Hours before the complete shutdown of the Munich-Vienna air corridor, Lufthansa pre-emptively axed an afternoon rotation to Vienna (codeshared with Austrian Airlines) and its regional partner Air Dolomiti cancelled flight EN 8056 to Graz. Munich Airport had activated Category III low-visibility procedures as runway contamination worsened, forcing carriers to trim schedules to maintain safe spacing.
The first Advent weekend is traditionally one of the busiest for Austrian corporate travellers finishing year-end projects and for leisure passengers heading to Christmas markets. Airport officials warned that more cancellations were possible if de-icing backlogs grew, and Austrian Railways reported a spike in bookings as passengers sought alternatives.
![Munich Snowstorm Cancels Lufthansa & Air Dolomiti Flights to Vienna and Graz]()
Travel-policy experts say early voluntary cancellations reduce the risk of crew-duty infringements and minimise EU 261 liabilities, but they add complexity for mobility teams that must reroute staff at short notice. Companies should advise employees to keep boarding passes and cancellation notices, as many corporate insurance policies reimburse downstream costs even when statutory cash compensation is unavailable due to weather.
Looking ahead, Vienna International Airport reiterated its demand for lower Austrian aviation taxes, arguing that high charges deter airlines from basing spare aircraft locally—leaving the network more vulnerable when major hubs like Munich seize up.
The first Advent weekend is traditionally one of the busiest for Austrian corporate travellers finishing year-end projects and for leisure passengers heading to Christmas markets. Airport officials warned that more cancellations were possible if de-icing backlogs grew, and Austrian Railways reported a spike in bookings as passengers sought alternatives.
Travel-policy experts say early voluntary cancellations reduce the risk of crew-duty infringements and minimise EU 261 liabilities, but they add complexity for mobility teams that must reroute staff at short notice. Companies should advise employees to keep boarding passes and cancellation notices, as many corporate insurance policies reimburse downstream costs even when statutory cash compensation is unavailable due to weather.
Looking ahead, Vienna International Airport reiterated its demand for lower Austrian aviation taxes, arguing that high charges deter airlines from basing spare aircraft locally—leaving the network more vulnerable when major hubs like Munich seize up.
