Review : Austrian Economy - Paris-Vienna, Airbus A320

As part of a family weekend, I’m flying to Budapest on Star Alliance, on the outbound leg on Austrian via Vienna, and on the return leg on Lufthansa via Frankfurt.

Freshly inaugurating my Star Alliance status, this is the experience to expect.

Check-in

Before my flight, a fortnight before departure, I buy a baggage option on the Lufthansa website.

The day before departure, I check-in online and have access to the first row of the Economy cabin which I choose.

On the day of departure, after staying at the Sheraton Paris Charles-de-Gaulle, I go to the Austrian check-in located in terminal 2D. I use the empty Business line and am checked-in to my final destination by the smiling ground agent. My luggage will have a priority tag.

I then use Access 1 to get through security in less than 2 minutes.

Lounge

At Paris Charles de Gaulle, Austrian uses the only lounge available in Terminal 2D, the Sheltair lounge.

This lounge is a disgrace to the airport and should be closed. How can it be so dirty at 5:30 in the morning, and the staff so unfriendly?

I’m not even talking about the catering offer, which is more than minimalist, and which one wonders if it wasn’t there the day before.

To be forgotten very quickly.

Boarding

Boarding will be by bus. I am the first to board the bus, even if there is no priority boarding strictly speaking (which is understandable when we all board the same bus…). The bus fills up and we leave for the plane parked at a remote stand.

Cabin and reception

The welcome is minimalist, even cold, with the purser telling all passengers to put their hand luggage under the seat in front of them in a not so tender German.

The cabin is in line with all LH Group medium-haul cabins: an ironing board, but with the right pitch and tilt. No USB and no Wi-Fi on this flight.

Service and catering

Although reduced to its simplest expression, the service in Economy nevertheless has the merit of existing, and is carried out with a smile by the crew.

Not too bad, the economy class service on *Austrian*

I choose a filter coffee (and not a Nescafé, follow my gaze…) and a glass of water. The hazelnut pastry, although industrial, does the job. No refills offered.