Canceled Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna leave traveling fans stranded and disappointed

Melissa Turner was in Montreal waiting to board her connecting flight to Austria en route to a Taylor Swift concert when she learned it had been canceled.

Swift’s three Eras Tour concerts this week in Vienna were canceled following a foiled terrorist attack, the New York Times reported — affecting about 200,000 fans. She was scheduled to play from Thursday through Saturday. Turner had tickets for Friday.

“I was totally disappointed, but also, you know, it was a terrorist threat,” said Turner, 44, of Harmony.

As of Friday, three teens have been arrested in connection with the plot. They had plans to attack the sold-out 50,000-seat stadium.

A 19-year-old Austrian citizen of North Macedonian descent with sworn allegiance to the Islamic State is the main suspect, the Times reported, and police are looking into a network of people surrounding the suspect.

The plot had been designed to leave a “trail of blood,” Chancellor Karl Nehammer of Austria told the Times.

“There were people in the airport just crying,” Turner said. “I was very disappointed, but at the same time, I mean, I want to be safe.”

Many Swift fans spent lots of money to get to Vienna for the shows, she said. Many travelers were shocked and scared.

“My best friend of 39 years lives in Vienna, and she bought us Taylor Swift tickets last October to entice me to come visit her,” Turner said. “I’m lucky I have somebody here.”

In the airport, she noticed many Americans trying to change their flights or buy tickets for other international Eras Tour shows. Turner even met fellow Pittsburgh-area residents.

Despite the situation, there has been unity among Swifties, she said.

“I feel like Vienna feels very safe — I think it’s just frustrating for everybody,” Turner said.

Across the city, various free events have been offered, and some bars are offering free drinks if fans show their Eras Tour concert tickets, Turner said.

“I think people are trying to make the best of it,” she said. “It’s crazy how many fans are down here.”

Fans have even been singing Swift’s tunes on the streets of Vienna in the wake of the planned terrorist attack, according to Turner.

VIENNA, AUSTRIA — Swifties broke into song on the streets of the city with a rendition of “You Belong With Me” following the cancellation of @taylorswift13’s Eras Tour shows due to a planned terrorist attack on the stadium.

Story on the way for @TribLIVE
????: Melissa Turner pic.twitter.com/Yb72h90KnH

— Megan Swift (@mgswift7) August 8, 2024

Turner had VIP tickets for the Friday night concert in Vienna — which she said were a lot cheaper than general admission tickets in the U.S.

Once Swifties realized that tickets were cheaper across the pond, thousands who were unable to go to the U.S. leg of the tour or didn’t want to buy expensive tickets opted to fly to Europe, the Associated Press reported.

“They said, ‘Wait a minute, I can either spend $1,500 to go see my favorite artist in Miami, or I can take that $1,500 and buy a concert ticket, a round-trip plane ticket, and three nights in a hotel room,’ ” Melanie Fish, an Expedia spokesperson and travel expert, told the AP.

Turner said the incident hasn’t deterred her from wanting to attend concerts.

“They don’t want to live in fear,” she said of the Swiftie fanbase.