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Austria Now News – Vienna
Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker of the ÖVP announced for the first time on Tuesday, 3 November 2026, that the government will cut the controversial aviation tax. Speaking to the newspaper Kleine Zeitung during a working visit to China, he said: “We will cut the aviation tax, and we are open to dialogue.”
How high the tax is now
Austria’s aviation tax currently stands at 12 euros per passenger, rising to 30 euros on very short flights of up to 350 kilometres. The tax was introduced in 2011 and brought around 180 million euros into state coffers last year. The government had expected around 190 million euros for 2026, but according to the newspaper Heute, revenue has so far fallen short of expectations.
Pressure from the provinces and airlines
Over the past months, eight provincial governors, along with a number of airlines and Austrian airports, have called for the tax to be abolished or at least reduced. Ryanair has for some time been running a campaign against the government that targets the chancellor directly, pointing out that countries such as Slovakia, Hungary, Italy and Sweden have abolished similar taxes and that Germany has reduced its own.
What the cut will cost the state
According to Kleine Zeitung, the government may need around 60 million euros to fund the cut. Reports indicate that Transport Minister Peter Hanke of the SPÖ has pledged to provide 30 million euros from his ministry’s budget, while it remains unclear where the rest of the money will come from. This comes at a time when the government is continuing its austerity policy and prices for the Klimaticket and public transport have risen.
When ticket prices will fall
Stocker did not specify a date for the cut or its size. According to Heute, the relief is likely to apply mainly to longer flights, while the higher tax on very short flights would remain. It is also unclear whether airlines will pass the cut on to passengers in ticket prices.
The chancellor is accompanied on his visit to China by around 50 representatives of Austrian companies, including AVL List, Magna, Doppelmayr, voestalpine and RHI Magnesita, with the aim of deepening trade relations with China.
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Sources
ORF, Flugabgabe: Stocker stellt Senkung in Aussicht, 03.11.2026, https://orf.at/stories/3446998/
Heute, Kanzler bestätigt: Jetzt werden Flugtickets billiger, 03.11.2026, https://www.heute.at/s/kanzler-bestaetigt-jetzt-werden-flugtickets-billiger-120276244
