You may experience some turbulence the next time you fly—not in the air, but on the ground. Here’s what you need to know about how airline strikes may affect your travel plans, and how travel insurance can help.

Be sure to read your plan documents before you travel, so you know what your individual travel insurance plan covers. Certain exclusions apply, and not every plan is the same. The Allyz® TravelSmart app gives you access to your plan and makes it easy to contact customer service in case you have questions.

Why are so many airline employees going on strike?

Employees of several major airlines have been going on strike, halting air travel in Europe and elsewhere. The reasons vary, but in general, airline workers are protesting being overworked and underpaid. The dramatic drop in air travel during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in mass layoffs of everyone from flight attendants to security staff to baggage handlers. As the number of travelers rebounded in a big way, the number of airline employees did not. Many people left to take jobs in different industries, and airlines have found it challenging to hire employees with the necessary experience and process their security approvals.¹

As you can imagine, the remaining workers are feeling overwhelmed and say they’re not being compensated fairly. Hence the wave of recent airline strikes, which they hope will force airlines to negotiate.

What happens if my airline goes on strike?

That depends on the details of the strike. Airline strikes in Europe, for example, are often scheduled for a single day, or on a rolling basis over several weeks. So there’s a chance your specific flight won’t be affected.²

In general, however, airline strikes cause chaos. Expect longer lines, more mishandled baggage, and frazzled customer service agents. Be patient with airline employees—they’re fighting for better working conditions, after all.

What if your flight is canceled because of a strike? Typically, the airline will try to rebook your flight on a partner airline. Keep in mind that you’re one of thousands of passengers whose travel is affected by the strike. Loyalty program members and frequent fliers will most likely get priority when getting rebooked. If the airline’s unable to find a spot for you on an alternate flight, your trip may be canceled entirely.

How can travel insurance help when my trip is affected by an airline strike?

Does your travel protection plan include trip cancellation, trip interruption, and travel delay benefits? Then you’re in luck! Your insurance can reimburse you for losses you experience because of an airline strike. Here are some scenarios when your travel insurance can help.

• An airline strike cancels your flight and you get rebooked for a flight late tomorrow. If a strike prevents your travel carrier from getting you to your original itinerary’s destination for at least 24 consecutive hours from the originally scheduled arrival time, that can be a covered reason for trip cancellation. That means you can cancel your trip and file a claim for your pre-paid, nonrefundable trip costs.

• Your planned tour is canceled because a strike makes it impossible to travel. If a tour operator cancels your multi-day tour because of an airline strike (or other strike, unless the tour operator’s employees are striking), that also can be a covered reason for trip cancellation.

• An airline strike is delaying your trip. If a strike causes a travel delay, as defined in your plan, your trip delay benefits can reimburse you for meals, a hotel stay, and other eligible expenses. You also can be reimbursed for the portion of the trip that you miss.

• You’ve already begun your trip, but an airline strike is causing an extended travel delay. If a strike makes you miss at least 50% of your trip, or prevents you from reaching your destination for at least 24 hours, that can be a covered reason for trip interruption.

Help! An airline strike canceled my flight, and I really need to reach my destination.

Need to make alternative travel arrangements because an airline strike disrupted your travel? Many people don’t realize they have this valuable benefit: your travel insurance can reimburse you for alternate transportation (less available refunds) if you can get to your original destination another way.

For example: An airline strike cancels your flight to Amsterdam, which means you’re going to miss the embarkation of your Rhine River cruise to Basel, Switzerland. You really don’t want to cancel your cruise, though. So you book a flight on a different airline to Cologne, Germany, where you can catch up with your ship at its next port of call.

Your trip interruption benefits can reimburse you (up to your plan maximums, and minus any refunds) for the cost of that flight, as well as the portion of the cruise that you missed.

When you need to change travel plans, your best option is working directly with an airline or other travel carrier. They’re usually able to provide the fastest resolution to your travel problems. However, if you’re in a situation where you need to figure out alternative transportation and you’re just not sure what to do, contact 24-hour assistance. We’ll do our best to help research the options and assist you with booking travel.

When does travel insurance not cover airline strikes?

Here’s the main thing to keep in mind: Travel insurance does not cover foreseeable events. from That means if a strike was threatened or announced before you bought your trip, or before your coverage effective date, your travel insurance plan can’t cover any losses related to that strike.

Before you book your trip or purchase insurance, do a quick online search for the name of your airline and “strike.” That way, you’ll know if employees are planning any action around the time of your trip. If they are, you should try to fly on a different carrier.

For trip cancellation and interruption, strike-related losses are not covered if the striking workers are employed by the travel carrier (or an affiliate) from which you purchased your policy. So if you’re concerned about a possible strike, we recommend getting a quote and buying directly from Allianz Travel Insurance.

Am I entitled to compensation from the airline if my trip is disrupted by a strike?

If you’re flying to or from the United States, airlines are obligated to refund your fare and fees if your flight is canceled or significantly changed, and if you reject the alternative flight the airline offers. This refund may come in the form of a flight voucher. Some airlines may offer vouchers for meals and hotel rooms, but this isn’t mandatory.

If you’re flying to or from an airport in the European Union, you can file a claim for compensation (up to 600 euros) for a flight delay of 3 hours or more. However, compensation may be waived when the delay was caused by “extraordinary circumstances”—and your airline can argue that a strike is an extraordinary circumstance.³

Does travel insurance cover other kinds of strikes?

Yes! When you read your plan documents, you’ll see that we don’t limit coverage to airline strikes, but include strikes in general. If your trip is affected by a strike by train workers, cruise ship workers, bus drivers, etc., that can be a covered reason for travel insurance benefits.

Travel problems caused by civil disorder or unrest, however, are listed among our coverage exclusions. So if your destination is affected by a strike that turns into widespread demonstrations or shutdowns, the resulting travel disruption may not be covered.

Need travel insurance for your upcoming trip? The sooner you buy, the sooner you’re protected. Get a quote now.

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