Trains, strike “in the middle”: who has the right to reimbursement of tickets and how to get it. Tips for air travellers

Tomorrow’s train strike has been confirmed but will last until 3pm instead of all day as initially announced. What can those who already have a ticket in their pocket do? And what happens with the new European legislation on travellers’ rights? Travelers are entitled to a full refund of the ticket but the mechanisms to get the money back are convoluted. To avoid mistakes, you need to know the different modes between long-distance and regional trains but also between tickets purchased at the ticket office or online. It must be said immediately that anyone who has bought a trip on a regional train and intends to give up must hurry to get a ticket refund: they have until 11.59 pm today to request.

There are many unknowns about tomorrow. The inconvenience for those traveling by rail could involve wider time slots than those indicated. The strike, Trenitalia warns, could have “a significant impact” on railway traffic and lead to total and partial cancellations of Frecce, Intercity and Trenitalia regional trains.

The effects, in terms of cancellations and delays, may occur even earlier and extend beyond the time the strike ends. During the strike, the national journeys listed in the specific tables of trains to be insured in the event of a strike will be guaranteed, as well as regional trains in the commuter slots (6.00-9.00 and 18.00-21.00), which can be consulted in the section Trains guaranteed in the event of a strike of the Trenitalia website. Italo also publishes the list of guaranteed trains on its website.

Reimbursement of long-distance trains
As regards long-distance trains and therefore passengers on the Frecce and Intercity trains, whose trains have been cancelled, Trenitalia explains that «the traveler will have the right to request a full refund of his ticket, within the following 12 months, at the ticket office or online». On the other hand, in the event that the user decides to cancel the journey (the train is potentially running and is not necessarily late) the traveler can renounce and can ask for a refund of the ticket, always in full, but must do so until the time of departure of the train (at the ticket office or online). It should be emphasized that it is important to request a refund before the train has left, otherwise the right to a refund will be lost.

Regional trains
As for the regionals, the procedure is different. “In the event of an announced strike, like tomorrow’s – Trenitalia explains – you can cancel your trip but you have to ask for a refund until midnight of the day before the strike, therefore until 11.59 pm today”. The refund can be requested at the ticket office or online and is full. This applies in the event of cancellation of departure regardless of whether the regional train is running or not. If, on the other hand, the passenger shows up at the station and cannot find the train, because it has been cancelled, he can take any train on the chosen route for the four hours following the departure time if he has purchased the ticket online, or within midnight hours after the departure time if you bought your ticket at the ticket office. There is therefore a difference between the purchase made online and the one made at the ticket office. If there are no trains in the four hours and there is no alternative, then you can ask for a refund. “For regional trains – explain from Trenitalia – the guarantee bands are provided from 6 to 9 and from 18 to 21”.

Planes
There is not only rail traffic, even air flights will be at risk in the coming days. The flights at risk, with possible delays and cancellations, are those of Saturday 15 July with a series of strikes: from 12 to 16 the pilots of the Malta Air company that operates Ryanair flights will go on strike. While the unions Filt-Cgil, Fit-Cisl, Uiltrasporti and Ugl have confirmed the stop from 10 to 18 for airport handling workers. From 10 to 18 the pilots and flight attendants of the Vueling company belonging to the Filt CGIL will also be on strike.

The rights of air travellers
The Community Regulation n. 261/2004 provides for the right to assistance to all passengers in the event of a strike, both for flight delays and for possible cancellations. “The airline must provide passengers with meals and drinks, hotel accommodation, transfer from the airport to the hotel – explains Codacons -. If the flight is cancelled, the passenger has the right to choose between reimbursement of the ticket price, boarding on an alternative flight as soon as possible in relation to the airline’s schedule; boarding on an alternative flight at a later date more convenient for the passenger”.

The consumer association recalls that there is also the possibility of financial compensation in the event of flight cancellation, but with some distinctions: if the strike is called by the airline staff, the passenger is entitled to compensation of up to 600 euros depending on the route. You are not entitled to compensation in the event of a strike by airport security personnel, strikes by baggage handlers, strikes by air traffic controllers, strikes caused by political instability.