One of the most common causes of flight interruptions is flight strikes, which are often organized by the personnel, an airport itself, or an airline. As a passenger, you should be aware of EU Regulation 261, under which you might be entitled to compensation of up to 600 Euros.
Continue reading to find out how you can get compensation and under what circumstances.
Your Passenger Rights
The good news is that any passenger is protected by the EU 261 regulation. The EU 261/2004 is a European Union law that sets the rules for compensation and assistance to passengers in cases of flight disruptions. Now, let’s take a closer look at air passenger rights, under EU 261/2004:
- The airline is required to provide travelers 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 rebooking 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 from 250 to 600 euros per passenger
When You Are Entitled to Brussels Airlines Strike Compensation
Often, Brussels Airlines strikes involve their staff. These could be engineers, pilots, flight attendants, or other essential personnel. As you now know, you may be eligible for airline strike compensation, if your travel was disrupted. The compensation will then cover the inconvenience you experienced due to the strike.
It is also important to understand what “extraordinary circumstances” are. These are events beyond the airline’s control. If a strike is considered one of these circumstances, the airline is not required to provide compensation. It is important to note if a staff strike occurs, the airline could have potentially foreseen and managed such incidents, therefore such cases are within the airline’s control. That is when flight disruptions are made by the airline’s own employees, these are not cases of extraordinary circumstances. Consequently, passengers are entitled to claim flight compensation.
Nonetheless, you should understand 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.
Brussels Airlines Strike Compensation
Before seeking compensation for an airline strike, you need to know about the requirements and the amount of compensation you might receive.
Brussels Airlines Strike Flight Delay Compensation
The longer a flight is delayed, the more trouble it creates for passengers. When airline staff go on strike, it can disrupt passengers’ 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 entitled to compensation from the airline for the inconvenience caused.
In assessing the potential sum of compensation, passengers need to take two critical facts into account: the distance of the flight and the duration of the delay. It is important to understand these details, as only that is how you can be calm regarding the fair flight delay compensation you deserve. Below you can find a table with the amounts of compensation you can 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 |
Brussels Airlines Strike Flight Cancellation Compensation
Sometimes, it also happens that airline strikes result in flight cancellations. According to EU 261/2004, you can claim compensation of up to 600 Euros. Note that the regulation also states that you are entitled to compensation in the case when the airline informed you about the cancellation less than two weeks before your travel.
However, there are always some exceptions to the regulations, and here is the case. The airline has a right to avoid paying compensation if it provides the passenger an alternative flight. This alternative flight must meet the criteria listed 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 the destination point was still delayed, you can 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 more details:
| 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 Brussels Airlines Flights Are Covered by EU261?
The EU261 regulation covers every flight departing from airports in the EU, regardless of the airline, as well as flights arriving in the EU from outside the EU when operated by airlines based in the EU. The regulation also covers flights to/from Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland.
The following table shows which Brussels Airlines flights are protected 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 Brussels Airlines Strike Compensation
If you’ve faced flight delays or cancellations at least once, you know how frustrating it can be.
Travelers who encounter any of these issues on Brussels Airlines flights have a right to claim compensation, according to EU regulations. Follow these steps to claim compensation:
- Complete this form. You’ll need to provide details such as your flight number, date, and the problem you faced.
- Let our experts help you. Once you submit the form, our team will take over. We understand the EU laws comprehensively and will do our best to obtain your rightful compensation. You are only charged if we win your case.