Flight cancellations or delays due to airline strikes can be frustrating, but there is good news for passengers. There is a regulation called EU 261/2004 that protects you. It stipulates that airlines have to issue compensation if your flight is cancelled or delayed as a result of a strike. In this article, we will explain what the EU 261 regulation is and how it can assist you.
Passenger Rights Under EU 261/2004
Now let’s explore the specifics of EU Regulation 261/2004. In the following sections, you will learn about your rights to compensation and what advantages you can expect in the event of a flight disruption.
Right to Compensation
The European Union regulation stipulates that if you are protected by EU 261, you are entitled to seek compensation if a wildcat or planned strike by airline workers disrupts your flight. It is worth noting, such situations do not qualify as “extraordinary circumstances” meaning circumstances the airline cannot control.
Flight Cancellation Compensation
Under EU Regulation 261, you may be eligible for compensation of up to €600 if your flight is cancelled and the airline does not notify you of the flight cancellation within 14 days before your scheduled travel date.
However, as it often happens, there are exceptions you should be aware of. In particular, the airline is entitled to refuse compensation if they choose to offer you an alternative flight. However, this flight is required to meet certain requirements:
- If your flight is over 3,500 km, your replacement flight must arrive at the point of destination with a delay of less than 4 hours;
- If your flight is 1,500-3,500 km, your replacement flight must arrive at the point of destination with a delay of less than 3 hours;
- If your flight is less than 1,500 km, your replacement flight must arrive at the point of destination with a delay of less than 2 hours;
If you agreed to the alternative flight provided by the airline but reached your final destination later than originally scheduled, you are still eligible to claim compensation.
The main factors that affect the amount of compensation are the flight distance and the duration of the delay. See the table below for compensation amounts:
| 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 |
Flight Delay Compensation
Delays due to airline strikes of any duration can be frustrating and can significantly disrupt your plans. You may be eligible for compensation if the flight delay caused by an airline strike lasts a minimum of three hours.
As for the potential amount of compensation that passengers could be entitled to, there are two key factors to consider: the duration of the delay and the flight distance. See the table provided below for compensation amounts:
| 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 |
Ticket Refund or Alternative Transportation
In the rare cases when a passenger’s flight is delayed for 5 or more hours or cancelled, the passenger obtains more substantial rights. You have two options to select from:
- You can refuse the cancelled or delayed flight and choose a full refund, meaning that you will also cancel your planned trip, and there won’t be a financial penalty for this.
- You can agree to use an alternative flight that the airline arranges for you.
As you can see, you have the right to select the option that meets your needs.
Right to Care
Besides compensation for a disrupted flight due to an airline strike, passengers also have the right to care. Therefore, the airline must provide passengers with meals, beverages, and the opportunity to make two phone calls, fax messages, and emails. If your flight is rescheduled for the next day, the airline is required to provide you with a hotel, as well as transport from the airport to the hotel and back.
Upgrading and Downgrading
In some instances, it occurs the airline can either upgrade or downgrade your flight’s class when providing an alternative flight. In these situations, you need to know about specific rules and your rights:
In case of upgrading: if your class has been upgraded, you aren’t required to pay extra for this benefit.
In case of downgrading: if your class is downgraded, the airline must reimburse you. Again, the compensation here is determined by the distance of the flight:
- 30% of the cost of the flights that are 1,500 km or less;
- 50% of the cost of t is an intra-EU flight over 1,500 km; also, if these are all other flights that are 1,500-3,500 km;
- 75% of the cost of the flight is 3,500 km and more.
These regulations apply to all flights within the EU; besides, these rules cover flights that are either departing from or arriving in the European Union on EU-based airlines.
When Are You Not Entitled to Compensation?
Unfortunately, you should understand that in situations in which the airline cannot influence or prevent the strike, there will be no compensation for passengers. Let’s take an example: any labor dispute could considerably affect aviation (such as a national labor or air traffic strike); however, such occasions are not under an airline’s control, and it’s not their fault that this situation occurs. Therefore, the airline is not required to pay compensation for disrupted flights.
Even though many cases of strikes are not covered by EU261 and are classified as “extraordinary circumstances”, this doesn’t automatically mean that the airline will not pay compensation.
In line with the ECJ ruling of 11 June 2020 (Case C-74/19), the airline must prove they have done everything possible to avoid a strike. If the airline cannot prove it, they are obliged to provide passengers compensation for flight disruptions.
Which Flights are Covered by EU 261/2004?
European Union Regulation 261 applies to all flights departing from European Union airports. It also applies to flights arriving in the EU if the airline originates in the EU. This includes airlines from EU countries as well as Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland.
However, Flynas is not a European airline. Therefore, they are not obliged to issue compensation if their flights operate outside the European Union. This is true even for their flights to the European Union if they start outside the EU.
| Itinerary | Covered by EU 261 |
| Flights departing from EU airports | ✔️ Yes |
| Flights arriving at EU airports | ❌ No |
How to Get Flynas Strike Compensation
Dealing with flight delays or cancellations due to strikes is always frustrating. It can not only ruin your trip but also create problems – emotional, financial, etc. To claim compensation for this inconvenience, take the following actions:
- Fill in our 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 manage the process. We know the EU laws comprehensively and will do our best to obtain your rightful compensation. You are only charged if we win your case.
Recent Flight Delays and Cancellations
Was your flight delayed or cancelled due to the strike? Check our table for the latest flight delays and cancellations. Assess your right to compensation using our claim checker, and let us protect your rights and pursue compensation for you.
Did not find your flight in our table? Try our compensation form, and we will check it for you.
| Date | Airline (Flight number) | Route | Status | Your compensation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
07.05.202519:35 | flynas 5218 | Istanbul (SAW) Istanbul (ADB) | delayed | Refunds |
07.05.202519:30 | flynas 5826 | Istanbul (SAW) Trabzon (TZX) | delayed | Refunds |
07.05.202518:35 | flynas 5384 | Istanbul (SAW) Diyarbakir (DIY) | delayed | Refunds |
07.05.202518:30 | flynas 5410 | Istanbul (SAW) Gaziantep (GZT) | delayed | Refunds |
07.05.202518:15 | flynas 5204 | Istanbul (SAW) Istanbul (ADB) | delayed | Refunds |
07.05.202516:20 | flynas 5290 | Istanbul (SAW) Dalaman (DLM) | delayed | Refunds |
07.05.202516:05 | flynas 5252 | Istanbul (SAW) Milas (BJV) | delayed | Refunds |
07.05.202515:40 | flynas 5343 | Istanbul (SAW) Pristina (PRN) | delayed | Refunds |
07.05.202513:40 | flynas 5165 | Istanbul (SAW) London (STN) | delayed | Refunds |
07.05.202513:35 | flynas 5135 | Istanbul (SAW) Paris (ORY) | delayed | Refunds |
06.05.202523:25 | flynas 6308 | Addis Ababa (ADD) Nairobi (NBO) | delayed | Refunds |
05.05.202520:40 | flynas 123 | Riyadh (RUH) Tabuk (TUU) | delayed | Refunds |
05.05.202518:45 | flynas 5410 | Istanbul (SAW) Gaziantep (GZT) | delayed | Refunds |
05.05.202518:40 | flynas 5818 | Istanbul (SAW) Trabzon (TZX) | delayed | Refunds |
05.05.202518:20 | flynas 5384 | Istanbul (SAW) Diyarbakir (DIY) | delayed | Refunds |
05.05.202516:15 | flynas 5290 | Istanbul (SAW) Dalaman (DLM) | delayed | Refunds |
05.05.202515:05 | flynas 237 | Riyadh (RUH) Dubai (DWC) | delayed | Refunds |
05.05.202514:20 | flynas 5010 | Istanbul (SAW) Antalya (AYT) | delayed | Refunds |
05.05.202512:50 | flynas 5248 | Istanbul (SAW) Milas (BJV) | delayed | Refunds |
05.05.202509:25 | flynas 765 | Tabuk (TUU) Dammam (DMM) | delayed | Refunds |
05.05.202509:10 | flynas 6332 | Addis Ababa (ADD) Entebbe (EBB) | delayed | Refunds |
05.05.202506:30 | flynas 764 | Dammam (DMM) Tabuk (TUU) | delayed | Refunds |
05.05.202501:55 | flynas 214 | Dubai (DXB) Riyadh (RUH) | delayed | Refunds |
04.05.202522:10 | flynas 345 | Riyadh (RUH) Entebbe (EBB) | delayed | Refunds |
04.05.202522:00 | flynas 213 | Riyadh (RUH) Dubai (DXB) | delayed | Refunds |
04.05.202509:10 | flynas 6332 | Addis Ababa (ADD) Entebbe (EBB) | delayed | Refunds |
03.05.202518:30 | flynas 5818 | Istanbul (SAW) Trabzon (TZX) | delayed | Refunds |
01.05.202509:10 | flynas 6332 | Addis Ababa (ADD) Entebbe (EBB) | delayed | Refunds |
01.05.202502:00 | flynas 3315 | Abu Dhabi (AUH) Riyadh (RUH) | delayed | Refunds |
30.04.202511:40 | flynas 5287 | Dalaman (DLM) Istanbul (SAW) | delayed | Refunds |
30.04.202510:30 | flynas 5881 | Istanbul (SAW) Manchester (MAN) | delayed | Refunds |
30.04.202509:10 | flynas 5169 | Istanbul (SAW) London (STN) | delayed | Refunds |
30.04.202506:30 | flynas 764 | Dammam (DMM) Tabuk (TUU) | delayed | Refunds |
27.04.202522:10 | flynas 345 | Riyadh (RUH) Entebbe (EBB) | delayed | Refunds |
25.04.202515:55 | flynas 5177 | Istanbul (SAW) London (STN) | delayed | Refunds |
25.04.202514:25 | flynas 5343 | Istanbul (SAW) Pristina (PRN) | delayed | Refunds |
25.04.202514:20 | flynas 5252 | Istanbul (SAW) Milas (BJV) | delayed | Refunds |
25.04.202513:50 | flynas 258 | Istanbul (SAW) Riyadh (RUH) | delayed | Refunds |
25.04.202513:30 | flynas 5248 | Istanbul (SAW) Milas (BJV) | delayed | Refunds |
25.04.202511:15 | flynas 5141 | Istanbul (SAW) Lyon (LYS) | delayed | Refunds |
25.04.202510:55 | flynas 5188 | Istanbul (SAW) Istanbul (ADB) | delayed | Refunds |
25.04.202510:30 | flynas 5881 | Istanbul (SAW) Manchester (MAN) | delayed | Refunds |
25.04.202510:20 | flynas 796 | Istanbul (SAW) Madinah (MED) | delayed | Refunds |
24.04.202522:25 | flynas 5830 | Istanbul (SAW) Trabzon (TZX) | cancelled | Refunds |
24.04.202521:15 | flynas 5706 | Istanbul (SAW) Konya (KYA) | delayed | Refunds |
24.04.202520:15 | flynas 5826 | Istanbul (SAW) Trabzon (TZX) | cancelled | Refunds |
24.04.202520:00 | flynas 5022 | Istanbul (SAW) Antalya (AYT) | delayed | Refunds |
24.04.202511:05 | flynas 5008 | Istanbul (SAW) Antalya (AYT) | delayed | Refunds |
24.04.202509:20 | flynas 5184 | Istanbul (SAW) Istanbul (ADB) | delayed | Refunds |
24.04.202509:05 | flynas 5816 | Istanbul (SAW) Trabzon (TZX) | delayed | Refunds |
22.04.202521:25 | flynas 5208 | Istanbul (SAW) Istanbul (ADB) | delayed | Refunds |
22.04.202521:20 | flynas 5694 | Istanbul (SAW) Jeddah (JED) | delayed | Refunds |
22.04.202521:00 | flynas 5024 | Istanbul (SAW) Antalya (AYT) | delayed | Refunds |
22.04.202520:50 | flynas 5740 | Istanbul (SAW) Kayseri (ASR) | delayed | Refunds |
22.04.202520:45 | flynas 5294 | Istanbul (SAW) Dalaman (DLM) | delayed | Refunds |
22.04.202520:00 | flynas 5420 | Istanbul (SAW) Istanbul (GNY) | delayed | Refunds |
22.04.202519:55 | flynas 5408 | Istanbul (SAW) Gaziantep (GZT) | delayed | Refunds |
22.04.202519:05 | flynas 5384 | Istanbul (SAW) Diyarbakir (DIY) | delayed | Refunds |
22.04.202518:40 | flynas 5818 | Istanbul (SAW) Trabzon (TZX) | cancelled | Refunds |
22.04.202518:30 | flynas 5094 | Istanbul (SAW) Covilha (COV) | delayed | Refunds |
22.04.202518:20 | flynas 5292 | Istanbul (SAW) Dalaman (DLM) | delayed | Refunds |
22.04.202518:10 | flynas 5016 | Istanbul (SAW) Antalya (AYT) | delayed | Refunds |
22.04.202518:10 | flynas 5254 | Istanbul (SAW) Milas (BJV) | delayed | Refunds |
21.04.202501:35 | flynas 3859 | Seoul (ICN) Abu Dhabi (AUH) | delayed | Refunds |
20.04.202522:25 | flynas 5830 | Istanbul (SAW) Trabzon (TZX) | delayed | Refunds |
20.04.202520:45 | flynas 5294 | Istanbul (SAW) Dalaman (DLM) | delayed | Refunds |
20.04.202519:45 | flynas 5408 | Istanbul (SAW) Gaziantep (GZT) | delayed | Refunds |
20.04.202519:20 | flynas 5258 | Istanbul (SAW) Milas (BJV) | delayed | Refunds |
20.04.202518:40 | flynas 5818 | Istanbul (SAW) Trabzon (TZX) | delayed | Refunds |
20.04.202518:15 | flynas 5204 | Istanbul (SAW) Istanbul (ADB) | delayed | Refunds |
20.04.202515:45 | flynas 6334 | Addis Ababa (ADD) Entebbe (EBB) | delayed | Refunds |
19.04.202518:05 | flynas 5254 | Istanbul (SAW) Milas (BJV) | cancelled | Refunds |
19.04.202517:20 | flynas 5018 | Istanbul (SAW) Antalya (AYT) | delayed | Refunds |
19.04.202516:55 | flynas 5404 | Istanbul (SAW) Gaziantep (GZT) | delayed | Refunds |
19.04.202516:25 | flynas 5252 | Istanbul (SAW) Milas (BJV) | delayed | Refunds |
19.04.202513:45 | flynas 5824 | Istanbul (SAW) Trabzon (TZX) | cancelled | Refunds |
19.04.202513:35 | flynas 5135 | Istanbul (SAW) Paris (ORY) | delayed | Refunds |
19.04.202511:00 | flynas 5953 | Istanbul (SAW) Geneva (GVA) | delayed | Refunds |
16.04.202520:50 | flynas 5740 | Istanbul (SAW) Kayseri (ASR) | delayed | Refunds |
16.04.202520:45 | flynas 5794 | Istanbul (SAW) Samsun (SZF) | delayed | Refunds |
16.04.202519:35 | flynas 5218 | Istanbul (SAW) Istanbul (ADB) | delayed | Refunds |
16.04.202519:00 | flynas 5818 | Istanbul (SAW) Trabzon (TZX) | delayed | Refunds |
16.04.202518:35 | flynas 5094 | Istanbul (SAW) Covilha (COV) | delayed | Refunds |
16.04.202518:35 | flynas 5384 | Istanbul (SAW) Diyarbakir (DIY) | delayed | Refunds |
16.04.202518:20 | flynas 5292 | Istanbul (SAW) Dalaman (DLM) | delayed | Refunds |
16.04.202518:15 | flynas 5204 | Istanbul (SAW) Istanbul (ADB) | delayed | Refunds |
16.04.202516:20 | flynas 5290 | Istanbul (SAW) Dalaman (DLM) | delayed | Refunds |
16.04.202515:40 | flynas 5343 | Istanbul (SAW) Pristina (PRN) | delayed | Refunds |
16.04.202514:55 | flynas 5088 | Istanbul (SAW) Covilha (COV) | delayed | Refunds |
16.04.202509:55 | flynas 159 | Riyadh (RUH) Al Ula (ULH) | delayed | Refunds |
13.04.202518:15 | flynas 5204 | Istanbul (SAW) Istanbul (ADB) | delayed | Refunds |
13.04.202517:30 | flynas 5292 | Istanbul (SAW) Dalaman (DLM) | delayed | Refunds |
13.04.202515:15 | flynas 5343 | Istanbul (SAW) Pristina (PRN) | delayed | Refunds |
13.04.202514:05 | flynas 5824 | Istanbul (SAW) Trabzon (TZX) | delayed | Refunds |
13.04.202513:40 | flynas 5165 | Istanbul (SAW) London (STN) | delayed | Refunds |
12.04.202511:35 | flynas 5792 | Istanbul (SAW) Samsun (SZF) | delayed | Refunds |
12.04.202511:35 | flynas 5161 | Istanbul (SAW) London (STN) | delayed | Refunds |
12.04.202511:00 | flynas 5953 | Istanbul (SAW) Geneva (GVA) | delayed | Refunds |
12.04.202510:50 | flynas 5090 | Istanbul (SAW) Covilha (COV) | delayed | Refunds |
12.04.202510:30 | flynas 5881 | Istanbul (SAW) Manchester (MAN) | delayed | Refunds |
