Planning a family vacation can involve completely new challenges, even for an experienced traveller. We have put together a checklist with tips to help prepare for your holiday so you and your children can feel a bit more relaxed before your departure:

• Check the validity of all passports. Infants and small children require their own passport.
• Check in conveniently online on austrian.com approx. 47 hours before departure.
• Book your seats – the earlier, the better.
• Children’s menus can be ordered directly when making your booking on austrian.com.
• Ensure your children are entertained on board with our ​Kids Media Box. This offers a selection of magazines for children and young people for you to choose from. They are available for unlimited downloads from 5 days before your departure.

When you book your flight online, indicate that you are travelling with children and we will assign seats in proximity to each other for you and your children approximately 48 hours prior to departure. You can then see and also change the seats upon online check in, available at 23 hours prior to departure.

Agents at check-in or boarding will also be available to assist in providing appropriate family seating at the airport. 

For the best choice in seats, it’s always better to select them when you book your flight. Note that a fee may apply when choosing your seats in advance. A fee may also apply if you decide to change the free standard seat assignment provided, or if you select a preferred seat.

At most airports, you can keep your foldable pram¹ or pushchair with a maximum weight of 10 kg until shortly before boarding.
After your arrival, the ground staff will return your pram¹ or pushchair at a terminal position on the passenger bridge or directly at the aircraft steps if you are arriving by bus.

Prams¹ and pushchairs must be checked in at the counter for oversized baggage at Vienna Airports.

Our baggage check staff will inform you whether you can take your pram¹ or pushchair with you on board. If you have a connecting flight, please inform our staff before departure if you do not need your pushchair or pram until arrival at your final destination (recommended for short transfer times) or also require it at the transfer airport. Our ground staff at the departure gate will ensure that your pram¹ or pushchair is loaded correctly.

If you do not receive your pram¹ or pushchair on arrival, please contact one of our gate staff or the nearest Service Centre. Please note it may take a few minutes to return them to you.

If your pram¹ or pushchair weighs more than ten kilograms, it must be checked in as baggage. Please note: you will be charged an excess baggage fee if you exceed your baggage allowance.
You can take “pocket buggies” on board as part of your baggage allowance if they are packed accordingly and are no longer identifiable as a pram¹.

You can take your own child car seat on board. You need to book a separate seat for this in good time at the relevant child’s fare.

The child seat must be approved for use in aircraft and fit on the seat (43 cm × 43 cm). Please refer to the label on the child car seat.
Ensure that you are familiar with the manufacturer’s instructions to use and attach the child seat in an aircraft, because this is solely your responsibility. Please understand that our cabin staff unfortunately cannot assist you with fitting your child seat. If the child seat cannot be properly attached, it must be checked in as baggage.

For safety reasons, “comfort seats” with integrated locking systems or inflatable foot rests are not permitted for use on board.

Choosing suitable seats

• If your child uses a child seat, the window seat is best suited for this.
• Accompanying persons should sit next to the child.
• Seats in rows with emergency exits and behind cabin partition walls are not suitable for child seats.
• The travel comfort of other passengers must not be impeded by the use of a child seat, and the emergency exit must not be blocked in case emergency evacuation is required.

Please note that a separate travel permit is required in many countries if your child is travelling alone or with just one parent. Local authorities can refuse the child entry or departure if you cannot present the travel documents required. You should therefore obtain information about the relevant entry/departure regulations of the country concerned in good time. Examples of countries where special provisions apply to the entry and departure of children and young people are listed below:

We define children under two years as infants. Ten percent of the adult fare (infant’s fare) is normally charged for infants with Austrian Airlines.

Please note that national differences (depending on the country where the ticket was purchased), fare differences or seasonal differences may apply.

Infants have no entitlement to their own seat on board. However, we try to keep an adjacent seat vacant as long as possible for adults who are travelling with an infant. You can select the child’s fare if you are travelling with an infant and would like a separate seat for them. Please contact our Service Centre if you wish to do so.

For safety reasons, only one infant can travel per adult. The accompanying person must be over 18 or over 16 years of age if the journey is as a family with adults.

For safety reasons, infants who will turn two years of age during the travel period must be booked as children (with their own seat). Example: Your child was born on 15 November 2017 and you are travelling from 1 to 20 November 2019.

We define children as between two and 11 years of age, i.e. children who have not yet reached 12 years of age. For safety reasons, infants who will turn two years of age between the outbound and return flight must be booked as children (with their own seat). Children usually pay 75 per cent of the adult fare (child’s fare) with Austrian Airlines.

Please note that national differences (depending on the country where the ticket was purchased), fare differences or seasonal differences may apply.

Unlike infants, children have their own seat on board. Children younger than five must always be accompanied by an adult. The accompanying person must be at least 18 or older than 16 years of age if the person is the brother or sister of the child. Children between five and 11 years of age must be accompanied by a person who is older than 12. If this is not the case, the rules for unaccompanied travelling minors apply.

Children who turn twelve during the trip pay the child’s fare. Please contact our Service Centre if you wish to do so.