Strike as an ''extraordinary circumstance'' excluding the air carier’s responsibility towards passengers under the regulation (EC) No 261/2004
Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 states that air carrier shall not be obliged to pay compensation for cancelled flights, if it can prove that the cancellation is caused by extraordinary circumstances which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken. Although that regulation does not expressly define the concept of "extraordinary circumstances”, the EU legislatureindicated that it may occur in the event of events such as those mentioned in recital 14 of that regulation. This recital mentions, inter alia,”strikes that affect the operation of an operating air carrier”. However, the CJEU takes the position that a strike by the air carier`s own employees can not be deemed as an extraordinary circumstance, except when the implementation of employees' requests is beyond its competence and requires legislative action. The article presents the rulings of the CJEU and arguments supporting the thesis that the reasoning adopted by the Court leads to the violation of the freedom to conduct a business (established in Article 16 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union) and the employer's right of negotiation (enshrined in Article 28 of the Charter).
References
Bibliografia/References
Barańska, A. (2020). „Dziki strajk” jako „nadzwyczajna okoliczność” w rozumieniu rozporządzenia nr 261/2004. Studenckie Prace Prawnicze, Adminitratywistyczne i Ekonomiczne, (33).
Konert, A. (2010). Odpowiedzialność cywilna przewoźnika lotniczego. Warszawa.
Kotowicz, M. (2016). Strajk jako okoliczność wyłączająca odpowiedzialność przewoźnika lotniczego na gruncie rozporządzenia (WE) nr 261/2004. Palestra, (7–8).
Opinia Rzecznika Generalnego E. Tancheva przedstawiona w dniu 12.04.2018 r. w sprawach połączonych C-195/17, od C-197/17do C-203/17, C-226/17, C-228/17, C-254/17, C-274/17, C-275/17, od C-278/17 do C-286/17 i od C-290/17 do C-292/17 (2018).
Opinia Rzecznika Generalnego P. Pikamäe przedstawiona w dniu 16 marca 2021 r. w sprawie C-28/20 Airhelp Ltd przeciwko Scandinavian Airlines System SAS (2021).
