One of the most common factors behind flight interruptions is flight strikes, which may be initiated by airline staff, an airport itself, or an airline. As a passenger, you should be aware of the EU 261 regulation, under which you may be qualified 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 disruptions. Now, let’s take a closer look at air passenger rights, under European Regulation 261:
- The airline must provide travelers with information about their rights.
- In case of flight cancellation, a passenger has the right to select one of these options: either a ticket refund or rerouting to the final destination under similar conditions;
- Passengers can expect to receive food and beverages; they are also entitled to have two free phone calls, e-mails, or faxes.
- If you choose an alternative flight, and it involves an overnight stay, the airline is obligated to provide hotel accommodation, as well as transportation between the airport and the hotel.
- Compensation between 250 to 600 euros per passenger
When You Are Entitled to Blue Air Strike Compensation
Often, Blue Air strikes involve their employees. These can be flight attendants, pilots, engineers, or other essential staff. As you now know, you may be eligible for compensation for airline strikes, if your trip was disrupted. The compensation will then cover the inconvenience you faced because of the strike.
It is also crucial 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 required to provide compensation. Importantly, if a staff strike happens, the airline could have potentially foreseen and managed such incidents, therefore 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 are entitled to claim flight compensation.
However, you need to be aware that each incident is individual, meaning that every flight disruption caused by a strike must be carefully analyzed to determine whether the airline will provide compensation.
Blue Air Strike Compensation
Before claiming compensation for an airline strike, it’s important to understand the conditions and the amount of compensation you might receive.
Blue Air Strike Flight Delay Compensation
The longer a flight is delayed, the more trouble it causes travelers. When airline staff go on strike, it can disrupt travelers’ plans and make them arrive at their final destination much later than expected. It is important to understand that if your flight is delayed for over 3 hours due to a strike, you are eligible for compensation from the airline for the inconvenience caused.
When assessing the potential sum of compensation, passengers should take two critical facts into account: the distance of the flight and the duration of the delay. It’s essential to understand these factors, as only that is how you can be calm regarding the fair flight delay compensation you deserve. In the following, 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 |
Blue Air Strike Flight Cancellation Compensation
Sometimes, it also happens that airline strikes cause flight cancellations. Under EU Regulation 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 two weeks before your travel.
Nevertheless, 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 flight must meet the criteria 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 have a right to claim compensation.
The amount of the compensation is based on the flight distance and the time of delay in arriving at the final destination. Check 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 Blue Air Flights Are Covered by EU261?
The EU261 regulation covers all flights departing from airports in the EU, regardless of the airline, as well as flights arriving in the EU from non-EU countries if they are operated by airlines based in the EU. The regulation also covers flights to and from Norway, Switzerland, and Iceland.
The following table shows which Blue Air flights are covered by EU Regulation 261/2004:
| Itinerary | Covered by EU 261 |
| Flights departing the EU airports | ✅ Covered |
| Flights arriving at the EU airports | ✅ Covered |
How to Claim Blue Air Strike Compensation
If you’ve experienced flight cancellations or delays at least once, you understand how irritating it can be.
Passengers who face any of these situations on Blue Air flights have a right to claim compensation, according to the EU regulations. Follow these steps to claim compensation:
- Complete this form. You’ll need to provide details including your flight number, date, and what went wrong.
- Let our experts help you. Once you submit the form, our team will handle the rest. We know the EU laws comprehensively and will do our best to secure your compensation. You only pay us if we win your case.