Finnair has had to cancel hundreds of flights due to pilot strikes taking place ahead of Christmas, with festive travel impacted for more than 30,000 passengers
A major European airline has had to axe hundreds of flights due to pilot strikes.
Finnair is bracing for a massive hit to its pre-Christmas travel schedule as its aviators confirm strike action on December 9 and 13, 2024. The airline has been forced to ground around 300 flights, leaving approximately 33,000 passengers in the lurch.
The strikes are expected to cause significant upheaval, potentially affecting additional services in the days surrounding the industrial action. Around 30 flights to and from the UK have been cancelled, meaning thousands of Brits will be affected.
Finnair’s Chief Operating Officer Jaakko Schildt said: “We’re disappointed that the pilots’ association has chosen to strike instead of continuing negotiations. This disrupts holiday travel for thousands of customers during the pre-Christmas period. We’re working hard to serve our customers in this challenging situation and will provide alternative flights wherever possible.”
The airline is set to cancel about 140 flights on December 9 and another 150 on December 13. Finnair is reaching out to affected customers with cancellation notices and, where possible, information on alternative flight arrangements via their Manage booking service and mobile app.
Finnair urges passengers to get in touch with the customer service line or their travel agent for a refund if they can’t find a satisfactory replacement journey. Mr Schildt added: “We deeply regret the uncertainty and disruption this causes our customers. Rearranging flights for thousands of passengers takes time, and our customer service will experience high call volumes this weekend.
“We ask for patience as our team works diligently to help customers maintain their travel plans despite these circumstances.”
Finnair advises its customers to keep an eye on their email and the airline’s website for fresh updates, and to only ring customer service within 72 hours of their flight to help manage the influx of calls. A list of Finnair cancelled flights due to the pilot strike can be found here.
If you are impacted by the Finnair strikes, the bad news is you are unlikely to receive compensation.
The Civial Aviation Authority explains: “If it wasn’t the airline’s fault, don’t expect to receive any compensation. Disruptions caused by things like extreme weather, airport or air traffic control employee strikes or other ‘extraordinary circumstances’ are not eligible for compensation.”
However, regardless of the reason for the delay, your airline is required to offer some support, including arranging alternate flights and accomodation in some cases.
While most passengers simply want to board the next available flight, your airline should arrange this for you. If they fail to do so, you can demand a replacement flight with another airline. There’s no definitive timescale for when this should happen, but if it exceeds 24 to 48 hours, it’s worth pushing your airline for this option.
Before booking an alternative flight, check with your original airline to see if they’ll cover the costs. If you’re stuck waiting for a delayed or cancelled flight, you’re entitled to compensation and assistance. This should be provided by a member of airline staff at the airport. After a certain amount of time – two hours for short haul, three for medium haul and four for long haul – food and drink vouchers should be offered, regardless of whether the airline is at fault. But don’t get too excited, as you’ll likely only receive a basic sandwich and drink.
The Mirror has contacted the Finnair pilots for comment.
