As of: February 19, 2024, 10:48 a.m
By: Bjarne Kommnick
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Many flights are canceled as part of warning strikes.
However, passengers do not have to bear the costs.
Affected passengers have these options.
Munich – Lufthansa passengers must once again prepare for restrictions in air traffic.
After the United Services Union Verdi called for a strike at the beginning of February, Lufthansa's ground staff are to go on warning strike again from Tuesday, February 20th to Wednesday, February 21st, as the union explains in a statement.
However, those affected by flight cancellations are not stuck with the costs, explains the consumer advice center.
Passengers have two options to prevent financial loss.
Ground staff at the airport are on strike: passengers are entitled to a replacement flight
If a flight that has already been booked is canceled due to the strike, passengers have two options to choose from, according to the consumer advice center.
One option is to request alternative transportation from the airline, such as a replacement flight.
However, this could mean that passengers may not be able to fly until a later date, provided there are suitable replacement routes with available seats.
If flights are canceled due to a strike, passengers are entitled to a replacement flight or reimbursement of costs.
© Marcus Brandt/dap
If there is a waiting time at the airport due to a strike in the transport sector, the airline must offer support services according to the consumer advice center.
This includes appropriate catering in relation to the waiting time as well as the opportunity for waiting passengers to make two phone calls or send two emails.
Airports must provide accommodation in the event of flight cancellations
If a replacement flight does not take place until the next day or later, airlines are obliged to provide accommodation and transport between the airport and the accommodation.
If an airline refuses or cannot be reached, affected passengers can organize accommodation themselves and claim back the costs incurred via invoices and receipts.
According to the EU Air Passenger Rights Regulation, affected passengers are entitled to compensation.
The amount varies between 250 and 600 euros, depending on the distance between the departure and destination.
However, this entitlement does not apply if the airline has informed the passengers in good time or if there are exceptional circumstances.
Recently, Verdi also announced further strikes in public transport.
Rights for passengers: Warning strike not an “extraordinary circumstance”
However, a strike by its own flight crew or cabin and ground staff does not release an airline from its payment obligations.
According to current case law, an internal strike is not considered an “extraordinary circumstance” within the meaning of the regulation, as explained by the consumer advice center.
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Passengers have these rights during a warning strike at the airport
Replacement flight:
If a flight is canceled due to a strike, passengers have the right to replacement transport.
Airlines also have to bear the costs of waiting times.
Flight price refund:
If a flight is canceled due to a strike, passengers have the right to forego the planned flight and instead have the price of the flight ticket refunded.
The airline must pay within seven days.
The second option for affected customers is to request a refund of the flight price.
In this case, passengers must forego their flight and the company must refund the fare within 7 days.
A voucher may only be issued with the written consent of the passengers.
Despite organizing alternative flights or accommodation, the compensation payments continue to apply and are not invalidated by a strike.
Package travelers must contact tour operators in the event of flight cancellations
Customers who have booked a package holiday and are affected by the strike must contact their tour operator and ask about alternatives with later flights or other airlines.
In the event of strikes, tour operators are responsible for covering the costs of delays, including food, accommodation, taxi fares and telephone calls.
If you are delayed by five hours or more, you have the option to reduce the travel price.
From the fifth hour of delay, the price can be reduced by 5 euros per hour to a maximum of 20 percent.
However, if security checkpoint staff go on strike, these rights do not apply to airlines.
The controls are the responsibility of the Federal Police, so airlines have no influence on them.
Claims must therefore be made to the state.
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The editor wrote this article and then used an AI language model for optimization at his own discretion. All information has been carefully checked. Find out more about our AI principles here.