One of the most common reasons for flight disruptions is flight strikes, which can be arranged by the personnel, 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.
Continue reading to find out how you can get 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 compensation and assistance 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 must provide passengers with information about their rights.
- In case of flight cancellation, a passenger is entitled 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 airport and the hotel.
- Compensation from 250 to 600 euros per passenger
When You Are Entitled to iberia Strike Compensation
Frequently, iberia strikes involve their staff. These could be flight attendants, pilots, engineers, or other essential personnel. 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 essential 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 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 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 pay compensation.
iberia Strike Compensation
Before seeking the airline strike compensation, you should be aware of the conditions and the amount of compensation you could be entitled to.
iberia 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 essential to be aware that if your flight is delayed for over 3 hours because of a strike, you have the right to seek compensation from the airline for the inconvenience caused.
In considering the potential sum of compensation, passengers need to take two critical factors into account: the distance of the flight and the duration of the delay. It’s crucial to understand these details, as only that is how you can be calm regarding the fair flight delay compensation you are entitled to. In the following, you can see a table with the amounts of compensation you can 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 |
iberia Strike Flight Cancellation Compensation
Sometimes, it also happens that airline strikes result in flight cancellations. According to EU 261, you may receive 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 14 days before your travel.
However, 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 based on the flight distance and the time of delay in arriving at the final destination. Check 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 iberia Flights Are Covered by EU261?
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 when operated by EU airlines. It also applies to flights to and from Switzerland, Iceland, and Norway.
The following table shows which iberia 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 iberia Strike Compensation
If you’ve faced flight cancellations or delays at least once, you understand how annoying it can be.
Passengers who experience any of these situations on iberia flights have a right to claim compensation, according to European Union 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 manage the process. We understand the EU laws comprehensively and will make every effort to secure your compensation. You are only charged if we win your case.