With cabin crew ballots at Loganair, a looming walkout at Leeds Bradford Airport and easyJet’s Portuguese strikes, industrial action is causing more UK flight disruption than usual. The good news: when the strikers work for the airline itself, your compensation rights are among the strongest in travel.
The key rule: whose strike is it?
Under UK261 (for flights departing the UK) and EU261 (for EU departures), airlines do not have to pay fixed cash compensation for extraordinary circumstances, things genuinely beyond their control like extreme weather or air traffic control failures.
But a strike by the airline’s own employees, such as its cabin crew or pilots, is not an extraordinary circumstance. Courts have repeatedly confirmed this. So if your flight is cancelled because of an internal staff strike, cash compensation applies.
How much can you claim?
The amount depends on flight distance:
- Up to 250 euros for short hops under 1,500km
- Up to 400 euros for mid-range flights of 1,500 to 3,500km, which covers most UK to Portugal or Spain routes
- Up to 600 euros for long-haul over 3,500km
For flights departing the UK, UK261 sets the equivalent in pounds: up to 520 pounds.
What else the airline owes you
Cash compensation is only part of it. The airline must also offer you a choice between a full refund and rerouting to your destination at the earliest opportunity. During the wait, it must provide care: meals, refreshments, hotel accommodation and transport where an overnight stay is needed.
Five steps to protect your claim
- Wait for the airline to cancel. Do not self-rebook first, or claiming becomes much harder.
- Keep every receipt for food, hotels and alternative transport.
- Screenshot the cancellation notice and any airline communications.
- Claim directly with the airline first, through its disruption or claims page.
- If the airline refuses or ignores you, escalate to the CAA’s PACT scheme for UK261 claims.
When compensation does not apply
You cannot claim fixed compensation if you were told about the cancellation more than 14 days in advance, or if the disruption comes from a third party such as airport security staff rather than the airline’s own employees. You are still entitled to refund or rerouting in those cases.
Bookmark this guide. With several disputes still unresolved, you may need it before the year is out.
