One of the most common reasons for flight disruptions is flight strikes, which may be arranged by airline workers, an airport itself, or an airline. As a passenger, you should be aware of European Union 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 under what circumstances.
Your Passenger Rights
The good news is that every air traveler is protected by EU Regulation 261. The EU 261/2004 is a European Union regulation 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 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 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 meals and drinks; 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 required 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 Lufthansa Strike Compensation
Frequently, Lufthansa strikes involve their employees. These could be engineers, pilots, flight attendants, or any other crucial employees. As you’re now aware, you can seek airline strike compensation, if your travel 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 outside of the airline’s control. If a strike is considered one of these circumstances, the airline is not required to provide compensation. It is important to note if a staff strike happens, the airline could have potentially foreseen and managed such incidents, thus these situations are within the airline’s control. That is when flight disruptions are caused by the airline’s own employees, they 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.
Lufthansa Strike Compensation
Before claiming compensation for an airline strike, it’s important to understand the conditions and the amount of compensation you could be entitled to.
Lufthansa 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 crucial to be aware that if your flight is delayed for more than 3 hours due to a strike, you can claim compensation from the airline for the inconvenience caused.
When considering the potential sum of compensation, passengers should take two critical factors into account: the distance of the flight and the delay length they experience. It’s crucial to understand these factors, 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 could 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 |
Lufthansa Strike Flight Cancellation Compensation
Sometimes, it also happens that airline strikes cause flight cancellation. According to EU Regulation 261/2004, 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 two weeks before your travel.
Nevertheless, there are always some exceptions to the rules, 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 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 are entitled 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 Lufthansa Flights Are Covered by EU261?
Regulation EU261 covers every flight departing from EU airports, regardless of the airline, as well as flights arriving in the EU from outside the EU when operated by EU airlines. The regulation also covers flights to and from Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland.
The following table shows which Lufthansa flights are protected by EU 261/2004:
| Itinerary | Covered by EU 261 |
| Flights departing the EU airports | ✅ Covered |
| Flights arriving at the EU airports | ✅ Covered |
How to Claim Lufthansa Strike Compensation
If you’ve faced flight delays or cancellations at least once, you understand how irritating it can be.
Passengers who experience any of these situations on Lufthansa 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 like your flight number, date, and the problem you faced.
- Let our experts help you. Once you submit the form, our team will handle the rest. We understand the EU laws well and will do our best to obtain your rightful compensation. You only incur a fee if we win your case.