The aviation watchdog has stated that compensation payouts of at least 250 euros are mandatory according to EU law. EU legislation states that this minimum compensation must be payed to short-haul passengers when flights are cancelled without two weeks of prior notice. It is alleged in 2018, 100,000 passengers have been affected by strike action surrounding the airline, due to both the Ryanair pilot and cabin crew strikes and also the Europe wide Air Traffic Control industrial action that took place this year. were hit by the strikes. Ryanair staff in Spain arranged a 48-hour walkout earlier this year, striking for increased pay, fairer working conditions, larger pensions and better job security. According to the CAA, 'extraordinary circumstances', such as bad weather or air traffic controller strikes are viable excuses not to compensate disrupted passengers.