One of the most common causes of flight disruptions is flight strikes, which can be organized by the personnel, an airport itself, or an airline. As a passenger, you should be aware of the EU 261 regulation, under which you may be eligible for compensation of up to 600 Euros.
Read on to find out how to obtain compensation and in which situations.
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 delays and cancellations. Now, let’s take a closer look at passenger rights, according to European Regulation 261:
- The airline is required to provide travelers with information about their rights.
- In case of flight cancellation, a passenger is entitled to choose one of these options: either a ticket refund or rebooking 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 choose an alternative flight, 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 TAP Air Portugal Strike Compensation
Often, TAP Air Portugal strikes involve their employees. These could be flight attendants, pilots, engineers, or any other crucial personnel. As you now know, you can seek compensation for airline strikes, 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 outside of the airline’s control. If a strike is considered one of these circumstances, the airline is not required to provide compensation. Importantly, if a staff strike occurs, the airline could have potentially foreseen and handled such incidents, therefore 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.
However, 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 provide compensation.
TAP Air Portugal Strike Compensation
Before claiming compensation for an airline strike, you need to know about the conditions and the amount of compensation you could be entitled to.
TAP Air Portugal 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 passengers’ 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 over 3 hours due to a strike, you have the right to seek compensation from the airline for the inconvenience caused.
In evaluating the potential sum of compensation, passengers need to take two critical facts into account: the flight’s distance and the duration of the delay. It’s crucial to understand these details, as only that is how you can be calm regarding the fair flight delay compensation you are entitled to. Below you can find 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 |
TAP Air Portugal Strike Flight Cancellation Compensation
Sometimes, it also happens that airline strikes cause flight cancellation. According to EU 261/2004, 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 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 the destination point was still delayed, you can claim compensation.
The amount of the compensation is determined by 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 TAP Air Portugal Flights Are Covered by EU261?
Regulation EU261 applies to all flights departing from EU airports, regardless of the airline, as well as flights arriving in the EU from outside the EU when operated by EU airlines. It also applies to flights to/from Norway, Switzerland, and Iceland.
The following table shows which TAP Air Portugal 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 TAP Air Portugal Strike Compensation
If you’ve experienced flight cancellations or delays at least once, you know how irritating it can be.
Travelers who face any of these issues on TAP Air Portugal 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 including your flight number, date, and what went wrong.
- Let our experts help you. Once you submit the form, our team will take over. We know the EU laws well and will do our best to obtain your rightful compensation. You are only charged if we win your case.