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airBaltic strike: can you get compensation?
When airBaltic's own staff go on strike, passengers can usually claim compensation under EU261. Here are the airBaltic strikes we have picked up from the news, and what they mean for you.
airBaltic strikes we have recorded
- 20 October 2026 (Iltalehti)
Own staff or someone else?
Who went on strike matters. If it was the airline's own staff, such as pilots, cabin crew or its own ground staff, the strike is normally not an extraordinary circumstance and compensation is owed (EU Court, C-28/20 Airhelp v SAS and C-195/17 Krüsemann). Strikes by others, such as air traffic controllers or airport staff, usually are extraordinary circumstances. Read the guide
How much
Compensation is a fixed €250, €400 or €600 per passenger, depending on the flight distance. It applies if your flight was cancelled less than 14 days before departure, or if you arrived 3 hours or more late.
What to do now
- Ask for meals and drinks, and a hotel if you have to stay overnight. The airline owes you this whatever the cause (EU261, Article 9).
- If your flight is cancelled, choose between a new flight and a refund of your ticket (Article 8).
- Keep receipts for anything you pay yourself. The airline should reimburse reasonable costs it should have covered.
- Write down your flight number, the times and what staff told you. Keep the airline's messages.
- Claim compensation in writing. If the airline says no or does not answer, you can appeal.
Airlines often reject these claims weeks later. If airBaltic said no to you, you can still appeal.