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Today in Austria: A roundup of the latest news on Wednesday

Amanda Previdelli
Amanda Previdelli - [email protected]
Today in Austria: A roundup of the latest news on Wednesday
Easter eggs (Photo by Bianca Ackermann on Unsplash)

Energy price increasing despite falling costs, Austrian Airlines flight crews can't 'rule out' a strike action, Mjam app to become Foodora service and more news from Austria on Wednesday.

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  • Wien Energie raises tariffs despite falling wholesale prices

Clients of the City of Vienna electricity company Wien Energie have received letters warning of price increases, as the newspaper Der Standard reported. In Carinthia, customers of Stadtwerke Klagenfurt have received similar letters.

These contracts are only now adjusted for the higher prices of the last twelve months - despite prices dropping more recently. 

Customers of Stadtwerke Klagenfurt must also prepare for higher costs, as the electricity price will rise from 13.6 cents gross per kilowatt hour to 29.5 cents and gas from 5.98 cents to 11.99 cents.

In a press release, the public utility company said that a price adjustment during the heating season was deliberately avoided, but now the higher purchase costs must be passed on to the customers. The price increase is, therefore, retrospective and is still based on the peak values of a few months ago.

According to Austria's energy authority E-Control, there are already significantly cheaper offers on the market than the new tariffs of Wien Energie and Stadtwerke Klagenfurt. Therefore, those affected are advised to look around, for example, using a tariff calculator.

However, prices are expected to fall even further in the second quarter, said E-Control expert Leo Lehr. "If you have an existing contract, you should therefore wait a little longer before switching", he added.

READ ALSO: How to get Vienna’s €200 energy subsidy in 2023

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  • What is the Austrian JÖ Karte and how can you save money with it?

If you've been to an Austrian supermarket, chances are the cashier asked you if you have a JÖ Karte. But what is it and how does it work?

  • Austrian Airlines flight crews can't 'rule out' a strike action

On Monday, worker meetings of Austrian Airlines crews caused the cancellation of 102 flights, as The Local reported. But workers rejected the company's latest offer in the collective bargaining negotiations, which could lead to a strike on Good Friday if a deal is not reached soon.

"The 1,200 employees participating in the works meeting unanimously rejected the offer of the Austrian Airlines (AUA) management and instructed the works council and the union to conduct further negotiations until Maundy Thursday," Vida spokeswoman Yvonne Heuber told Kurier.

She added: "There must be an acceptable offer on the table; otherwise, there will be further action. It cannot be ruled out that these will start as early as Good Friday. A strike is never the goal, we want to reach a solution at the negotiating table, but that is now up to the AUA management".

READ ALSO: Austrian Airlines workers threaten strike on Good Friday

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  • Mjam app to become Foodora service

Foodora will replace the Mjam brand by parent company Delivery Hero, Austrian media reported. Foodora was present in Vienna until 2019 before being changed to Mjam. 

On Tuesday, the group confirmed the rebranding. The name Mjam - and its green colours - is thus history for more than 2,600 bicycle couriers. As of May, Austria will share the bright pink Foodora brand with Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

In order to attract and keep riders, the company promises a series of benefits, including food vouchers, "fitness benefits," and free German courses. 

READ ALSO: The German language you need for spring in Austria

  • Austrians spend an average of €50 on Easter gifts

Three-quarters of all Austrians plan to celebrate Easter this year. Seventy-four percent of them plan to spend around €50 on their Easter gifts.

Around €260 million will be spent on Easter, as the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKÖ) announced on Tuesday after a survey conducted by KMU Forschung Austria.

The majority - seven out of ten respondents - want to keep their budgets roughly the same as in previous years. Fifteen percent wish to dig deeper into their pockets this time, while 17 percent will spend less on gifts.

This year's most popular gifts are sweets such as chocolate bunnies or eggs and chocolates: 68 percent go for these classics. They are followed by (coloured) Easter eggs and toys. Cash, flowers and potted plants are also among the most popular gifts.

Three-quarters of Austrians prefer to celebrate the holiday by having an Easter snack or meal together. Among the cherished traditions are pecking eggs (45 percent) and decorating an Easter bush (40 percent), Easter egg hunts (39 percent) and colouring Easter eggs together (34 percent).

READ ALSO: Eight unmissable events in Austria in April 2023

If you have any questions about life in Austria, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected].

 

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