VIE and Austrian

[PAXboy]

Two short questions for a friend doing CPT-VIE-LHR with a 6.5hr layover in January next on a British passport:

1. Her bag will be checked through
2. She can leave the airport to take a quick waltz around the city, using the fast train connection

I can't see any problem with this but a friend of hers is predicting doom!
Thanks.

[Johnny F@rt Pants]

Paxboy,

Your questions aren’t questions, they are statements, however, reading between the lines -

Yes, your friend should check their luggage right through to LHR so they won’t see it in VIE.

Yes, your friend can leave the airport rather than remainin transit, however it will be at their own peril, and they will have to remember to allow time to go through security when they get to VIE, so they can’t buy any duty free booze and some larger bottles of perfume.

[PAXboy]

Thanks JFP, my haste led to bad grammar. I know that is the case at many airports but not with VIE + OS.

[oldtora]

Originally Posted by PAXboy

Two short questions for a friend doing CPT-VIE-LHR with a 6.5hr layover in January next on a British passport:

1. Her bag will be checked through
2. She can leave the airport to take a quick waltz around the city, using the fast train connection

I can't see any problem with this but a friend of hers is predicting doom!
Thanks.

Doom is an understatement if the CPT-VIE flight deprives her of sleep . It is irrational to zoom about for no specific purpose . It will be worse if she downs a bottle of champagne in VIE . What she ought to do is schedule a 24 hour layover in VIE , so she can at least relax a little .

[PAXboy]

Yes, as an experienced traveller, she is fully aware of the risk. The length of the layover only became visble later in the booking process. She knows that, if she misses it, then it's her cost to get home. Fortunately, this is the last sector of the journey, so other sectors not at risk.

[rog747]

An overnight flight from CPT to Europe has no jet lag and I always found I could sleep quite well and get off in London in the morning not feeling too wretched
The OS flight leaves CPT after midnight so most pax will want to sleep asap - arrives VIE 10.50
Yes her bags will be tagged through to LON

If your pal feels up for it then a jaunt into the City could be lovely (make sure she is dressed for VIE in January, and not still in summer CPT clothes LOL)

All she does is exit the airport through the green channel. Make sure she has her passport (and her VIE-LON boarding pass) and ensure to be back at VIE airport no later than 75 minutes before departure - go straight to security and then to the departure gate.

I guess this is her flight---
Austrian Airlines OS32
11h 30
00:20
10:50
CPT Cape Town
VIE Vienna

6h 25 Connect in airport Long wait

Austrian Airlines OS455
2h 25
17:15
18:40
VIE Vienna
LHR London Heathrow

An alternate is to look to buy a cheap VIE-LON ticket on another airline to get home sooner PDQ? (ensuring her bags at CPT are short shipped tagged only to VIE)
If she misses that one then she has her original flight to fall back on and can recheck in her bags at VIE for LON.

OR spend the night in VIE as suggested? Flights to LON STN can be got for £19!