Swiss International Air Lines Strike Compensation

One of the most common reasons for flight disruptions is flight strikes, which are often arranged by the personnel, an airport itself, or an airline. As a passenger, you should be aware of the EU 261 regulation, under which you could 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 every air traveler is protected by the EU 261 regulation. The EU 261/2004 is a European Union law 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, under European Regulation 261:

• The airline needs to provide passengers with information about their rights.
• In case of flight cancellation, a passenger is entitled 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 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 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 staff. These could be engineers, pilots, flight attendants, or any other crucial personnel. As you’re now aware, you can seek airline strike compensation, if your travel was disrupted. The compensation will then cover the inconvenience you experienced 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. Importantly, if a staff strike occurs, 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, 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 provide compensation.

Swiss International Air Lines Strike Compensation

Before claiming compensation for an airline strike, you need to know about the conditions and the amount of compensation you might receive.

Swiss International Air Lines Strike Flight Delay Compensation

The longer a flight is delayed, the more trouble it causes 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 crucial to understand that if your flight is delayed for over 3 hours because of a strike, you can claim compensation from the airline for the inconvenience caused.

In evaluating the potential sum of compensation, passengers need to take two critical factors into account: the flight’s distance and the delay length they experience. It is important 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 can 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

Swiss International Air Lines Strike Flight Cancellation Compensation

Sometimes, it also happens that airline strikes result in flight cancellations. According to EU Regulation 261/2004, you are eligible for compensation of up to 600 Euros. Keep in mind 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.

Nevertheless, there are always some exceptions to the rules, and here is the case. The airline is entitled to avoid paying compensation if it provides the passenger an alternative flight. This flight must meet the conditions 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 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 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 Swiss International Air Lines Flights Are Covered by EU261?

EU261 regulation covers every flight departing from EU airports, regardless of the airline, as well as flights arriving in the EU from non-EU countries if they are operated by EU airlines. It also applies to flights to and from Switzerland, Iceland, and Norway.

The following table shows which Swiss International Air Lines flights are protected by EU 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 faced flight cancellations or delays at least once, you know how annoying it can be.

Travelers who face any of these issues on Swiss International Air Lines flights are entitled to claim compensation, according to European Union regulations. Follow these steps to claim compensation:

1. Complete our form. You’ll need to provide details such as your flight number, date, and the issue you encountered.
2. Let our experts help you. Once you submit the form, our team will take over. We understand the EU laws well and will strive to get you your compensation. You only pay us if we win your case.