Disruption warning as airport staff go on strike for Bank Holiday weekend
600 employees in the ground handling and catering sector, as well as in the aircraft repair and maintenance sector, will take part in protest actions on Friday, May 2.
As a result, 300 employees who handle passengers, ground handling, and cargo, will be going on strike the following Monday.
Staff at Finnair, which flies to and from Edinburgh, Manchester and London Heathrow, are striking after unsuccessful negotiations regarding the extension of a collective agreement on wage conditions and the termination of temporary austerity measures.
Finnair is Finland's largest airline. It operates regular flights to various countries around the world, including Europe, Asia, North America and the Pacific region.
The company is a member of the Oneworld International alliance. In the UK, there are up to six Finnair flights per day between Heathrow and Helsinki.
Darina Kovacheva, Head of Legal at airline compensation specialists SkyRefund, said: 'According to EU Regulation 261/2004, the eligibility for compensation for a flight disrupted by strike action depends largely on who calls the strike and how much control the airline has over it.
"As this strike will involve Finnair employees, if you present yourself on time for check-in with a valid flight reservation and travel documents, and you are denied boarding you might be entitled to € 250 if the distance you are travelling is 1,500 km or less; € 400 for flights of more than 1,500 km within the European Common Aviation Area and all others between 1,500 and 3,500 km, with all other flights of more than 3,500 km eligible for € 600 compensation.
'If you're caught up in travel disruptions due to industrial action, regardless of your airline, they must look after you.
"That means they should provide food and drinks that match the length of your wait, and if you're stuck overnight, they must also cover a hotel stay and transport between the airport and hotel.
"The timing also matters - you're eligible for this support after a 2-hour delay on short-haul flights, 3 hours on medium-haul flights, and 4 hours on long-haul flights.
"But keep in mind, if the airline you are travelling on is not Finnair, and therefore not striking, and you are still affected, you will not be eligible for financial compensation as the delay or cancellation has been caused by 'extraordinary circumstances', for example a strike by airport workers, who don't work for the airline on which you are travelling.
"Still, it's sensible to hang on to your receipts for any expenses you rack up during the delay.'
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