EU Air Passengers Rights in case of Strikes

EU Air Passengers Rights in case of Strikes in the Aviation Industry

The strike in the aviation industry or airport inevitably leads to cancellation or inordinate delays in flight schedules. The airlines typically are quick to express their helplessness and consider the situation beyond their control. The passengers are obviously left clueless about their carriage to the destination. The fine prints of the terms and conditions of all airlines implicitly reflect the lackadaisical approach to their customers in the event of any labor related strike. All such strikes are considered as ‘extraordinary circumstances’ beyond control and the airlines are thus granted immunity from paying compensation to air passengers for the consequent delay or cancellations. Therefore, it is usually very difficult to claim/win any compensation due to strike related delays or cancellations.

Claim Compensation for Delayed or Cancelled Flights due to Strikes

Strikes rarely occur in European Union airports. Nevertheless the past few years have seen some major strikes which have severely impacted the aviation industry and have taken its toll on the relatively smooth and efficient operations of some major European Airline companies as well as its major airports. When the giant and established leader of European aviation industry like Lufthansa suffered from multiple strikes and labor unrest in recent years; any airline company could be vulnerable to the threat. These strikes besides causing serious inconvenience to travelling passengers also adversely affect the economic health of airline industry.

Getting Money from the Airlines for Flights Delayed or Cancelled Due to Strikes

The EC regulation 261/2004 which governs the rights of air passengers envisages that when the reason for flight delay or cancellations are due to “Acts of God”, the airlines will not be obligated to pay compensation claims. The strike is arguably an “extraordinary circumstance” or an “Act of God” and the existing laws and its interpretations are tilted in favor of airlines. The probability of your claim fructification in the event of strike is dismally low which is further substantiated by lack of any precedence in this count.

Using the flight compensation calculator to find out how much to flight delay compensation to claim

Claim Flights offers a Flight Compensation Calculator for calculating the amount of compensation the passenger may claim for delays and cancellations caused by strikes. This calculator serves as an effective tool to help customers not only find out whether or not they can claim compensation but also to find out exactly how much they could receive. This tool proves to be the easiest solution for helping passengers without having to go through the complicated procedure of claiming compensation, not knowing whether or to how much they are entitled.