Austrian Carriers

FlyNiki: A Driver’s Love Affair with Flying

Niki Lauda, a much-loved Austrian Formula One driver, started an airline named Lauda Air in 1979. After a sale to Austrian Airlines in 2000, Lauda was ousted from the board. Feeling a little aggrieved at his treatment, Lauda set Up a competing airline in 2003 named FlyNiki. The airline quickly formed an alliance with Air Berlin. This agreement allowed FlyNiki to expand rapidly and cover numerous destinations within Austria and without.

FlyNiki's operations cover Vienna, Salzburg, Linz, and Graz. Outside of Austria, it flies to numerous destinations in Europe, and it also flies to Egypt. Oddly enough, FlyNiki is a low-cost airline that offers many of the small luxuries that major airlines routinely offer. This includes free refreshments, and baggage is included in the price. Finally, Niki Lauda has a commercial pilot's license, and he occasionally flies his company's aircraft.

Austrian Airlines: Austria's National Carrier

Austrian Airlines is not actually one carrier, it's three: Austrian Airlines, Lauda Air, and Tyrolean Airways. Between them, they cover virtually all the major destinations in Europe and fly to several international destinations as well. If you're traveling from the States, you might catch a flight from Washington or New York direct to Vienna. Alternatively, if you are traveling from Japan, you might travel from Tokyo. Wherever you are going, you can usually get there via an Austrian Airlines flight.

Lauda Air is primarily a charter airline. It typically flies to Mediterranean destinations, although it also serves the UK from Innsbruck airport. Indeed, Innsbruck airport has the biggest variety of flights traveling to the UK, particularly during the skiing season. Tyrolean Airways generally serves European destinations that Austrian Airlines does not.

In general, FlyNiki is frequently cheaper than Austrian Airlines. However, there is a wealth of airline operators that fly to Austria, and you can usually get some very good deals. If you are traveling from the United Kingdom, EasyJet and Ryanair both offer good value deals. From the United States, however, the only direct flights to Austria are with Austrian Airlines and its partners, such as United Airlines. Indirect flights are available, such as traveling by London Heathrow or Berlin. These are often slightly more expensive, although if no direct flights are available, they can be a good option.

While many airline operators offer a hotel booking service, it is worth checking an independent website for hotel prices. Airlines often add a large markup to the actual price and only have a limited selection, so family-run hotels frequently go unnoticed.

Austria is a very well-connected country, and getting there from a host of destinations is rather easy. A range of airline suits budgets both big and small, and with four airports distributed around the country, you'll end up at your hotel in no time.

Flying to Austria: Vienna Airport

When we fly to Austria, we often choose to fly to Vienna international Airport. This airport was originally built in 1908, although the facilities have been thoroughly updated since then. With three terminals, the airport is not the biggest in the world, but it does handle a lot of passengers each year.

There are two major airline companies are headquartered in Vienna airport: Niki Air and Austrian Airlines. Austrian Airlines can be broken down into three subsidiaries: its flagship carrier Austrian Airlines, Lauda Air, and Tyrolean Airways. These two major carriers fly to most major European destinations, although some routes are seasonal only. In addition, Austrian Airlines also travels to Washington ,New York, and Toronto. Wherever you are in the world, it is easy to get to Vienna International airport.

There are plenty of places to stay in Vienna once you've landed at the airport. As with many airports, Vienna International Airport has a hotel right next to it. However, if you prefer somewhere quieter that is away from the sound of an airplane engines, there are numerous places to stay within the city itself.

The City Air Train, or CAT as it is more commonly referred to, is one of the best ways to get into Vienna itself. As the train station is just outside the city center, there are many hotels to choose from in that area. These range from luxury hotels to simple family-run pensions. It's we try to stay in the smaller hotels where possible, as we find them to be friendlier and more personal. They are frequently cheaper as well.

Vienna International Airport offers flights to other parts of Austria. Tyrolean Airways, for example, offers some great value flights to Innsbruck and Graz. This makes exploring Austria very easy. You can wander around Vienna for a few days and then hop onto a flight to Innsbruck. If you wanted to, you can travel along the Great Eagle cycling trail back to Vienna. Alternatively, you can fly directly to Innsbruck from your home destination and then fly back from Vienna.

Of course, if you only want to take the one flight, you can always use the excellent rail service to get to virtually anywhere in Europe. We've traveled to Vienna, stayed there for a couple of days, and then traveled to Bratislava and Zagreb. While this may seem a little daunting to those not used to rail networks, it is actually very easy to do. We find it is much more relaxing to catch a train during the day and rest in an Austrian hotel at night – sleeper carriages are not that comfortable!