One of the most common reasons for flight interruptions is flight strikes, which may be 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.
Continue reading to find out how you can get compensation and under what circumstances.
Your Passenger Rights
The good news is that any passenger is protected by EU Regulation 261. The EU 261 is a European Union law that sets the rules for compensation and assistance to passengers in cases of flight disruptions. Now, let’s take a closer look at passenger rights, under European Regulation 261:
- The airline must provide passengers 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 rebooking 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 decide to reroute, 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 SmartLynx Airlines Strike Compensation
Often, SmartLynx Airlines strikes involve their employees. These can be engineers, pilots, flight attendants, or any other crucial personnel. As you now know, you may be eligible for 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 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 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 are entitled to claim flight compensation.
Nonetheless, you need to be aware 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.
SmartLynx Airlines Strike Compensation
Before seeking the airline strike compensation, it’s important to understand the criteria and the amount of compensation you could be entitled to.
SmartLynx Airlines 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 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 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 duration of the delay. It’s essential to understand these details, as only that is how you can be calm regarding the fair flight delay compensation you deserve. In the following, you can see a table with the amounts of compensation you may 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 |
SmartLynx Airlines Strike Flight Cancellation Compensation
Sometimes, it also happens that airline strikes cause flight cancellations. According to EU 261, you are eligible for 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 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 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 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. 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 SmartLynx Airlines Flights Are Covered by EU261?
The 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/from Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland.
The table below shows which SmartLynx Airlines flights are covered 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 SmartLynx Airlines Strike Compensation
If you’ve faced flight cancellations or delays at least once, you know how frustrating it can be.
Passengers who face any of these issues on SmartLynx Airlines flights are entitled to claim compensation, according to EU regulations. Follow these steps to claim compensation:
- Fill in our 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 know the EU laws well and will strive to get you your compensation. You only pay us if we win your case.
Recent Flight Delays and Cancellations
Was your flight delayed or cancelled due to the strike? Check our table for the latest flight delays and cancellations. Assess your right to compensation using our claim checker, and let us protect your rights and pursue compensation for you.
Did not find your flight in our table? Try our compensation form, and we will check it for you.
Date | Airline (Flight number) | Route | Status | Your compensation |
---|---|---|---|---|
30.03.202514:05 | SmartLynx Airlines 7126 | Lagos (LOS) Abuja (ABV) | delayed | Refunds |
28.03.202517:45 | SmartLynx Airlines 3242 | Istanbul (SAW) Hatay (HTY) | delayed | Refunds |
28.03.202516:05 | SmartLynx Airlines 7862 | Abuja (ABV) Asaba (ABB) | delayed | Refunds |
26.03.202516:05 | SmartLynx Airlines 7862 | Abuja (ABV) Asaba (ABB) | delayed | Refunds |
26.03.202512:20 | SmartLynx Airlines 8110 | Riga (RIX) Chateauroux (CHR) | delayed | Refunds |
21.03.202516:05 | SmartLynx Airlines 7862 | Abuja (ABV) Asaba (ABB) | delayed | Refunds |
20.03.202516:05 | SmartLynx Airlines 7862 | Abuja (ABV) Asaba (ABB) | delayed | Refunds |
19.03.202516:05 | SmartLynx Airlines 7862 | Abuja (ABV) Asaba (ABB) | delayed | Refunds |
17.03.202521:53 | SmartLynx Airlines | Rennes (RNS) Cologne (CGN) | delayed | Refunds |
17.03.202516:05 | SmartLynx Airlines 7862 | Abuja (ABV) Asaba (ABB) | delayed | Refunds |
17.03.202510:00 | SmartLynx Airlines 2476 | Kolkata (CCU) New Delhi (DEL) | delayed | Refunds |
11.03.202514:05 | SmartLynx Airlines 7174 | Lagos (LOS) Benin City (BNI) | delayed | Refunds |
08.03.202517:10 | SmartLynx Airlines 7862 | Abuja (ABV) Asaba (ABB) | delayed | Refunds |
03.03.202511:55 | SmartLynx Airlines 53 | Istanbul (SAW) Zurich (ZRH) | delayed | Refunds |