One of the most common factors behind flight disruptions is flight strikes, which may be initiated by the personnel, an airport itself, or an airline. As a passenger, you should be aware of European Union Regulation 261, according to which you might be qualified for compensation of up to 600 Euros.
Read on to find out how to obtain compensation and when you qualify.
Your Passenger Rights
The good news is that any passenger is protected by EU Regulation 261. The EU 261/2004 is a European Union regulation 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 EU 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 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 obligated 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 Volotea Strike Compensation
Often, Volotea strikes involve their staff. These can be pilots, engineers, flight attendants, or any other crucial personnel. As you now know, you can seek 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 occurs, the airline could have potentially foreseen and handled such incidents, thus 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. As a result, 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.
Volotea Strike Compensation
Before claiming compensation for an airline strike, it’s important to understand the requirements and the amount of compensation you might receive.
Volotea Strike Flight Delay Compensation
The longer a flight is delayed, the more trouble it creates for travelers. 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 essential to know 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 considering the potential sum of compensation, passengers need to take two critical factors into account: the distance of the flight and the delay length they experience. It’s crucial 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 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 |
Volotea Strike Flight Cancellation Compensation
Sometimes, it also happens that airline strikes result in flight cancellations. Under EU Regulation 261/2004, you are eligible for compensation of up to 600 Euros. Note 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 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 determined by 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 Volotea Flights Are Covered by EU261?
Regulation EU261 applies to every flight departing from EU airports, regardless of the airline, as well as flights arriving in the EU from non-EU countries when operated by EU airlines. The regulation also covers flights to and from Switzerland, Iceland, and Norway.
The table below shows which Volotea flights are protected 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 Volotea Strike Compensation
If you have experienced flight cancellations or delays at least once, you know how irritating it can be.
Travelers who face any of these situations on Volotea flights have a right to claim compensation, according to EU regulations. Follow these steps to claim compensation:
- Complete 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 are well-versed in the EU laws comprehensively and will make every effort to obtain your rightful compensation. You only incur a fee if we win your case.