Swiss International Air Lines Strike Compensation

One of the most common causes of flight interruptions is flight strikes, which are often arranged by the personnel, an airport itself, or an airline. As a passenger, you should be aware of European Union Regulation 261, under which you could be entitled to 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 every air traveler is protected by EU Regulation 261. The EU 261/2004 is a European Union law that sets the rules for compensation and assistance for travelers in cases of flight disruptions. Now, let’s take a closer look at passenger rights, under EU 261:

• The airline is required to provide travelers with information about their rights.
• In case 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 between 250 to 600 euros per passenger

When You Are Entitled to Swiss International Air Lines Strike Compensation

Frequently, Swiss International Air Lines strikes involve their employees. These can be engineers, pilots, flight attendants, or other essential employees. As you now know, you have the right to claim compensation for airline strikes, if your trip was disrupted. The compensation will then cover the inconvenience you experienced because of 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 obliged to provide compensation. Importantly, if a staff strike happens, the airline could have potentially foreseen and managed 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. Consequently, passengers are entitled to claim flight compensation.

However, you should understand that each incident is unique, meaning that every flight disruption caused by a strike must be carefully analyzed to determine whether the airline will provide compensation.

Swiss International Air Lines Strike Compensation

Before seeking compensation for an airline strike, it’s important to understand the conditions and the amount of compensation you could be entitled to.

Swiss International Air Lines 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 passengers’ plans and make them arrive at their final destination much later than expected. It is essential to understand that if your flight is delayed for more than 3 hours because of a strike, you can claim compensation from the airline for the inconvenience caused.

When considering 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. Below you can see 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

Swiss International Air Lines Strike Flight Cancellation Compensation

Sometimes, it also happens that airline strikes result in flight cancellations. According to EU Regulation 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 14 days before your travel.

However, 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 criteria 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 are entitled 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. Check 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 Swiss International Air Lines Flights Are Covered by EU261?

Regulation EU261 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 if they are operated by airlines based in the EU. It also applies to flights to/from Norway, Switzerland, and Iceland.

The table below shows which Swiss International Air Lines flights are covered by EU Regulation 261:

Itinerary	Covered by EU 261
Flights departing the EU airports	✅ Covered
Flights arriving at the EU airports	✅ Covered

How to Claim Swiss International Air Lines Strike Compensation

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

Travelers who face any of these issues on Swiss International Air Lines flights have a right to claim compensation, according to EU regulations. Follow these steps to claim compensation:

1. Complete this form. You’ll need to provide details such as 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 understand the EU laws comprehensively and will strive to get you your compensation. You only incur a fee if we win your case.

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