Flight canceled due to strike: 250-600 € compensation and ticket refund

A pilot or flight attendant strike throws the schedule into chaos. Passengers often find out their flight is canceled right at the airport. The ticket is paid for, the suitcase is packed, and the check-in counter is already closed.

Under EU Regulation 261/2004, the carrier must take care of the passenger even during a strike: food, drinks, and a hotel while waiting are part of its obligations (EU Regulation 261/2004). Compensation of 250, 400, or 600 € is not always paid, because everything depends on the type of strike (as of: 09/2026, EU Regulation 261/2004). Below: what to do at the airport, how to get your ticket refunded, and what rules apply to package tours.

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AIIllustrative image: AI-generated

What to do at the airport during a strike

💡 In short:

• Get written confirmation of the cancellation: a letter from the carrier, a screenshot of the departures board, the booking number.
• Keep receipts for food, taxis, and hotels: the carrier must reimburse these expenses.

You need to act while still at the airport, not from home, because it is easier to get written confirmation of the cancellation on the spot. If you need to fly today, ask the carrier for a replacement and set a written deadline for a response: the closer the departure, the shorter the deadline.

If there is no response by the deadline, book a replacement yourself and keep the receipt, because the airline must reimburse the extra costs if it did not offer an alternative. Without documents, recovering the money is almost impossible.

The carrier must provide food, drinks, and a hotel while you wait (conditions in the regulation). If it did not arrange accommodation itself, pay for the hotel and submit the bill. Keep your boarding passes, receipts, and correspondence, because they will be useful in a dispute.

Travelers with a package tour should also contact the tour operator, since it is the contractual counterparty and is responsible for the entire trip. One call to the airline is not enough here.

Canceled flight: rebooking or refund

The flight is canceled, but the ticket is paid for, so the carrier must get the passenger to the final destination. Part of the journey can be made by train or bus if a plane is unavailable (right to carriage).

If the airline did not offer a replacement itself and you bought the ticket on your own, the additional costs can be recovered. Demand reimbursement in writing and attach the receipts; a pre-court claim with a calculation is usually sufficient.

The second option: give up the trip. Then the full ticket price is refunded within seven days (Article 8 of the regulation), and the money is transferred using the same method used to pay for the ticket.

When compensation is due during a strike

Compensation is a fixed amount on top of the ticket refund, and it is due to the passenger in the event of cancellation or a long delay. But the carrier can cite extraordinary circumstances and refuse.

The EU Court checks three criteria: controllability, predictability, and the internal nature of the event. An organized strike by airline employees is not considered an extraordinary circumstance (case C-28/20, March 23, 2021). This works in your favor: the carrier pays compensation.

A strike by air traffic controllers or airport staff is assessed differently. Such a strike is external to the airline, and the airline does not control it, so there will most likely be no payout.

In the case of an external strike, the carrier must prove that it took all reasonable measures, for example that it tried to rebook the passenger on another flight. If there is no such evidence, the refusal to pay compensation is unlawful.

The amount depends on the route distance (European compensation rules):

According to EU Regulation 261/2004 (09/2026, source), the amount does not replace the ticket refund and does not depend on the ticket price.

Flight delay: what the passenger is entitled to

Even without a cancellation, a delay gives you the right to assistance. After 2, 3, or 4 hours of waiting depending on the flight distance, the carrier must offer drinks and food, and if the departure is moved to the next day, also a hotel and transport to it (service conditions).

Consider the refund separately: if the departure is delayed by more than five hours, you can return the ticket and get the full price back. If the delay caused you to arrive at the destination three hours or more late, you also gain the right to compensation (EU Court ruling).

Strike and package tour: refund and discount

Flight replacement

The tour operator is responsible for getting the traveler to the vacation destination. A canceled flight falls within its area of responsibility. If there is no equivalent replacement, you can buy a ticket yourself and submit the costs to the tour operator.

Late arrival

Late arrival is considered a tour defect. You have the right to demand a proportionate price reduction under §651i of the German Civil Code (§651i BGB). Count not only the lost nights but also the ruined vacation days.

Shortened vacation

If the delay significantly cut your vacation short, the defect is considered substantial. You can then terminate the contract with the tour operator. Losses beyond that are reimbursed only if the operator is at fault.

Late trip home

The opposite situation also happens: you cannot fly home. Then you can demand reimbursement for additional nights in a comparable hotel. The strike must be an extraordinary circumstance in this case.

⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions

Is an airline strike considered an extraordinary circumstance?

No. The EU Court classifies an organized strike by carrier employees as an internal and predictable event (case C-28/20, March 23, 2021). Therefore, the airline cannot refuse compensation solely because of it. Exception: a strike by air traffic controllers or airport staff.

How much will I get for a canceled flight?

The amount depends on the route distance: 250 €, 400 €, or 600 € (EU compensation rules, as of: 09/2026). The ticket price does not affect the payout amount. Submit your claim in writing and calculate the required amount using the table above.

Is the airline required to pay for a hotel and food?

Yes. In the event of a cancellation, the passenger is entitled to food, drinks, and a hotel, as well as transport between the airport and the hotel (passenger rights regulation). Demand reimbursement of expenses together with the main payout.

Can I buy another ticket myself and get the money back?

Yes, if the airline did not offer an alternative. Attach receipts and booking confirmation (text of the regulation). Send the claim by registered mail or through the form on the carrier's website.

What should I do if the trip was a package tour?

Contact the tour operator, not just the airline. The tour price can be reduced under §651i (German Civil Code), and in the event of a substantial delay you can cancel the contract.

In short: what is worth booking

If you want to fly, demand a replacement flight right at the airport. If your plans have changed, take the full ticket price back. If the trip is a package tour, address all claims to the tour operator.

If the strike is at your airline, you can get compensation. If air traffic controllers are on strike, there will usually be no compensation. A ticket refund, food, hotel, and rebooking are still due to you. Check your right to a payout online through AirHelp.