Airline strike compensation: it depends whose strike it was
EU261 and UK261 treat strikes differently. A strike by the airline's own staff is often within its control; third-party strikes, such as air traffic control, can be extraordinary. Check your flight and we'll assess which applies.
Checked by the FlightCompensations editorial team
Last updated 1 July 2026 · Editorial & corrections policy
Does an airline strike mean compensation?
Key takeaways
- Strikes by the airline's own staff are often NOT extraordinary, because managing labour relations is part of running an airline.
- Third-party strikes (ATC, airport security, ground handlers) are more often extraordinary — but this still depends on the facts.
- Compensation is never automatic for a strike; the cause, the notice given and the airline's mitigation all matter.
- Care rights (meals, refreshments and accommodation where needed) and the right to a refund or re-routing usually apply regardless of who struck.
- The airline carries the burden of proving a strike was extraordinary and unavoidable.
Is there cabin crew strike compensation, and which strikes are extraordinary circumstances?
May qualify for compensation
- The flight fell under EU261 or UK261 (departing the EU/EEA or UK on any airline, arriving in the EU/EEA on an EU carrier, or arriving in the UK on a UK or EU carrier).
- You had a confirmed booking and checked in on time.
- The flight was cancelled, or you arrived 3+ hours late at your final destination.
- The disruption stemmed from a strike that may have been within the airline's control — for example a walkout by its own employees.
Usually excluded
- Disruption from a genuinely external strike (e.g. nationwide ATC action) that the airline could not have avoided even with all reasonable measures.
- Cancellations where the airline gave at least 14 days' advance notice.
- Arrival less than 3 hours late at the final destination.
- Flights with no EU/EEA/UK connection under these regulations.
Which rules apply to your flight?
EU Regulation 261/2004 applies to flights departing any EU/EEA airport (any airline) and flights arriving in the EU/EEA on an EU/EEA carrier.
The Court of Justice has held that a 'wildcat' strike, or one by the airline's own staff, can fall within the carrier's control. Strikes outside the airline are judged differently. Each case turns on its own facts, and the airline must prove any extraordinary circumstance and that it took all reasonable measures.
How much airline strike compensation do you get?
Potential EU261 / UK261 compensation by flight distance
| Flight | Amount |
|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | €250 |
| 1,500–3,500 km (and all intra-EU over 1,500 km) | €400 |
| Over 3,500 km | €600 |
These bands apply only if the strike is deemed to be within the airline's control (not extraordinary). They are per passenger and illustrative until eligibility and the cause of the strike are verified.
What should you do when a strike hits your flight?
- 1Note whose strike it was — the airline's own staff, or a third party such as ATC or airport security.
- 2Record your original scheduled and actual arrival times, or the cancellation notice date.
- 3Ask the airline, in writing, to state the specific cause and when the airline told you.
- 4Keep receipts for meals, refreshments and any accommodation.
- 5Check your eligibility and start a claim so we can assess whether the strike was within the airline's control.
Which documents should you keep?
How do you claim?
- 1Enter your flight number and date to get a preliminary assessment.
- 2Tell us what the airline said caused the disruption, including whose strike it was.
- 3We assess whether the strike is likely within the airline's control and prepare the claim.
- 4If we recover compensation, you receive the airline's award and pay our fixed €39 fee.
Frequently asked questions
Are all strikes extraordinary circumstances?
No. It depends on who went on strike. A walkout by the airline's own employees is often treated as within its control, while a strike by air traffic control or airport security is more often extraordinary. The airline must prove the circumstance was extraordinary and unavoidable.
My flight was cancelled because the airline's pilots struck — can I claim?
Possibly. Strikes by an airline's own staff are frequently not considered extraordinary, so compensation may be due if you were not given 14 days' notice. It still depends on the specific facts and the airline's evidence.
What about an air traffic control strike?
ATC strikes are external to the airline and are more often treated as extraordinary, which can remove compensation. Your care and refund or re-routing rights generally still apply.
Do I still get meals and a hotel during a strike?
Yes. Care rights — meals, refreshments and a hotel where needed — apply through any long delay or cancellation. It makes no difference whether the strike was extraordinary, as long as EU261 or UK261 covers the flight.
Sources
- Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 — the regulation itself, in every EU language
- Krüsemann v TUIfly (C-195/17) — a wildcat strike by the airline's own crew is not extraordinary
- Wallentin-Hermann v Alitalia (C-549/07) — what 'extraordinary circumstances' actually means
- UK Civil Aviation Authority — passenger rights — the UK regulator's own guidance and complaint route
Does your flight qualify?
Free in about 15 seconds. You receive the airline's compensation and pay only our fixed €39 fee after success.
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