I want to apply for a Schengen tourist visa for my girl friend to visit Austria. In case the visa is not approved, I do not want to buy a non-refundable air ticket in advance. Any suggestions on how to manage this will be appreciated.

Thanks

My understanding is that you don't need a confirmed flight ticket for the visa application. Everyone in the embassy knows it is risky considering the possibility that the visa is not approved.

 

Here is some general info I found:

https://www.axa-schengen.com/en/schengen-visa/flight-itinerary

even if u get the visa and buy the ticket she could get offloaded flight at least in philliines 

This is the requirement as detailed on the Austrian Embassy website, this advises that a confirmed booking is not required, just a detailed itinerary:
 

"Proof of the  means of transport  (reservation OR booking; presentation of a paid ticket is not required)Proof of   the  means of transport  (reservation OR booking; presentation of a paid ticket is not required"

 

https://www.bmeia.gv.at/th/oeb-bangkok/reisen-nach-oesterreich/einreise-und-aufenthalt/visum/

12 hours ago, OzMan said:

I want to apply for a Schengen tourist visa for my girl friend to visit Austria. In case the visa is not approved,

You have to  bear in mind the EU is a lot more tolerant of tourists from this part of the world than others such as the UK. There is no reason why your girlfriend's application would not be successful, subject to requirement, in it's own right without any contribution from you. Any contribution from you only helps to support the application.

Schengen visa applications are fairly standard and usually quite straightforward. When we went to Malta a few years back we had to use the Austrian VFS office and this was the requirements from the embassy at the time. For some reason VFS never highlighted the travel insurance requirement.

Austria Visa Information - Documents Required.pdf

How do you provide "Proof of the means of transport (reservation OR booking; presentation of a paid ticket is not required), without having paid for the ticket. 

I viisted:

https://www.bmeia.gv.at/th/oeb-bangkok/reisen-nach-oesterreich/einreise-und-aufenthalt/visum/

which I assume may be the Austrian consulate in Bangkok. The requirement for a ticket is:

"Proof of the means of transport (reservation OR booking; presentation of a paid ticket is not required)". If a reservation only lasts maybe 3 days before payment or cancellation, what is the point of providing a reservation number if it takes VFR a few days to look at my gf's application, by which time the reservation will have been canceled?