Airline strike

Strikes at airports are increasingly affecting passenger travel across Europe. Cancelled flights, long delays, and information chaos can effectively disrupt travelers' plans. It is therefore worth knowing when compensation is payable due to a strike and what rights passengers have in such a situation.

Airport strike – what does it mean for passengers?

An airport strike is a situation in which some airport or airline employees stop working in protest. The reasons are usually wage disputes, demands for better working conditions, or organizational changes. Protests are usually organized by trade unions.

For passengers, employee protests primarily mean disruptions to air traffic. They can have a widespread impact on flights scheduled at a given airport, causing delays or complete cancellations.

Types of strikes at airports

Not every strike has the same impact on travelers' flights. In practice, there are several types of protests at airports, including:

• Airline employee strike - affects people employed by a given airline (such as Wizz Air, Ryanair, or EasyJet): pilots, flight attendants, cabin crew, and technicians. This usually results in the delay or cancellation of many flights operated by the same carrier.
• Airport employee strike - an organized protest by people employed at a given airport. It can involve various groups, from baggage handling to security screening, and often leads to delayed or canceled flights.
• Air traffic controllers' strike - this is the most severe type of protest. It can paralyze air traffic across an entire country or region, causing very serious disruptions.

Airport staff strike vs. airline strike - key differences

Although both types of strikes lead to similar consequences, such as delayed and canceled flights, they differ in terms of who is responsible for them.

An airport staff strike is usually considered an extraordinary circumstance, i.e., a situation beyond the carrier's control. This means that the airline is not obliged to pay compensation because it has no influence over the actions of external entities and could not have prevented it.

On the other hand, an airline employee strike involves people employed directly by the airline. For this reason, the carrier is responsible for the effects of the staff strike. Passengers can therefore claim compensation from the airline if their flights have been delayed or canceled due to industrial action.

Is compensation payable for every type of strike at an airport?

No, passengers are not entitled to compensation for every type of strike at an airport. It all depends on who organized the protests.

If airline employees are on strike, the carrier is responsible. For this reason, passengers affected by the strike are entitled to financial compensation. However, when airport staff protest, the situation is considered an extraordinary circumstance. The carrier could not have prevented the situation despite taking all reasonable measures. The airline is therefore not obliged to pay compensation to passengers. However, travelers must be provided with care and assistance.

Flight disrupted due to a strike and compensation

In the event of a long delay or cancellation of a flight due to a strike by airline staff, travelers can expect compensation of up to €600. To receive it, you must prove that the protest was internal and that the carrier was able to prevent its effects.

However, if the strike involved airport staff, compensation for the flight will not be payable.

What rights do airline passengers have during a strike?

During a strike, regardless of its cause, passengers are protected by Regulation EU 261/2004, which specifies the obligations of airlines towards travelers.

If a flight is canceled or delayed by at least 3 hours, the carrier is obliged to provide passengers with: meals and drinks appropriate to the waiting time, free hotel accommodation (if necessary), transportation between the airport and the hotel, as well as the right to rebook another flight or a full refund of the ticket price.

If the strike involves airline employees, and therefore the carrier is responsible for the circumstances, travelers are also entitled to financial compensation. According to the EU Regulation on air passenger rights, this depends on the length of the route and the delay and amounts to:

• €250 - for flights up to 1,500 km;
• €400 - for flights within the European Union over 1,500 km and other flights between 1,500 and 3,500 km;
• €600 - for flights over 3,500 km.

Airline strike - how to file a claim for compensation for a disrupted flight?

In order to successfully claim compensation for a canceled or delayed flight due to an airline strike, it is essential to collect all travel documents: boarding pass, booking confirmation, and correspondence with the carrier. Check the reason for the flight disruption and make sure that it is due to a strike by airline employees and not airport staff. It is possible to submit a claim for compensation for the flight directly to the carrier, usually via a form available on its website.

However, if you lack the time and legal knowledge needed to claim compensation yourself, trust the specialists at AirCashBack. We have been operating continuously since 2013. We have already helped hundreds of thousands of travelers who, by entrusting us with their compensation claims, have saved their time and money.

You can get up to €600 in compensation! Submit your claim on our website or click the button below.