One of the most common causes of flight disruptions is flight strikes, which are often arranged by airline workers, an airport itself, or an airline. As a passenger, you should be aware of EU Regulation 261, under which you could be qualified for compensation of up to 600 Euros.
Learn more to find out how you can get compensation and when you qualify.
Your Passenger Rights
The good news is that any passenger is protected by the EU 261 regulation. The EU 261 is a European Union regulation 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 passengers with information about their rights.
- In the event of flight cancellation, a passenger is entitled to select 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 choose an alternative flight, 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 between 250 to 600 euros per passenger
When You Are Entitled to Icelandair Strike Compensation
Frequently, Icelandair strikes involve their workers. These can be engineers, pilots, flight attendants, or other essential staff. As you’re now aware, you can seek compensation for airline strikes, if your trip was disrupted. The compensation will then cover the inconvenience you encountered due to 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 obliged to provide compensation. Importantly, if a staff strike happens, the airline could have potentially foreseen and managed such incidents, thus such cases 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.
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.
Icelandair Strike Compensation
Before seeking the airline strike compensation, it’s important to understand the requirements and the amount of compensation you might receive.
Icelandair 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 travelers’ plans and make them arrive at their final destination much later than expected. It is crucial to be aware that if your flight is delayed for more than 3 hours due to a strike, you are eligible for compensation from the airline for the inconvenience caused.
In considering 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 factors, as only that is how you can be calm regarding the fair flight delay compensation you deserve. In the following, you can find 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 |
Icelandair 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 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 requirements 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 your destination 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. 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 Icelandair Flights Are Covered by EU261?
Regulation EU261 applies to every flight departing from airports in the EU, regardless of the airline, as well as flights arriving in the EU from non-EU countries if they are operated by EU airlines. It also applies to flights to and from Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland.
The table below shows which Icelandair flights are covered by EU 261:
| Itinerary | Covered by EU 261 |
| Flights departing the EU airports | ✅ Covered |
| Flights arriving at the EU airports | ✅ Covered |
How to Claim Icelandair Strike Compensation
If you’ve experienced flight delays or cancellations at least once, you know how frustrating it can be.
Passengers who experience any of these situations on Icelandair flights are entitled to claim compensation, according to the EU regulations. Follow these steps to claim compensation:
- Complete this form. You’ll need to provide details including 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 get you your compensation. You only incur a fee if we win your case.