One of the most common reasons for flight interruptions is flight strikes, which are often arranged by airline staff, an airport itself, or an airline. As a passenger, you should be aware of EU Regulation 261, according to which you could be eligible for compensation of up to 600 Euros.
Read on to find out how you can get compensation and when you qualify.
Your Passenger Rights
The good news is that any passenger is protected by EU Regulation 261. The EU 261 is a European Union law that sets the rules for assistance and compensation to passengers in cases of flight delays and cancellations. Now, let’s take a closer look at air passenger rights, according to European Regulation 261:
- The airline is required to provide passengers with information about their rights.
- In case of flight cancellation, a passenger has the right to choose one of the following options: either a ticket refund or rerouting to the final destination under similar conditions;
- Passengers can expect to receive meals and drinks; they are also entitled to have two free phone calls, e-mails, or faxes.
- If you decide to reroute, and it involves an overnight stay, the airline is obligated to provide hotel accommodation, as well as transportation between the the hotel and airport.
- Compensation between 250 to 600 euros per passenger
When You Are Entitled to Air Austral Strike Compensation
Frequently, Air Austral strikes involve their workers. These can be engineers, pilots, flight attendants, or any other crucial staff. As you now know, you have the right to claim compensation for airline strikes, if your trip was disrupted. The compensation will then cover the inconvenience you faced due to the strike.
It is also important to understand what “extraordinary circumstances” are. These are events outside of the airline’s control. If a strike is considered one of these circumstances, the airline is not obliged to provide compensation. Importantly, if a staff strike occurs, the airline could have potentially foreseen and handled such incidents, thus these situations are within the airline’s control. That is when flight disruptions are caused by the airline’s own employees, these are not cases of extraordinary circumstances. As a result, passengers have a right to claim flight compensation.
However, you need to be aware that each incident is unique, meaning that every flight disruption caused by a strike must be carefully analyzed to determine whether the airline will provide compensation.
Air Austral Strike Compensation
Before seeking the airline strike compensation, you should be aware of the conditions and the amount of compensation you might receive.
Air Austral Strike Flight Delay Compensation
The longer a flight is delayed, the more trouble it creates for travelers. When airline workers go on strike, it can disrupt passengers’ plans and make them arrive at their final destination much later than expected. It is important to be aware that if your flight is delayed for over 3 hours because of a strike, you are eligible for compensation from the airline for the inconvenience caused.
When considering the potential sum of compensation, passengers should take two critical facts into account: the distance of the flight and the delay length they experience. It is important to understand these factors, as only that is how you can be calm regarding the fair flight delay compensation you deserve. Below you can see a table with the amounts of compensation you may receive.
| Less than 3 hours | Between 3-4 hours | Over 4 hours | Distance |
| €0 | €250 | €250 | All flights up to 1500 km |
| €0 | €400 | €400 | All flights between 1500 km and 3500 km |
| €0 | €400 | €400 | All intra-EU flights over 3500 km |
| €0 | €300 | €600 | All non-EU flights over 3500 km |
Air Austral Strike Flight Cancellation Compensation
Sometimes, it also happens that airline strikes cause flight cancellation. Under EU 261, you are eligible for compensation of up to 600 Euros. Note that the regulation also states that you are entitled to compensation in the case when the airline notified you about the cancellation less than 14 days before your travel.
However, there are always some exceptions to the regulations, and here is the case. The airline is entitled to avoid paying compensation if it provides the passenger an alternative flight. This alternative flight must meet the requirements enumerated below:
| Advance Notice | Re-routing Requirements |
| 14 Days | None |
| 7 – 13 Days | Alternative flight departing no more than 2 hours before and arriving less than 4 hours after the original flight |
| Less than 7 Days | Alternative flight departing no more than 1 hour before and arriving less than 2 hours after the original flight |
Importantly, if you used an alternative flight but your final arrival time at your destination was still delayed, you are entitled to claim compensation.
The amount of the compensation is determined by the flight distance and the time of delay in arriving at the final destination. Take a look at the table below for additional information:
| Under 2 hours | 2-3 hours | 3-4 hours | Over 4 hours | Never arrived | Distance |
| €125 | €250 | €250 | €250 | €250 | All flights 1,500 km or less |
| €200 | €200 | €400 | €400 | €400 | Internal EU flights over 1,500 km |
| €200 | €200 | €400 | €400 | €400 | Non-internal EU flights 1,500 km- 3,500 km |
| €300 | €300 | €300 | €600 | €600 | Non-internal EU flights over 3,500 km |
Which Air Austral Flights Are Covered by EU261?
Regulation EU261 covers all flights departing from EU airports, regardless of the airline, as well as flights arriving in the EU from outside the EU when operated by airlines based in the EU. It also applies to flights to and from Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland.
The table below shows which Air Austral flights are protected by EU 261:
| Itinerary | Covered by EU 261 |
| Flights departing the EU airports | ✅ Covered |
| Flights arriving at the EU airports | ✅ Covered |
How to Claim Air Austral Strike Compensation
If you have encountered flight delays or cancellations at least once, you know how irritating it can be.
Passengers who encounter any of these issues on Air Austral flights have a right to claim compensation, according to EU regulations. Follow these steps to claim compensation:
- Fill in our form. You’ll need to provide details such as your flight number, date, and what went wrong.
- Let our experts help you. Once you submit the form, our team will take over. We understand the EU laws well and will do our best to secure your compensation. You only pay us if we win your case.