A severe winter storm that swept across southern Germany and the northern Alps forced Munich Airport to shut both runways on 6 December, cancelling or diverting every scheduled flight to Vienna and Graz. More than 40 rotations on Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa and low-cost carriers were scrapped, stranding an estimated 6,800 passengers—many of them engineers and consultants who routinely commute between Bavarian and Austrian plants. Vienna airport escaped the worst snowfall but operated under CAT III low-visibility rules, causing de-icing queues and secondary cancellations.
Corporate travel desks reacted quickly. Mobility managers at Ernst & Young rerouted 300 staff within six hours, choosing Zurich, Prague or—where seats were still available—the ÖBB Railjet service that links Vienna with Munich in four hours. With EU 261 weather clauses ruling out cash compensation, firms absorbed hotel and ground-transport costs. ÖBB warned that second-class Railjet capacity was “extremely tight” and advised travellers to buy first-class upgrades.
![Alpine Snowstorm Closes Munich–Vienna Air Corridor; Corporates Pivot to ÖBB Railjet]()
The shutdown also disrupted just-in-time supply chains. DHL and UPS declared force-majeure on overnight consignments routed through Vienna’s night-sort hub, highlighting the vulnerability of Austria’s export sector when a single weather event stalls cross-border air links. Vienna Airport’s management seized the moment to renew calls for an overhaul of Austria’s aviation-tax regime, arguing that high charges discourage airlines from basing spare aircraft in Austria and thus weaken network resilience.
From a mobility-policy angle, the incident illustrates the growing interdependence of Central Europe’s air and rail systems. ÖBB’s long-distance network provided a vital relief valve, supporting EU goals of shifting short-haul travel to rail. Yet it also underscored capacity constraints that could hamper future modal-shift ambitions without further rolling-stock investment.
With more heavy snowfall forecast for mid-December, travel managers are advising assignees to keep flexible tickets and monitor ÖBB seat availability, particularly on Fridays and Mondays when business demand peaks.
Corporate travel desks reacted quickly. Mobility managers at Ernst & Young rerouted 300 staff within six hours, choosing Zurich, Prague or—where seats were still available—the ÖBB Railjet service that links Vienna with Munich in four hours. With EU 261 weather clauses ruling out cash compensation, firms absorbed hotel and ground-transport costs. ÖBB warned that second-class Railjet capacity was “extremely tight” and advised travellers to buy first-class upgrades.
The shutdown also disrupted just-in-time supply chains. DHL and UPS declared force-majeure on overnight consignments routed through Vienna’s night-sort hub, highlighting the vulnerability of Austria’s export sector when a single weather event stalls cross-border air links. Vienna Airport’s management seized the moment to renew calls for an overhaul of Austria’s aviation-tax regime, arguing that high charges discourage airlines from basing spare aircraft in Austria and thus weaken network resilience.
From a mobility-policy angle, the incident illustrates the growing interdependence of Central Europe’s air and rail systems. ÖBB’s long-distance network provided a vital relief valve, supporting EU goals of shifting short-haul travel to rail. Yet it also underscored capacity constraints that could hamper future modal-shift ambitions without further rolling-stock investment.
With more heavy snowfall forecast for mid-December, travel managers are advising assignees to keep flexible tickets and monitor ÖBB seat availability, particularly on Fridays and Mondays when business demand peaks.
