ClaimableApril–Summer
🇩🇪 Lufthansa Summer Strike Threat
Two April–May strike waves cancelled thousands of Lufthansa flights, including an 8-hour cabin-crew walkout on April 30 and a 48-hour pilot strike on May 4–5. The Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) pilots’ union holds a 96% strike mandate and can call fresh action on just 48 hours’ notice through the summer. Frankfurt and Munich are highest risk.
Own-staff strikes are NOT extraordinary circumstances (Krüsemann v TUIfly). Claim €250–€600 per passenger + expenses.
Know Your RightsFrom April 17
🇪🇸 Spain Indefinite ATC Walkout
An indefinite air traffic control strike began on April 17 at towers operated by private contractor SAERCO, extended under minimum-service rules through at least the end of May. Affects 14 airports, including five Canary Islands hubs (Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, La Palma, El Hierro and La Gomera).
ATC strikes don’t qualify for cash, but rebooking, refunds, meals & hotels are still owed.
Strike RiskMid-June–August
🇬🇧 Heathrow Security Weekend Strikes
Unite announced that around 1,400 Heathrow security screeners will stage weekend walkouts from mid-June through late August after rejecting the airport’s pay offer. The action covers Terminal 5 and central search areas and threatens long queues across the UK school-holiday peak.
Airport-staff queues may not trigger cash, but if your flight is cancelled the airline must rebook & cover care.
Disruption RiskLive since April 10
🇪🇺 EU Entry/Exit System (EES) Now Live
The EES biometric border system is now fully operational across the Schengen area. Processing times have risen sharply at some airports — aviation bodies have warned of summer queues of several hours. Member states can partially suspend checks for up to 90 days to ease peak congestion, so procedures may vary by airport.
Long queues often signal wider airport disruption — and if your airline delayed or cancelled your flight, you may be owed compensation. Check in 60 seconds.
ClaimableMarch–April
🇸🇪 SAS Cancels 1,200+ Flights
SAS scrapped around 1,200 flights after a sharp spike in jet fuel prices. Mostly short-haul routes across Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Rising fuel costs are a commercial decision — not an extraordinary circumstance under EU261.
Airline chose to cancel. EU261 compensation €250–€600 applies. Don’t accept a voucher if you’re owed a refund.
Duty of CareOngoing
🌍 Middle East Airspace Disruption
Airspace closures and restrictions across parts of the Middle East have disrupted Europe–Asia routes, with reduced schedules through Gulf hubs including Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi. Reroutes mean longer flight times and knock-on delays.
Airlines must provide hotels, meals & rebooking — even during airspace closures.
Know Your RightsSummer
🇫🇷 France ATC Summer Congestion
French airspace remains one of the biggest summer disruption risks in Europe. France controls a large share of European overflights, so any walkout or staffing shortfall ripples across the continent. Paris CDG and Orly are flagged as high-exposure hubs for ATC-driven delays this summer.
ATC strikes don’t qualify for cash, but rebooking, refunds, meals & hotels are still owed.
Strike RiskFrom May 19
🇵🇹 Portugal Airport Strike Risk
Ground-handling licences at Lisbon, Porto and Faro expired May 19. If SPdH/Menzies loses the tender, unions warn that 3,700+ jobs are at risk — making further strike action highly likely during the summer peak.
Even during ground handling strikes, airlines must rebook you and cover meals & hotels.
Disruption RiskApril–Summer
🇮🇹 Italy Ongoing Strike Wave
Italy has seen repeated aviation disruptions through 2026 over below-inflation pay, spanning ENAV air-navigation staff, ground handlers and airline crews. Walkouts often avoid the early-morning window, so booking the first flight of the day lowers your risk.
Rebooking is free. Do not pay for a new flight yourself. Airlines must cover meals & hotels.
These disruptions are still claimable — you can file EU261 claims for several years after the flight date.
ClaimableApril 8–17
🇩🇪 Lufthansa April Strike Wave
Five separate stoppages by pilots (VC) and cabin crew (UFO) cancelled more than 2,700 Lufthansa flights between April 8 and 17, with peak days on April 15–17 grounding 80–90% of the schedule. Frankfurt and Munich were hardest hit.
Staff strikes = compensation €250–€600 + hotels, meals and transport. Still claimable.
ClaimableFeb 12 & March 12
🇩🇪 Lufthansa Winter Strikes
One-day strikes by the VC pilots’ and UFO cabin-crew unions caused waves of cancellations at Lufthansa’s German hubs on February 12 and again on March 12, part of a long-running dispute over pay, pensions and working conditions.
Own-staff strikes = compensation €250–€600 + expenses. Still claimable.
ClaimableFeb–March
🇮🇹 Italy Early 2026 Strike Wave
A series of aviation disruptions ran through February and March, including ground-handling and airline-crew walkouts at major Italian airports. Below-inflation pay disputes remained unresolved going into spring.
Ground staff and crew strikes are claimable. €250–€600 per passenger.
Duty of CareRecurring
🇬🇷 Greece National Strikes
Greece saw repeated 24-hour general strikes in early 2026, with ATC staff joining walkouts that severely disrupted Athens Airport. Unions have been protesting government labour-law changes, with transport shutdowns called at short notice.
Airlines must rebook you and cover meals & hotels — even during national strikes.
ClaimableJan–March
🇪🇺 Winter Knock-On Disruptions
Storm damage, crew shortages and technical issues caused widespread delays and cancellations across major hubs including Heathrow, Schiphol, Paris CDG and Frankfurt through the first quarter of 2026.
Technical and staffing issues are the airline’s fault. Claims valid for several years.
Duty of CareFrom April 10
🇪🇺 EES Border Rollout Begins
The EU’s biometric Entry/Exit System reached full deployment on April 10, replacing passport stamps for non-EU travellers. Early operations brought longer processing and inconsistent procedures at several Schengen airports — a factor in missed connections.
If an airline delay caused you to miss a connection, you may have a claim. Find out what you’re owed.
What Airlines Don’t Want You to Know
✕Airline claim: “Strikes & airspace closures mean no compensation, you’re on your own.”
✓The truth: Strikes by an airline’s OWN staff (pilots, cabin crew) qualify for cash compensation. For ATC and airport-staff strikes you may not get cash, but the airline must still cover hotels, meals and transport. Keep your receipts.
✓Advance cancellations: Airlines cancelling 14+ days ahead avoid EU261 cash — but the Montreal Convention may still let you claim proven losses. Don’t accept a voucher if you’re owed a refund.
No insurance needed — International Law (EU261/UK261/Montreal Convention) protects you automatically.
