One of the most common factors behind flight interruptions is flight strikes, which are often initiated by airline staff, an airport itself, or an airline. As a passenger, you should be aware of EU Regulation 261, under which you might be qualified for compensation of up to 600 Euros.
Learn more to find out how to obtain compensation and in which situations.
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 for travelers in cases of flight delays and cancellations. Now, let’s take a closer look at air passenger rights, under EU 261:
- The airline is required to 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 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 Croatia Airlines Strike Compensation
Often, Croatia Airlines strikes involve their workers. These could be flight attendants, pilots, engineers, or any other crucial personnel. As you’re now aware, 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 beyond 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 occurs, the airline could have potentially foreseen and handled such incidents, thus 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 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.
Croatia Airlines Strike Compensation
Before claiming the airline strike compensation, it’s important to understand the conditions and the amount of compensation you could be entitled to.
Croatia Airlines Strike Flight Delay Compensation
The longer a flight is delayed, the more trouble it creates for 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 important to be aware that if your flight is delayed for more than 3 hours due to a strike, you have the right to seek compensation from the airline for the inconvenience caused.
When evaluating the potential sum of compensation, passengers need to take two critical facts into account: the distance of the flight and the delay length they experience. It is important to understand these details, as only that is how you can be calm regarding the fair flight delay compensation you are entitled to. Below you can see 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 |
Croatia Airlines Strike Flight Cancellation Compensation
Sometimes, it also happens that airline strikes cause flight cancellations. According to EU Regulation 261, you can claim compensation of up to 600 Euros. It’s important to know 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 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 the destination point was still delayed, you have a right 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 Croatia Airlines Flights Are Covered by EU261?
Regulation EU261 applies to every flight departing from EU airports, regardless of the airline, as well as flights arriving in the EU from non-EU countries when operated by airlines based in the EU. It also applies to flights to and from Norway, Switzerland, and Iceland.
The table below shows which Croatia Airlines 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 Croatia Airlines Strike Compensation
If you’ve experienced flight cancellations or delays at least once, you understand how irritating it can be.
Passengers who encounter any of these situations on Croatia Airlines flights have a right to claim compensation, according to the EU regulations. Follow these steps to claim compensation:
- Fill in our 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 manage the process. We understand the EU laws thoroughly and will strive to secure your compensation. You only incur a fee if we win your case.