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Air passengers have their rights within strikes, too

(Prague, March 29, 2012) General strike in Spain and strikes in Germany have affected thousands of passengers. The European Consumer Centre advices that even in this situation, when flights are cancelled or delayed, people have the right for free-of-charge assistance from the carrier, e.g. for refreshments and meals and accommodation if necessary.

“Despite this is an extraordinary situation that airline companies could not influence, passengers have got the right for free-of-charge care from the carriers. This right is provided by the European Regulation 261/2004,” says Tomáš Večl, the Director of the European Consumer Centre Czech Republic. “On the other hand, clients have no right for compensation ranging from 125 to 600 EUR which is enforceable within extraordinary situations caused by the carrier.”

If a flight is cancelled, passengers are entitled to choose between re-routing to the final destination at the earliest opportunity (if it is possible) and withdrawal from the contract and ticket refund or refund of a proportional part from the return ticket price. If the passenger chooses the withdrawal and refund, the airline company bears no further responsibility and provides no further help.