You are affected by a Wizz Air strike: what to do to obtain compensation?

You are at the airport, suitcase in hand, and suddenly everything changes. A strike at Wizz Air grounds your plane. Flight canceled, missed connection, holidays compromised: strikes can turn a simple trip into an ordeal. Fortunately, at Indemniflight, we don’t leave you alone facing this hassle.

Behind the word “strike” lie several realities:

• If the strike is internal to Wizz Air, meaning related to its pilots, cabin crew, or ground staff, you are entitled to compensation for your trip.
• If it is external, such as a strike by air traffic controllers or airport staff, the rules change, but you could still claim a refund for your flight or assistance.

In any case, it’s better to know where you stand. Discover here what your options are, your rights as air passengers, and how to quickly obtain compensation after a Wizz Air airline strike.

How can I know if my Wizz Air flight is affected by a strike?

Before heading to the airport, it is essential to check if a Wizz Air strike is impacting your flight. This will save you many troubles, such as waiting for hours. Here are the most reliable ways to know the status of your flight during industrial action:

• Check our disrupted flights tracking tool: at Indemniflight, we provide you with a regularly updated table listing Wizz Air flights canceled or delayed due to a strike. With a few clicks, you’ll know if you are affected.
• Visit the official Wizz Air website: by entering your flight number or booking information, you can access real-time updated data. If a strike is announced, the airline may publish specific notifications for your destination.
• Monitor airport websites: they generally display flight schedules and report significant flight disruptions, including those related to strikes.
• Subscribe to SMS or email alerts: Wizz Air offers an alert system to keep you informed of changes or cancellations. Check that your contact details are up to date in your personal account.
• Check the news: strikes, especially when they affect an entire airline, are often reported in the media. A quick search can provide useful information, including the estimated duration of the strike and potentially impacted flights.

Anticipating a Wizz Air airline strike already limits the consequences on your trip. At the first signs of disruption, do not hesitate to gather all evidence (emails, screenshots, SMS) to build a Wizz Air claim file and receive compensation.

My flight was delayed or canceled due to a strike, what are my rights?

A strike at Wizz Air can cause delay or cancellation of your flight. But as a passenger, you are not without recourse. Thanks to European Regulation, you can benefit from compensation, assistance on site, and, in some cases, a refund of your ticket. Here is everything you need to know about compensation in case of a strike and the possible indemnity amounts.

Compensation and possible amounts

If the strike is internal to Wizz Air (meaning it directly involves its staff), you have the right to claim compensation. However, if the strike is external (such as air traffic controllers), Wizz Air may be exempt from this obligation, provided it proves that the event was beyond its control.

Compensation amounts provided by European Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 :

No compensation can be claimed if you were informed of the cancellation at least 14 days before departure, or if the airline Wizz Air offers you an alternative close to your original schedule.

Assistance provided by the airline

If your Wizz Air flight is delayed or canceled due to a strike, the airline is required to provide you with on-site assistance, regardless of the origin of the industrial action. This means it must cover your essential needs throughout the waiting period. You are entitled to meals and refreshments in reasonable quantities, adapted to the length of the delay.

Wizz Air must also allow you to make two phone calls or access the internet to inform your relatives or reorganize your plans. Finally, if the situation requires you to spend a night on site, the airline must provide you with hotel accommodation as well as round-trip transport between the airport and the accommodation.

These services must be provided free of charge, without any advance payment from you.

Refund of the airline ticket

In certain situations, the airline Wizz Air must fully refund your ticket :

• If your flight is canceled without an acceptable replacement solution
• If you refuse the offered replacement flight
• If the delay exceeds 5 hours, and you decide not to travel

The refund must be made within 7 days, by bank transfer or another method agreed with the passenger.

Conditions to be met to qualify for compensation following a Wizz Air strike

Not all strikes automatically lead to compensation. For Wizz Air to be required to pay you financial compensation, certain strict conditions must be met. It is therefore essential for air passengers to fully understand the specifics of the European regulation and the differences between types of strikes.

Important differences about strikes

The type of strike determines whether Wizz Air is responsible or not. There are two main scenarios:

• If the strike is internal to Wizz Air, meaning it directly involves the company’s employees (pilots, cabin crew, ground staff), then it is considered under the airline’s control. Wizz Air cannot therefore invoke an extraordinary circumstance to avoid its responsibility: you are entitled to compensation.
• On the other hand, if the strike is external, such as a strike by air traffic controllers, airport security staff, or a subcontractor, it is considered beyond Wizz Air’s control. The airline may then be exempt from the obligation to compensate, unless it mismanaged the situation (lack of information, poor reorganization, etc.).

Criteria to meet if your Wizz Air flight was delayed or canceled

Even if the strike is deemed compensable, you must meet certain criteria to be eligible for financial compensation. First, the flight must depart from a country within the European Union, or be operated by a European airline flying to the EU. Since Wizz Air is a Hungarian airline, it is therefore subject to European regulations.

Next, the arrival delay must be at least 3 hours or the flight must have been canceled less than 14 days before departure without an equivalent replacement offered. Also, you must be able to prove your presence at the airport (boarding pass, booking confirmation, receipts) and provide all relevant evidence to support your compensation claim.

What are the steps to request compensation from the airline?

If your flight was delayed or canceled due to a Wizz Air strike, you can start a procedure to obtain compensation, provided you meet the criteria set by Regulation No. 261/2004. You have two options as air passengers: contact Wizz Air and make the claim yourself, or use a specialized service like Indemniflight.

Filing a claim yourself with Wizz Air

Wizz Air provides a claims form on its official website. You will need to enter your flight details (number, date, departure and arrival airports), explain the circumstances of your travel disruption, and provide the necessary supporting documents: boarding pass, proof of delay or cancellation, email exchanges with the airline, etc.

This process can be complex, and the airline’s response may be delayed or even negative if it considers the strike an extraordinary circumstance. Sometimes multiple follow-ups are required or even appealing to a regulatory authority (such as the DGAC in France) in case of an unjustified refusal.

Using Indemniflight to obtain compensation

If you want to avoid complex procedures and unclear responses, Indemniflight handles everything for you in case of a Wizz Air strike. You only need to enter your flight details on our platform, and we analyze your eligibility for compensation free of charge.

Once your claim is approved, our experts take care of claiming your compensation from Wizz Air, including in case of an initial refusal by the airline. If necessary, we pursue the process up to court, with no upfront costs for you. You only pay if we succeed in obtaining your compensation.

By going through Indemniflight, you save time and gain peace of mind, while maximizing your chances of recovering what you are owed due to a Wizz Air strike.