05. 02. 10. - 12:00

• more General News news
• RSS Feed General News

05. 02. 10. - 12:00

Experts at odds after Brit accused of beating Austrian on AUA flight

Legal experts are at loggerheads over whether Austrian law can be applied in a legal battle after an Austrian beaten up by a Brit on an Austrian Airlines (AUA) plane has to take place.

An Upper Austrian launched legal action after he suffered broken ribs in the attack by the Briton on a flight from Thailand. The Pregarten resident claimed he was attacked by the man after he accidentally touched his sunburned skin.

A first court case held at the district court of Schwechat, Lower Austria where Vienna International Airport (VIA) is based was abandoned after the Briton – who lives in Denmark – failed to turn up.

The Upper Austrian then decided to demand 5,500 Euros in compensation, and his lawyer Peter Lindinger is determined not to let the attacker get off again.

Lindinger told the Kronen Zeitung newspaper judges in Schwechat passed the new case on to the court in Pregarten where his client lived.

Now a date for the trial has been set, and the defendant could be sentenced via a default decree if he failed to turn up again this time. Legal experts have said they there is a good chance of successful cooperation between Austrian judges and their Danish colleagues in the case.

It remains however unclear whether Austrian law would be the base for the trial in Pregarten despite a judgement by the Austrian High Court that the country’s law was applicable on AUA planes since they were "Austrian flagship carriers", according to judges.

But it has also been pointed out that the German aviation company Lufthansa acquired a major stake in the struggling firm – a move that probably saved AUA from going bankrupt.

Experts have said the situation could change completely if the Briton decides to get in touch with Pregarten judges, gives his side of the story and demands a relocation of the trial to Denmark or to the United Kingdom.

In that case, it would be the Austrian High Court’s turn to decide again.

Austrian Times

Related articles: quirky Austria

1. Psychologist says she cracked Mona Lisa's smile

   » Panorama 2010-03-19

   A top psychologist claims she has cracked the secret of Mona Lisa's smile.

2. Coughing Lipizzaner horses end show

   » Panorama 2010-03-19

   Coughing horses have brought performances at Vienna’s Spanish Riding School careering to a halt.

3. Pensioner found in ditch after four hours

   » General News 2010-03-19

   A pensioner who suffered serious injuries after falling off a ladder was not found until four hours later.

4. Paraglider crashes against bus

   » General News 2010-03-19

   A 34-year-old paraglider escaped with bruises after smashing into a moving bus in Eben, Tyrol, yesterday (Thurs).

5. WWII bombs call AC/DC gig into question

   » Panorama 2010-03-18

   A concert by Australian rock legends AC/DC at an Austrian airport could be cancelled because of unexploded WWII bombs.

6. WWII bombs call AC/DC gig into question

   » Travel 2010-03-18

   A concert by Australian rock legends AC/DC at an Austrian airport could be cancelled because of unexploded WWII bombs.

7. Fritzl finds friends in jail

   » Panorama 2010-03-18

   Incest beast Josef Fritzl has made his first pal in prison – a notorious killer serving life for slaughtering seven helpless victims.

8. Hitler's gift causes renewed controversy

   » General News 2010-03-17

   Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler’s 1942 gift to the city of Linz of a duplicate statue of Greek goddess of love Aphrodite is causing renewed controversy.

9. Robber uses betting shop loo to mask up

   » General News 2010-03-17

   A man who used a betting shop toilet in Vienna-Floridsdorf then held up staff at gun point yesterday (Tues) evening, police said today.

10. Polar bears get government godfather

    » Panorama 2010-03-17

    Polar bears at Vienna’s Schönbrunn Zoo got a new godfather yesterday (Tues) in the shape of People’s Party (ÖVP) Environment Minister Nikolaus Berlakovich.

Related articles: EU

1. BAWAG puts on brave face over 2009 losses

   » Business 2010-03-19

   Bank bosses at BAWAG PSK said it had losses of 22.2 million Euros in 2009 but added this was better than the previous year which saw losses of 547.5 million Euros.

2. EC threatens Austria with court over sexual equality

   » General News 2010-03-19

   Austria’s gender equality laws have been blasted by the European Commission (EC) and could land the country in court if it doesn’t introduce guidelines on equal treatment for men and women.

3. Austrian firms line up for Bulgarian assignments

   » Business 2010-03-19

   More than 20 Austrian companies have expressed interest in participating in the construction of the Bulgarian road and railroad infrastructure, according to reports by local media from today (Fri).

4. Austrian Ambassador on South Africa's chances and challenges

   » Panorama 2010-03-19

   The Austrian Times spoke to Otto Ditz about what he learnt from the African mentality – and why he sometimes feels "second class".

5. Austrian Catholics turn on church

   » General News 2010-03-19

   Austrian Roman Catholics are up in arms over sex scandals involving local priests and children with increasing numbers threatening to quit the church.

6. More foreign holidays planned this year

   » Business 2010-03-19

   More Austrians are planning on holidays abroad this year after 2009 saw a drop in numbers, according to a study by public opinion research agency Karmasin.

7. Siemens Austria to lay off 500 to 600

   » Business 2010-03-19

   Siemens Austria said today (Fri) it would lay off 500 to 600 of 2,000 workers in software division SIS (IT solutions and services) in the near future.

8. Verbund could lose interest in French Poweo

   » Business 2010-03-19

   Austrian energy provider Verbund’s 46 per cent interest in French electricity provider Poweo may become less valuable if the firm makes good on its threat to stop providing service to end customers.

9. RI's Croat subsidiary gets €30mn credit

   » Business 2010-03-19

   Raiffeisen International’s (RI) Croatian subsidiary Raiffeisenbank Austria d.d. received a 30-million-Euro credit by the German Investment and Development Society (DEG), it was announced.

10. Higher cigarette prices on tap

    » General News 2010-03-19

    Austria Tabak reported today (Fri) that the price of its 35 brands of cigarettes would increase by 10 to 20 cents a pack at the end of March.

Higher cigarette prices on tap
Austria Tabak reported today (Fri) that the price of its 35 brands of cigarettes would increase by 10 to 20 cents a pack at the end of March.

RI's Croat subsidiary gets €30mn credit
Raiffeisen International’s (RI) Croatian subsidiary Raiffeisenbank Austria d.d. received a 30-million-Euro credit by the German Investment and Development Society (DEG), it was announced.

Austrian Catholics turn on church
Austrian Roman Catholics are up in arms over sex scandals involving local priests and children with increasing numbers threatening to quit the church.

Wolford's earnings up in first three quarters
Vorarlberg textile firm Wolford reported today (Fri) that its earnings before interest and taxes (Ebit) had increased in the first three quarters of its 2009/2010 business year.

More foreign holidays planned this year
More Austrians are planning on holidays abroad this year after 2009 saw a drop in numbers, according to a study by public opinion research agency Karmasin.

Siemens Austria to lay off 500 to 600
Siemens Austria said today (Fri) it would lay off 500 to 600 of 2,000 workers in software division SIS (IT solutions and services) in the near future.

Graz police smash drug ring
An Iranian asylum seeker thought to be the boss of a drug-dealing gang has been arrested along with 11 cohorts, police said today (Fri).

Verbund could lose interest in French Poweo
Austrian energy provider Verbund’s 46 per cent interest in French electricity provider Poweo may become less valuable if the firm makes good on its threat to stop providing service to end customers.

Kasabian roll into Vienna
British indie rock giants Kasabian will return to Austria this summer, it has been revealed.

Paraglider crashes against bus
A 34-year-old paraglider escaped with bruises after smashing into a moving bus in Eben, Tyrol, yesterday (Thurs).