u/Lukedf9

Today, June 2nd, Belgian air traffic controllers went on an unannounced strike between 12:00 and 19:00, affecting all airports in Belgium — Brussels Zaventem and Charleroi included. No warning, no notice. Just a wall of cancellations, 7 hours before the flight.

The fun part: because of the strike, there were zero alternative Ryanair flights available to anywhere near northern Italy. So I had to scramble and book with another carrier last minute. Total damage: ~€300 for each passenger (we were 4) out of pocket on top of the original Ryanair ticket, plus hotel, transfer to other country etc.

Now I’m trying to figure out what I’m actually entitled to under EU 261/2004:

The (starting from) 250€ fixed compensation — does the ATC strike count as “extraordinary circumstances”? I’ve seen conflicting info on this. Some sources say ATC strikes are outside the airline’s control = no €250. Others say it depends on whether it was announced in advance (this one wasn’t).

The €300 I spent on alternative transport — regardless of the compensation question, am I entitled to reimbursement for necessary rerouting costs? I kept all receipts.

Full refund of the original ticket — this one seems clear, but should I request it through the app or wait until I’ve submitted the expenses claim?

Has anyone successfully claimed consequential costs from Ryanair after a strike cancellation? Did you go directly through them or use AirHelp / ClaimCompass?

Any experience appreciated — this whole day has been a nightmare.