Ryanair Strike Compensation

One of the most common causes of flight interruptions is flight strikes, which may be initiated by airline staff, an airport itself, or an airline. As a passenger, you should be aware of European Union Regulation 261, according to which you may be eligible for compensation of up to 600 Euros.

Continue reading to find out how to obtain compensation and when you qualify.

Your Passenger Rights

The good news is that any passenger is protected by EU Regulation 261. The EU 261/2004 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 passenger rights, under EU 261:

• The airline needs to provide travelers with information about their rights.
• In the event of flight cancellation, a passenger has the right 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 decide to reroute, 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 Ryanair Strike Compensation

Frequently, Ryanair strikes involve their staff. These can be flight attendants, pilots, engineers, or any other crucial staff. As you’re now aware, you can seek airline strike compensation, if your trip was disrupted. The compensation will then cover the inconvenience you encountered due to the strike.

It is also important 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 occurs, the airline could have potentially foreseen and handled such incidents, therefore such cases are within the airline’s control. That is when flight disruptions are made by the airline’s own employees, they are not cases of extraordinary circumstances. As a result, passengers are entitled to claim flight compensation.

Nonetheless, 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 pay compensation.

Ryanair Strike Compensation

Before claiming the airline strike compensation, you should be aware of the criteria and the amount of compensation you could be entitled to.

Ryanair Strike Flight Delay Compensation

The longer a flight is delayed, the more trouble it creates for travelers. 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 important to know that if your flight is delayed for more than 3 hours because of a strike, you are entitled to compensation from the airline for the inconvenience caused.

In assessing the potential sum of compensation, passengers need to 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 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

Ryanair Strike Flight Cancellation Compensation

Sometimes, it also happens that airline strikes cause flight cancellations. Under 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 rules, and here is the case. The airline has a right 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 your destination was still delayed, you can claim compensation.

The amount of the compensation fully depends 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 Ryanair Flights Are Covered by EU261?

EU261 regulation covers every flight 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. The regulation also covers flights to and from Norway, Switzerland, and Iceland.

The table below shows which Ryanair 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 Ryanair Strike Compensation

If you have experienced flight cancellations or delays at least once, you know how irritating it can be.

Travelers who face any of these issues on Ryanair flights are entitled to claim compensation, according to EU regulations. Follow these steps to claim compensation:

1. Complete this form. You’ll need to provide details like your flight number, date, and the problem you faced.
2. Let our experts help you. Once you submit the form, our team will take over. We know the EU laws comprehensively and will do our best to get you your compensation. You are only charged if we win your case.