BigFlyer

My assumption is that Norwegian will deny compensation, claiming that the delay was unavoidable due to the lightning strike. My quick research tells me that there is no binding authority on this question, although some courts have ruled that a delay from a lightning strike is not unavoidable. Especially in this case were the strike was the night before the flight.

Unfortunately, there are a couple of US court decisions saying that you can't sue in US courts for EU 261 compensation.

In fact, I think arguably my wife is entitled to 600 EUR x 2. When her first flight did not go, they told everyone it was cancelled. However, online Norwegian called it a delayed flight, and gave the new charter flight the same flight number.

If we call it a cancellation, she should get 600 EUR for the first delay - then, the replacement charter flight left (and arrived) over 4 hours after the original time that was given. So, if it was a cancellation, there were two flights delayed over 4 hours.