Airlines / Air France
Air France: how to claim compensation
This page is independent. We are not affiliated with Air France or any airline.
- Airline type
- EU airline (France)
- Rules that may apply
- EU261 for flights departing the EU and for flights into the EU. UK261 for flights from the UK, and from the EU into the UK.
1. Claim directly with Air France
Claiming directly is free, and you keep the whole amount. Use the airline's own form:
Air France claim page (opens in a new tab) (opens the airline's website)
- Have your ticket number and booking reference ready.
- Ask for payment by bank transfer if you do not want a voucher; vouchers need your written agreement (Art 7(3)).
Paris Charles de Gaulle connections to long-haul and to French overseas departments. Paris to Réunion, Guadeloupe or Martinique counts as intra-EU, so the maximum is €400, not €600.
No suitable form? Use our free first-claim letter.
2. Common rejection reasons and how to respond
| What the airline may say | What to check or reply |
|---|---|
| "Extraordinary circumstances" | The airline must name the event and prove it could not have been avoided with reasonable measures. |
| "Air traffic control restrictions" | Ask for the slot or restriction details and how much of your delay it caused (C-315/15: only that part counts). |
| "Industrial action" | If the airline's own staff struck: under EU rules cite C-195/17 Krüsemann and C-28/20 Airhelp v SAS; under UK rules cite Civil Aviation Authority v Ryanair [2022] EWCA Civ 76 (C-28/20 came after Brexit and does not bind UK courts). |
| "Technical problem" | Technical faults are generally not extraordinary (C-549/07; C-257/14). |
| "We will pay you in vouchers" | Compensation must be paid in money unless you agree in writing to vouchers (Art 7(3)). |
The My Flight Money claim dashboard includes a prefilled rebuttal letter for each of these.
3. If Air France refuses or does not reply
Flights under UK rules: dispute resolution (ADR)
Air France is signed up to AviationADR for complaints under UK rules. You can go to ADR after the airline's final response, or after 8 weeks with no reply.
Flights under EU rules: enforcement body
Flights departing France: Direction générale de l'aviation civile (DGAC). Other departures: the enforcement body in the country of the incident. Enforcement bodies monitor airlines but may not be able to make an airline pay your individual claim (C-145/15 Ruijssenaars). See the official EU list (opens in a new tab).
Court
- France: the tribunal judiciaire handles small claims; the French limit is 5 years (Code civil art. 2224).
- Cross-border within the EU: European Small Claims Procedure (opens in a new tab).
- UK departures: Money Claim Online (opens in a new tab) (England and Wales), simple procedure (opens in a new tab) (Scotland) or small claims (opens in a new tab) (Northern Ireland).
Check your claim deadline before you start.
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