One of the most common causes of flight interruptions is flight strikes, which are often arranged by airline workers, an airport itself, or an airline. As a passenger, you should be aware of the EU 261 regulation, under which you might be eligible for compensation of up to 600 Euros.
Read on 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 261/2004 is a European Union regulation that sets the rules for assistance and compensation to passengers in cases of flight disruptions. Now, let’s take a closer look at air passenger rights, according to EU 261:
- The airline must provide travelers with information about their rights.
- In case of flight cancellation, a passenger has the right to choose one of these 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 airport and the hotel.
- Compensation from 250 to 600 euros per passenger
When You Are Entitled to Sky Express Strike Compensation
Often, Sky Express strikes involve their staff. These could be pilots, engineers, flight attendants, or other essential staff. As you’re now aware, you may be eligible for airline strike compensation, if your travel was disrupted. The compensation will then cover the inconvenience you encountered due to the strike.
It is also crucial 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. 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 made by the airline’s own employees, these are not cases of extraordinary circumstances. Consequently, passengers are entitled to claim flight compensation.
However, 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 pay compensation.
Sky Express Strike Compensation
Before seeking the airline strike compensation, you need to know about the conditions and the amount of compensation you could be entitled to.
Sky Express Strike Flight Delay Compensation
The longer a flight is delayed, the more trouble it creates for travelers. 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 important to know that if your flight is delayed for over 3 hours because of a strike, you are eligible for compensation from the airline for the inconvenience caused.
In evaluating the potential sum of compensation, passengers should take two critical facts into account: the flight’s distance and the duration of the delay. It’s crucial to understand these factors, as only that is how you can be calm regarding the fair flight delay compensation you deserve. Below 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 |
Sky Express Strike Flight Cancellation Compensation
Sometimes, it also happens that airline strikes cause flight cancellation. Under EU Regulation 261, you may receive 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.
However, 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 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 can 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 Sky Express Flights Are Covered by EU261?
EU261 regulation applies to all flights departing from EU airports, regardless of the airline, as well as flights arriving in the EU from outside the EU if they are operated by EU airlines. It also applies to flights to/from Switzerland, Iceland, and Norway.
The following table shows which Sky Express 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 Sky Express Strike Compensation
If you have faced flight delays or cancellations at least once, you know how annoying it can be.
Passengers who encounter any of these situations on Sky Express flights have a right to claim compensation, according to the EU regulations. Follow these steps to claim compensation:
- Fill in this form. You’ll need to provide details like your flight number, date, and the issue you encountered.
- Let our experts help you. Once you submit the form, our team will handle the rest. We are well-versed in the EU laws thoroughly and will do our best to secure your compensation. You only incur a fee if we win your case.