Austria has a
national funds to secure employees salaries and severance payments in case of bankruptcy. All employers pay into this funds. Payments are limited to 9720€ per month of salary owed but this should cover most Niki pilots.
While Mr. Lauda certainly had good ideas to improve flying as a product, he denied his staff at Lauda Air a CLA for over a decade and tried to run Niki through a crew leasing company. His fleet and network planning at both Lauda Air and Niki are perceived to be a bit "impulsive" and the deal he made on selling either seems to have benefited him more than the respective buyers. This has not stained his image as an aviation expert in Austria. It remains to be seen whether he will involve himself in a re-born Niki and whether that will benefit someone else this time.