Flight cancelled or delayed by a strike?
Check the separate questions of refund or rerouting, care and possible fixed compensation after an airline, airport or air-traffic-control strike.
The short answer
A strike does not produce one automatic result. If a covered flight is cancelled, refund or rerouting and care can remain relevant even when fixed compensation is disputed. Compensation depends on the route, operating airline, notice or final-arrival delay, who was on strike and whether the airline could reasonably avoid the disruption.
This form estimates an EU261 path only. For a UK departure or a UK-airline arrival, use the full EU/UK calculator; translating the route does not change which law applies.
U.S. itinerary: refund is not the same as compensation
For a U.S. itinerary outside EU or UK coverage, federal rules do not create the same fixed EU261-style compensation bands. If the airline cancels or makes a significant change and you decline the alternative offered, the U.S. Department of Transportation says the ticket price and covered fees must be refunded to the original form of payment. Airline commitments for controllable disruptions are a separate check.
Read the U.S. DOT refund ruleWho was on strike?
Disruption
How to document a strike-related disruption
Identify who was actually taking industrial action. A strike by the operating airline’s own staff and a strike by airport, security or air-traffic-control staff do not enter the EU extraordinary-circumstances analysis in the same way. Ask the airline for the precise cause in writing.
Compensation is only one question. Keep cancellation notice, final-arrival timing, rerouting offers and reasonable meal, hotel and local-transport receipts so care, refund and replacement-transport issues can be assessed separately.
Evidence checklist
- Name of the striking employer or workforce
- Exact notice and final-arrival timing
- Written cause, rerouting offers and care receipts