One of the most common reasons for flight interruptions is flight strikes, which can 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 eligible for compensation of up to 600 Euros.
Learn more to find out how to obtain compensation and under what circumstances.
Your Passenger Rights
The good news is that every air traveler is protected by the EU 261 regulation. The EU 261/2004 is a European Union law that sets the rules for assistance and compensation for travelers in cases of flight delays and cancellations. Now, let’s take a closer look at passenger rights, according to EU 261:
- The airline is required to provide travelers with information about their rights.
- In the event of flight cancellation, a passenger is entitled 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 food and beverages; 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 Bulgaria Air Strike Compensation
Frequently, Bulgaria Air strikes involve their staff. These can be pilots, engineers, flight attendants, or other essential employees. As you’re now aware, you have the right to claim compensation for airline strikes, if your travel was disrupted. The compensation will then cover the inconvenience you encountered because of 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 obliged to provide compensation. Importantly, if a staff strike happens, the airline could have potentially foreseen and handled 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 have a right to claim flight compensation.
However, you should understand 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.
Bulgaria Air Strike Compensation
Before seeking the airline strike compensation, you should be aware of the criteria and the amount of compensation you could be entitled to.
Bulgaria Air Strike Flight Delay Compensation
The longer a flight is delayed, the more trouble it causes passengers. 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 crucial to understand that if your flight is delayed for more than 3 hours because of a strike, you are entitled to compensation from the airline for the inconvenience caused.
When assessing the potential sum of compensation, passengers need to take two critical factors into account: the flight’s distance and the duration of the delay. It’s essential to understand these details, 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 could get.
| 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 |
Bulgaria Air Strike Flight Cancellation Compensation
Sometimes, it also happens that airline strikes cause flight cancellation. Under EU 261, you can claim compensation of up to 600 Euros. Keep in mind that the regulation also states that you are entitled to compensation in the case when the airline informed you about the cancellation less than 14 days before your travel.
Nevertheless, 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 flight must meet the conditions 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 based on 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 Bulgaria Air 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 if they are operated by EU airlines. It also applies to flights to and from Switzerland, Iceland, and Norway.
The following table shows which Bulgaria Air flights are covered by EU Regulation 261:
| Itinerary | Covered by EU 261 |
| Flights departing the EU airports | ✅ Covered |
| Flights arriving at the EU airports | ✅ Covered |
How to Claim Bulgaria Air Strike Compensation
If you’ve encountered flight delays or cancellations at least once, you know how frustrating it can be.
Travelers who experience any of these situations on Bulgaria Air flights have a right to claim compensation, according to European Union regulations. Follow these steps to claim compensation:
- Fill in our form. You’ll need to provide details like your flight number, date, and the issue you encountered.
- Let our experts help you. Once you submit the form, our team will take over. We understand the EU laws comprehensively and will strive to get you your compensation. You only pay us if we win your case.