Strikes at the airport: What rights have air travelers?

At Munich Airport, from Thursday, February 27, 0 a.m. to Friday, February 28, midnight: The Verdi union has called for the employees to be relocated to work for which the public service’s collective agreement. This primarily affects security controls and luggage handling and will mess up many travel plans. What rights have travelers? Can you expect compensation?

The legal situation at an overview:

What applies if the flight has been canceled?

In this case, the passengers have two options in accordance with EU directive 261/2004.

• You can request a replacement flight from the airline. In the event of inner German flights, the bus and train can also be rebooked. It does not make sense to buy a train ticket without consulting the airline: it does not guarantee that all costs will be reimbursed. In addition, those who sit at the airport are entitled to support services such as drinks, food and, if necessary, an overnight stay in the hotel. This applies to flights of up to 1500 kilometers at least two hours of waiting. With a distance of 1500 to 3500 kilometers, there is support after three hours, from 3500 kilometers after four hours.

• Or they do without the flight and have the money reimbursed. The repayment must be made within seven days.

What are the demands of passengers if their flight flies late?

Even then, the airline has to look after its waiting customers at the airport. From a waiting time of five hours, passengers can also withdraw from the transport contract and request reimbursement of the flight price. You don’t have to accept vouchers. Travel agencies may not request extra fees for the reversal of the ticket purchase.

Do passengers have to pay for the childcare costs themselves?

The EU directive stipulates that the care is provided free of charge. But that often doesn’t work. If the airline does not offer anything despite demand, the passenger can take care of food and possibly a hotel room. Then it is important to keep all receipts in order to be able to charge the airline’s costs. Why the delay was delayed does not matter for the coverage of the costs. The airline always has to help the passenger, regardless of whether the delay was created by a ash cloud, a storm or a strike.

Do passengers get additional compensation?

In the case of cancellation, overbooking or delaying three hours or more, passengers are entitled to compensation of up to 600 euros according to the EU Ordinance-but only if the trigger is assigned to the “risk area” of the airline. This can also apply in the event of a strike. Here it is crucial who puts the work down. If the airline employed is good, the prospects for compensation are good. If employees of the airport or an external service provider are on strike, for example at security checks or at the luggage service, no compensation is paid.

Check claims and assert, for example, passengers can use the Consumer Center North Rhine-Westphalia APP, for example, a sample letter is also available on the website of the European Consumer Center Germany. In the event of a dispute, you can contact the Archellungsstelle Reisen & Verkehr passenger traffic free of charge or hire a service provider such as Flightright, Fairplane, Eucaim or Euflight.

Do passengers still have to be on time at the airport?

Even with a large foreseeable delay, passengers should always be at the airport for the original departure time, unless they have already been rebooked in advance. Otherwise there is a risk that the airline can offer a replacement flight at short notice – and the traveler will then miss it.

What rights have air travelers if the feeder flight fails and the connecting flight is missed?

If a flight is deleted, the airline must take the passenger to the goal by replacement flight in accordance with the EU Ordinance on Passenger Rights, i.e. offer a new connection for the entire route. However, the flights must be part of a jointly booked flight plan.

What regulations apply to package tours?

At package tours, the tour operator is the contact person: he has to ensure that the customer gets up in the air, because the flight is part of the contract. The tour operator is also responsible for the costs for meals or an overnight stay that arise from a delay. If the package traveler missed the strike vacation days, the organizer must refund the share of the travel price for these days. If the vacation is shortened massively – if the person concerned arrives on a one -week vacation, for example, only three days later – the chances of damages are also good: Then there is not only the money for the days when the vacation failed, But you can also claim compensation that the vacation was affected as a whole.

What is the legal situation when the start of a cruise is missed by a late departure?

If the flight and cruise were booked as a package, the organizer is obliged to bring the guest to the ship, so it has to take care of replacement flights or make sure that the guest can get on another port. Anyone who has organized their journey individually is entitled to all services from the Passenger Rights Ordinance, for example on the rebooking on a new flight. However, you have to take care of everything else – and pay for it.