Aviation in Austria

Authorities

In Austria, the BMK as the Supreme Civil Aviation Authority and the Safety Investigation Authority (SUB) subordinate to it, Austro Control GmbH, the Austrian Aeroclub, the state governors and the district administration address aviation affairs.

The Supreme Civil Aviation Authority (OZB) is integrated into the Federal Ministry. The subordinate aviation authorities are the state governors, Austro Control GmbH which is entrusted with special tasks as well as the Austrian Aeroclub and the district administrative authorities.
Austro Control is responsible for safety in the entire Austrian airspace. Its tasks include the navigation services, affairs of certification and airworthiness, various permits, supervisions and monitoring.

The Austrian Aeroclub (ÖAeC) is the Austrian trade association for all aviation sports in non-commercial general aviation and also acts as a civil aviation authority. It issues civil pilots’ licences for free balloonists, parachutists, and glider, hang-glider and paraglider pilots, performs inspections and sample inspections for various aircraft and issues permits, among others.

Authorities

Airports

In Austria, there are six commercial airports available for passenger, cargo and mail transport and which ensure Austria’s international connections. Vienna Airport is the largest airport, and also transports the most passengers annually, followed by the regional airports of the state capitals Salzburg, Innsbruck, Graz, Linz and Klagenfurt.

Air passengers

The Agency for Passenger Rights (apf) is responsible for the rights of air passengers. As the arbitration body, it helps air travellers independently, simply and free of charge to obtain justice. In disputes with the company, it ensures fast and binding solutions and compensation.
In air traffic, compensation for delays is paid out through fixed compensatory payments from three hours onwards, for example.

→ apf.gv.at

Persons with reduced mobility

Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006 concerning the rights of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility when travelling by air applies at all EU airports for all air carriers at departure, arrival or transit as well as for all EU air carriers also at departure from a third country. These travellers have certain rights: to assistance at airports and by the air carrier and the possibility to make a complaint. Air carriers and tour operators are subject to an obligation to carry and an obligation to transmit notifications of a need for assistance.

Forms

In addition to the Federal Ministry, → Austro Control GmbH (ACG) also issues important forms as an aviation authority Licensing, examinations, aviation medicine, aircraft, operations, permissions and issues SAR/reports, e.g.: Every bird strike that occurs in commercial air traffic must be reported to Austro Control with the “→ Bird Strike” form.

Security clearance of security officers (→ formularservice.gv.at)

Aviation Strategy

The Aviation Strategy is the strategic overall concept for Austrian aviation. It forms a comprehensive planning and decision-making basis for the sustainable development of aviation.

Aviation Strategy

Safety and security

The attacks of 11 September 2001 in New York and Washington showed that terrorism poses one of the greatest threats to the ideals of democracy and freedom and to peace, which are the fundamental values of the European Union (EU). Within the European Community, the protection of the citizens should be ensured at all times in civil aviation by preventing unlawful interference. To achieve this, a variety of regulations have been adopted in the European Union with the objective of standardising and increasing security in civil aviation.

The difference between “safety” and “security” in aviation

“Safety” concerns the compliance with national and international operational and technical safety standards.  Aviation security of air freight – better known as security – is coordinated by the Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology (BMK) together with the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI).

Three safety and security programmes:

The Austrian Aviation State Safety Programme is a management system to ensure and improve safety in civil aviation by the state.

Quality Control Programme: for the security of civil aviation

To achieve this objective, every EU Member State had to adopt a National Security Programme (NaSP) and to coordinate and monitor its implementation. The BMK is responsible for the coordination and monitoring of the National Security Programme in Austria.

In Austria, 6 international airports, 50 airfields, around 200 air carriers, around 101 regulated agents at about 150 locations, postal as well as catering, cleaning and security companies are currently monitored by quality control. The quality control measures include safety checks, inspections, surveys, tests and assessment of compliance with the regulations.

Safety zones and aviation obstructions

Aviation obstructions refer to constructions such as buildings, antennae, chimneys, stationary construction cranes, mobile cranes and other construction equipment that constitute an obstacle to air traffic as a result of their location and dimensions (section 85 Aviation Act [Luftfahrtgesetz, abbr. LFG]) or can lead to disturbances of air traffic control systems (section 94 Aviation Act). In this regard, a distinction is made between aviation obstructions inside and outside safety zones. Safety zones serve to keep a particular, defined area around an airport or airfield free from obstructions and to thereby maintain aviation safety.

In the “Companies” area, the website provides information on the requirements for founding an airline. An operating licence entitles the holder to transport air passengers, mail and/or cargo in commercial air transportation or to commercial transport with motorised hang-gliders or paragliders, hang-gliders or paragliders or parachutes.