Austrian All The Way. Review on Austrian Airlines

When are the Austrians going to learn? It’s Manchester, pure and simple. It always has been and as far as I can imagine it always will be. And yet, somehow they’re sure it’s Menchester….

My adventure over, I flew back yesterday from Vienna to what is fast becoming my second home, Ringway. From the category you should be able to guess what’s coming next…yep, a lovely little look at Austrian .

Checking In

I left Manchester at the beginning of June which wasn’t all that long ago, so I can remember most of the details. I checked in at 7am and was pleasantly surprised by the fact that all desks were open – something which was not the case with other airlines we passed. The staff were polite and efficient and seemed pretty apologetic with the food mix up (see below). Coming back was not that different. Austrian have joined forces with Tyrolean and Austrian Airlines meaning a huge number of desks in Vienna from which you can check in. The staff here seemed a little bored but were polite nonetheless. As always they felt the need to circle my gate and seat numbers on my boarding pass….do I

look like someone who couldn’t read it for themselves? Never mind.

Luggage

One of these days I’m going to learn to travel light. But not just yet. Austrian regulations are pretty standard – economy class passengers get one carry-on and 20 Kg of checked in luggage. Being me though, I got more and ended up with 35 Kg checked in (and the guy didn’t say a word, just stuck a heavy label on it) and, well, 3 carry ons (one of which weighed 25 Kg according to my bathroom scales…). Still I needed my rucksack. And my vanity case (incidentally, full of books, not make up). And my airport shopping. Coming back I was asked to stow my largest bag when I arrived at the gate, but this had something to do with the aeroplane being a little diddy one. At the other end they didn’t let us off until all the hand luggage had been recovered and placed next to the steps so no one forgot anything.

Food

Oh, the food. I very rarely eat aeroplane food because, quite frankly, it is usually disgusting. Still I usually request a vegetarian meal because I’d rather have that sitting in front of me than some half warmed slightly solid dead animal :-). Checking in in Manchester I was told it hadn’t been booked (which it had) and to check at the info desk. The girl there agreed that it wasn’t on their systems, and that it was too late to do anything about it now, but that she could guarantee me one on my return journey since it was well into the future (13 weeks into the future to be precise). In Vienna they confirmed this at check in and on board even though I was in the last but one row, and therefore being served last, the airhostess remembered the number (not that I’m claiming air hostesses are that thick, but you know what I mean) and plonked it down in front of me. I didn’t eat it though since it reminded me of my old school uniform – orange and brown and slightly worn looking… Drinks are complimentery on scheduled flights but the choice seemed limited – juice, water or wine were apparently the only choices.

Entertainment

Being a shorthaul (2 hour ish) flight we didn’t get any TV or radio channels although these are available on longer flights. I had to make do with the seat pocket in front of me which held the usual magazine (see below), safety card and sick bag which someone seemed to have already used. Pleasant.

Magazine

Which gets its own category since I’ve been reading it since I got back (naturally having knicked it from the plane). The latest issue is not that bad – better than the June one – and includes an interview with Jack Nicholson, posters of Pulp and Natalie Imbrugliuglia (you know who I mean) and destination info. The 100 pages seem to be at least a third adverts, but they also manage to squeeze in plane info and DVT health tips.

Planes

Range from 500 seater Boeing 777s to mine, a 60 seater thing with propelas…. Interiors are ok if nothing special, but the leg room seemed a little limited.

Staff

Kitted out as usual in their Pepe jeans, the attendants on the flights seemed nice enough. Professional and multi-lingual they seemed to be running up and down all the time sorting out the demands of the annoying bloke behind me. Interestingly enough when I was reading Der Standard they spoke to me in English, but when I switched to Cosmopolitan (I know, I know, and believe me I’m not normally a cosmo girl but I needed something to read and the airport shops’ stocks were limited) they in turn switched to German.

Delays

We were delayed taking off for 20 mins because, and I quote “the sky was busy”. Not bad I suppose but I could have done without it. By this point we were all on the plane and all I wanted was to leave that country behind – it was wet and miserable there, but luckily dry and semi-sunny here. The air hostesses brought round drinks (only cold since the “coffee machine is broke”) but then re-appeared 5 seconds later to remove them and get us to do the “tables folded away, seats in the up right position” thing.

Bonuses

A frequent flyer program for frequent flyers, and a kids club for kids. Sadly I didn’t qualify for either. Would have quite liked a toy even if just so I could have compared it with the ones (plural – since there were only a few kids flying my sister and I got a few each) we got on my very first flight, with BA and also to Austria.

Clientelle

On yesterday’s flight I was the youngest person by far – great as it meant no screaming brats. The others were mainly elderly couples and business men. In suits. Mmmmmmm ;-)

Arrival

We were wellcommed to Menchester and then allowed off. Ringway is pretty large so by the time we got to baggage reclaim the nice little ground people already had all the bags on the conveyer belt – soooo much more efficient than in Vienna where it took a good 20 mins.

Overall

What can I say? I very rarely get a choice of airlines since my usual destinations are often only served by one from Manchester. This basically means I probably will be flying Austrian again in the not too distant future. It wasn’t a bad experience this time, or any of the times I’ve flown with them, but they aren’t BA so given the choice I’d suggest the home grown lot.