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Austrian Airlines short haul business class review from London to Vienna

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This is our review of short haul business class on Austrian Airlines.

It’s easy to get jaded with a home airline – in our case, British Airways – but every so often it is worth sticking your head above the parapet and trying a different European airline to see how it compares.

This year, I’ve been trying to do just that. Last week I reviewed ITA Airways from London City to Milan. In a few weeks I will be trying out Aegean Airlines’ business class on a flight to Rhodes, based on positive feedback from some of you in the comments.

Austrian Airlines short haul business class review from London to Vienna

Today, it is the turn of Austrian Airlines. Part of Lufthansa Group, it is a relatively small airline with 68 aircraft in its fleet, including just 10 widebodies. Despite the modest fleet, it flies to 120 destinations globally, albeit largely within Europe.

Austrian Airlines is part of Lufthansa’s Miles & More loyalty scheme as well as a member of Star Alliance in its own right.

Before departure

My flight ticket was paid for by Priority Pass, who had invited me to their ‘Lounge of the Year’ ceremony in Vienna. I managed to upgrade to the business class cabin online for £102.70 one-way.

I’m not going to pretend that was a particularly good rate. The value partly depends on how many of perks of business class – lounge access, fast track, a meal, free drinks, extra luggage allowance etc – you actually need or do not already have via elite status.

It also, of course, partly depends on how bothered you are about spending £102.70. I persuaded Rob that this review was a good use of HfP resources.

As I was travelling with hand baggage only, I checked in online via the app (which actually works, unlike a certain other airline’s we could mention) and headed straight to the Fast Track security channel at Heathrow Terminal 2.

If you are travelling in business on Austrian Airlines you automatically have access to the Lufthansa Business Lounge in Terminal 2. I reviewed this lounge in 2021 (click here) and not enough had changed to justify covering it again.

However, you can also use this lounge if you hold are an Amex Platinum cardholder even if you’re flying in economy on Austrian. If you are ticketed in business class, an Amex Platinum card lets you use the separate Senator Lounge room at the back of the main lounge.

I headed to the gate about 30 minutes before departure to find a slightly messy boarding process. The lone customer in Group 1 had been pre-boarded – I assume he was a HON Circle Miles & More customer. I was in Group 2.

Group 3 was then lined up for boarding before Group 2. This confused me and several others. When I tried to board with Group 3 I was told to return to the other queue for Group 2 and, to be fair, we did actually board before them in the end.

On board Austrian Airlines

The forward business class cabin was relatively empty when I booked, but I wasn’t able to select any seats in row 1. I imagine this is because they are reserved for top-tier customers – of which, given my lapsed Star Alliance Gold status, I am no longer one.

Fortunately, I was able to change my seat at check-in when any remaining seats in row 1 were made available. I was able to choose 1A.

Review: Austrian Airlines short haul business class from London to Vienna

As a bulkhead row, it comes with plenty of legroom, as you can see:

Review: Austrian Airlines short haul business class from London to Vienna

However, I also made a point of sitting in row 2 behind me, as a test, and the legroom was ample there as well – more than enough for little old 6’2″ me. Apparently leg room is a minimum of 30″ on the A320neos, which is an upgrade of 1″ from Austrian’s older A320s.

As is typical for ‘eurobusiness’, the middle seat is kept empty although in this case I had the entire row to myself. The seats are a bit of a drab grey colour, although some Austrian personality does shine through with the red seat belts and antimacassars.

Review: Austrian Airlines short haul business class from London to Vienna

Once all passengers had boarded (all 20 or so of us!) the crew came round offering refreshing towelettes.

Very helpfully, the first officer buzzed in over the PA to tell us we were 9th in the queue and would be off in about 15 minutes. It’s the sort of pro-active passenger announcement I wish more pilots (and airlines) made, especially at Heathrow.

After takeoff, the crew got busy in the galley preparing the meal service. Once the seat belt signs came off they came around and offered a drink. I asked for champagne and received some Austrian sparkling wine – sekt – which was exceptionally fizzy.

Review: Austrian Airlines short haul business class from London to Vienna

Roughly ten minutes later I was offered the full meal, in this case lunch. Austrian Airlines prides itself on good food – on long haul flights, business class passengers get a ‘Flying Chef’ – and was the first airline to partner with ‘premium’ caterer DO&CO back in 2007.

You don’t get a choice or menu, and I received something typically Austrian: mash potatoes with three small sausages and a creamy green-bean sauce. Whilst it may not look like much:

Review: Austrian Airlines short haul business class from London to Vienna

….it was fantastic. The mash potatoes were deliciously creamy, the green beans lovely and al dente. Regardless of whether you’re a fan of Austrian cuisine, this was perfectly cooked. The only thing missing was a refreshing cucumber salad to cut through the relatively heavy mash and sausages.

Dessert was a profiterole, which I’m not always a huge fan of but in this case was just right.

The crew were very attentive and asked if I needed another drink mid-meal, as well as coming round with tea or coffee.

The service was concluded with a big chocolate button and another drinks round:

Review: Austrian Airlines short haul business class from London to Vienna

Conclusion

When it comes to the actual seat, business class on European airlines is much of a muchness: virtually all of them offer a blocked middle seat, a little extra legroom and little else. No US-style Domestic First here or regional Asian lie-flat seats.

Where things vary is largely with the food and service, and I’m pleased to report that Austrian delivered. The crew were all friendly and attentive, popping round multiple times to ask if I wanted a top up.

Meanwhile, DO&CO’s catering was excellent with my meal cooked to perfection. No overcooked, soggy green beans here! The only improvement I would suggest is offering a choice of main courses.

If are looking for a good Star Alliance frequent flyer programme to credit with your flight, we discuss options here. If you are looking for ways of earning Star Alliance miles from UK credit cards, we look at your options here.

Well done Austrian Airlines. Let’s see what Aegean has of offer in a few weeks, on what will admittedly be a far longer flight (EDIT: my Aegean short haul business class review is here).

Head for Points made a financial contribution to the Woodland Trust as part of this trip. The Woodland Trust creates and manages forests in the UK in accordance with the Woodland Carbon Code.


How to earn Star Alliance miles from UK credit cards

How to earn Star Alliance miles from UK credit cards (April 2025)

None of the Star Alliance airlines currently have a UK credit card.

There is, however, still a way to earn Star Alliance miles from a UK credit card

The route is via Marriott Bonvoy. Marriott Bonvoy hotel loyalty points convert to over 40 airlines at the rate of 3:1.

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The Star Alliance members which are Marriott Bonvoy transfer partners are: Aegean, Air Canada, Air China, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Avianca, Copa Airlines, Singapore Airlines, TAP Air Portugal, Thai Airways, Turkish Airlines and United Airlines.

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Comments (97)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • Will says:

    We had an awesome Austrian experience CAI-VIE-LHR in business last spring. Really couldn’t fault it.

  • Ed says:

    Catering looks fantastic, although odd not to have a choice.

    You talk about being jaded with a home airline – but credit where credits due – BA Shorthaul Club catering is now really good. I think it doesn’t get the degree of appreciation it deserves- just a few years ago it really was awful (that three prawn ‘salad’; a lone scone afternoon tea).

    • Rhys says:

      Yes, BA short haul catering is fantastic. But not everyone in the comments sees that!

      • Ned says:

        I think it’s an ‘anyone but BA’ approach usually by people who don’t fly them. The food is genuinely good now and i now choose club suites over Qatar and Cathay as the difference between the seats gets narrower vs. other things such as the quality of food (Qatar’s cellar is excellent though!)

        • Rhys says:

          Club Suite is nowhere near Qsuite though….

          • Ned says:

            I don’t think it’s too far off when you commute regularly, plus i think you need to add a weighting to how good it is vs how often you actually get Q Suites. If we’re talking about a couple or family of 4 going on a once a year trip then Q Suites is unbelievable – decent seats/space plus the novelty of how the dividers move. For a single person going 7 hours to the middle east every week i genuinely don’t think the seat itself is that much better, adjusted for the chances of getting it, (TV upgrade matters less, lying down space is very similar) vs very average food on Qatar albeit a much better wine list. I think there’s something about how priorities change when you commute. I was also disappointed with Qatar first food apart from the caviar course which was excellent. Can’t believe i’m writing this but I lean towards BA Club Suites now vs Qatar.

      • JK says:

        I’ve felt it’s been good for the last 2 years or so, but just this weekend went out to Germany and back, and it was the tiny 3 prawn salad on way out and a pathetic “carrot carpaccio” on the way back, which it sounds like Rob had recently too. Both tiny and at evening meal times, was disappointed.

        • Rob says:

          I was OK with the carrot BUT this was a 45 min Newcastle flight. Would have been annoyed to get it on a Germany run. It was one of those meals that was worth having once for the novelty but I don’t need to see it again!

      • John says:

        If you’re in the first couple of rows of club it’s fantastic.
        Anyone row 3 and back is thanked for their understanding that they will not get their first choice

    • Danny says:

      BA needs to upgrade the afternoon tea on their longest band 2 routes. London to Manchester is served the same meal at that time as Gatwick to Alicante.

      • Rob says:

        I flew from Newcastle last night and got a printed menu in CE – I was shocked. I got one from Iceland in Feb but I thought it was a Band 3/4 thing.

        • Nick says:

          Menus are a legal requirement on UK domestic flights because they contain calorie information. Otherwise yes, it’s 3/4 only.

          • Rob says:

            Learn something new every day 🙂

            The carrot thing I had last night was a grand total of 89 calories!

    • mkcol says:

      Vegan meal on BA EuroFlyer to Fuerteventura yesterday was genuinely great.
      Followed later by an unexpected snacks round.

  • a9504477 says:

    “If you are travelling in business on Austrian Airlines you automatically have access to the Lufthansa Business Lounge in Terminal 2.” … and the other 3 *A lounges at T2, so you might prefer a walk to the B gates (and back).

  • Richie says:

    LCY-VIE would be good on an A220.

    • CamFlyer says:

      I seem to recall I did fly LCY-VIE on an OS Fokker 70 once about 15 years ago, so there is precedent. However, at the time there was lots of connecting traffic to Ukraine and Russia (including some second tier cities).

  • Matthias says:

    I concur it’s the best food around. Got a lovely Fleischlaberl the other day with a nice slice of apricot cake.

    Do&Co is actually an Austrian company that started catering for OS initially and is now doing Business Class catering for lots of airlines.

  • Shanghaiguizi says:

    ‘Eurobusiness’? Is this how we’re describing subpar short haul business seating with the empty middle seat these days? 🤣

    • Rob says:

      It’s always been called that – some airlines even use that as the official name.

  • John says:

    Slightly OT, but still a Star Alliance question…. why doesn’t LH fly LHR to BER ?! Seems odd not to serve their capital.

    • Rhys says:

      Yes, it doesn’t make sense…

      • Richie says:

        They’re too busy thinking MUC-BHX on a new subsidiary airline is a good idea.

    • Chris L says:

      It’s not odd, Berlin is not an LH hub – Frankfurt and Munich are their hubs. They don’t serve any destinations from Berlin (just MUC and FRA).

      • ADS says:

        I would have thought that the distances would work for a W routing

        FRA – LHR – BER – LHR – FRA

    • RussellH says:

      I would hazard a guess that Berlin is still not as significant for business travel as Frankfurt (Main), München, or Hamburg, even if it is now the political capital.
      ITB is important, of course, but do any major banks, insurers, or engineering companies have HQs in Berlin even now?
      [It must be around 15 years since since I was last there though, so I am out of touch with Berlin.]

      • Rhys says:

        Correct, but not to offer any service whatsoever (not even with Eurowings) is odd. Perhaps Lufthansa City will change that.

  • Vahan says:

    Does OS allow booking bulkhead seats for *G? I can’t do it online, although the A3 gold number is there.

    • Christian says:

      No they don’t – it’s LH Group Senator or above only (until roughly 72 hours before departure).

    • Phillip says:

      Generally the LH group look after their own! I find *G means very little. Understandable, but often found with OW G, other airlines acknowledge the status and “welcome back” even if just that.

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