Please send us the following documents:
- Original report of loss
- Original purchase receipts of replacement items
- Your bank details (for foreign transfers incl. IBAN and BIC)
to the following address:
Austrian Airlines
Feedback Management
P.O. Box 33
A-1300 Vienna Airport
Important: The passenger has an obligation to mitigate the loss – that means that any expenses must be kept as low as possible if your bag is lost temporarily.
You are responsible for your hand luggage. The liability of airlines for travel baggage is regulated by law.
We recommend that you also take out a travel baggage insurance policy.
Austrian Airlines is not liable for normal wear and tear such as scratches, dents or for damages to overfilled bags and fragile items in case of improper packing.
For international travel and domestic travel, liability for damage, destruction, loss or partial loss as well as delayed delivery of baggage is limited to 1,288 Special Drawing Rights per traveller.
Special Drawing Rights (SDR) are the unit of calculation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF); SDR 1,288 is currently equivalent to EUR 1,597.59. (As at 10/01/2020; we would like to point out that this amount is subject to price fluctuations and can therefore change).