“No quibble” rail ticket refunds for Vienna concertgoers
AUSTRIAN Federal Railways (ÖBB) has offered a “no quibble” refund on tickets purchased by those planning to attend Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna. Three shows, on August 8, 9, and 10, were cancelled by Swift’s promoter after police revealed on August 7 that they had foiled a planned terrorist attack on the concert venue.
AUSTRIAN Federal Railways (ÖBB) has offered a “no quibble” refund on tickets purchased by those planning to attend Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna. Three shows, on August 8, 9, and 10, were cancelled by Swift’s promoter after police revealed on August 7 that they had foiled a planned terrorist attack on the concert venue.
ÖBB says that, as a gesture of goodwill, it will fully refund the cost of tickets and not impose cancellation fees on tickets purchased directly from the operator. Other tickets which would normally be outside the refund period can returned to ÖBB travel centres. A concert ticket or booking confirmation should be presented.
ÖBB has not revealed how many tickets it is likely to refund, but Vienna’s Ernst Happel stadium has a capacity of over 50,000, suggesting that up to 150,000 concertgoers would have been travelling over the three days.
The cancellations will also come as a blow to the Viennese economy. Swift’s tour is estimated to generate $US 76m per day, based on the first London leg of the tour which took place in June.
“Terrorists want to divide us through fearmongering and panic and take away our way of life, diversity and openness,” says climate protection minister, Ms Leonore Gewessler. “But that's exactly what we won't allow, we won't give in to that. We stand together. The refund is a small contribution to this."
