Air France Cancelled Flight Compensation: What You Need to Know
Annulation flight with Air France How to obtain compensation?
Your Air France flight was cancelled and you’re feeling frustrated? If you had planned your trip, don’t waste time—claim compensation for the inconvenience caused! In such situations, it’s essential to assert your rights, and we’re here to help!
At Indemniflight, we understand the importance of recovering what you’re owed when your journey is disrupted. That’s why we provide all the necessary information to claim compensation. We guide you through the steps to get your refund smoothly, without hassle or unnecessary stress. Discover now:
- Your rights as an air passenger.
- The criteria to quickly obtain compensation.
- Simple steps to claim your refund from Air France.
- Practical tips to optimize your claim.
- Our team of experts is here to guide you every step of the way.
So, keep reading to learn everything about compensation for a cancelled Air France flight.
Air France Flight Cancellation: How to Get Compensation?
Were you planning to fly and were surprised to find out your Air France flight was cancelled? According to European regulations, you may be entitled to compensation. Here’s how to claim compensation.
Which law supports your claim for compensation from Air France?
It is the European Regulation EC 261/2004 dated February 11, 2004 that allows air passengers to claim compensation for a cancelled or delayed Air France flight.
According to the established rules, Air France is required to pay you financial compensation for the damage caused by the cancellation of your flight. You can find out more about the applicable legislation by visiting our page on your rights.
In which cases must the airline compensate you?
It’s important to know that in some situations, you may not be eligible for compensation.
- Firstly, if you were informed of the cancellation of your flight more than two weeks before your departure, the airline is not obliged to compensate you.
- Beyond this notice period, the airline may also be exempt from compensating you if the flight cancellation was due to extraordinary circumstances. These are, by definition, beyond the airline’s control and for which it cannot be held responsible.
Apart from these two scenarios, Air France is required to compensate you for the cancellation of one of its flights if the flight was departing from or arriving in the European Union.
In case of delay or cancellation, be sure to keep all evidence related to your bookings. These documents may include tickets, online booking confirmations, and any correspondence with the airline. This helps in tracking your case with carriers like Air France and ensures better assistance.
How to Defend Your Right to Compensation?
The procedures required to obtain compensation can be quite burdensome. They involve numerous exchanges and multiple follow-ups with airlines in general, including Air France.
In addition to the necessary administrative procedures with the departments handling claims for a cancelled flight, it is also essential to be well-versed in the legislation. Moreover, you need to know the various scenarios that fall under extraordinary circumstances. These are often cited by airlines as reasons to avoid paying compensation to their customers.
Indemniflight Supports You in the Event of a Cancellation
The Indemniflight team specializes in recovering compensation from airlines. To benefit from our expertise, simply submit a claim on our platform.
Once submitted, you can track the progress of your case and communicate easily and entirely online with our team. We take care of building your case and submitting it to the relevant departments at Air France.
The initial steps involve communications with the claims and customer service departments for follow-ups. Then, if Air France fails to provide information that clearly confirms your right to compensation, our lawyers step in to liaise with their legal teams and attorneys.
You will be kept informed of the progress of your case at each stage. By working with our team, you simplify the process and increase your chances of success.
We also handle cases of unjustified denial of compensation, whether you’re traveling between different countries or within the same territory. If you experienced an issue at boarding or during your flight, our experts are committed to defending your rights.
In addition, you do not need to pay anything, neither when submitting your claim on our platform nor during the processing of your case with Air France. We are only paid if your compensation is granted, by taking a 35% VAT-inclusive commission from the amount recovered to cover the costs incurred in handling your case.
Air France Cancelled Flight Compensation: Learn More
Air France is one of the most frequently used airlines by French air passengers. However, some of their flights do get cancelled. Regardless of the reason, if you are affected by such a situation, you can exercise your right to compensation. Let’s take a closer look at compensation for a cancelled Air France flight.
The Legal Support in Place for Filing a Claim with Air France in Case of Flight Cancellation
Flights cancelled by Air France, as well as those by other European airlines, are subject to Regulation (EC) No. 261/2004. This regulation replaced the former EEC Regulation 295/91 of February 4, 1991. Dated February 11, 2004, the regulation from the EU Council and the European Parliament provides legal provisions to define passenger rights.
This regulation came into force following increasing complaints from passengers affected by flight disruptions. Since then, every airline is required to inform its passengers of their rights in the event of overbooking, cancellation, or flight delay.
One of these provisions concerns the right to passenger compensation. For any cancellation of a flight by Air France, you can rely on this regulation to claim compensation from the airline. However, it is important to note that the application of this regulation is subject to certain conditions.
Air France is one of the airlines most frequently used by French air passengers. Nevertheless, some of their flights do get cancelled. Whatever the reason, if you are affected by such a flight disruption within the past five years, you may exercise your right to compensation. Here’s an overview of compensation in the case of a cancelled Air France flight.
Conditions to Fulfill to Get Compensation from the Airline in Case of Air France Flight Cancellation
You must take into account the following three factors when claiming compensation:
The route of the cancelled Air France flight. Regulation (EC) No. 261/2004 applies to flights by European airlines departing from or arriving at an airport located within the European Union.
The legal time limit to claim compensation. You have five years to file a compensation claim. This legal timeframe may differ in other countries. For instance, it is one year in Belgium.
The airline’s responsibility for the incident. Besides these criteria, the circumstances that led to the cancellation of the Air France flight must be considered. To be eligible for compensation, the cancelled flight must not result from extraordinary circumstances such as:
- Adverse weather conditions.
- Air traffic control strikes.
- Security-related risks.
- Other exceptional situations (health crises, bird strikes, political instability, sabotage).
It should also be noted that Air France is not required to pay compensation if it notified you of the flight cancellation at least 14 days in advance.
How to Check If My Air France Flight Is Cancelled?
At boarding, if you notice an anomaly or have any doubts, please ask the Air France staff for assistance. As a passenger, it is essential to check your destination and stay informed of any changes to avoid inconvenience.
You can consult the dedicated flight information page directly on the Air France website. There is a “flash info” section that provides updates on daily traffic forecasts. You simply need to enter your flight number in the specified field to know in real-time whether your flight will take off or not.
In case of significant delay or an issue with your reservation, contact the assistance service immediately to receive real-time updates.
In addition to these solutions, there is also the option of getting information by phone. You can call the airline or send your flight number via SMS to find out whether your flight is cancelled.
If You Are Stranded at the Airport Due to a Cancelled Air France Flight, Exercise Your Rights!
For any cancellation of one of its flights, the airline is required to provide you with assistance during your waiting time at the airport. This assistance (depending on the distance of your original flight) is provided after a minimum waiting period:
- At least 2 hours for a short-haul flight (up to 1500 km)
- At least 3 hours for a medium-haul flight (between 1500 km and 3500 km)
- At least 4 hours for a long-haul flight (over 3500 km)
When this condition is met, you are entitled to services such as snacks, drinks, two phone calls, and two electronic messages or faxes.
If Your Air France Flight Is Rescheduled for the Next Day, What Should You Do?
Following the cancellation of a flight operated by Air France, your trip may be postponed to the next day. In this case, you may choose to spend the night in a hotel. Your overnight stay will be covered by the airline, and they must also provide transportation between the airport and your place of accommodation.
You should contact Air France directly to benefit from this support. If this assistance is not automatically offered by the airline, make sure to obtain a written confirmation of their commitment to reimburse your expenses.
If You Refuse to Board a Replacement Flight, Can You Receive a Refund?
After a flight cancellation by Air France, the airline may offer you an alternative flight. However, the conditions of this substitute flight must be similar to those of your original flight.
You are entitled to refuse to board and request a refund of your airline ticket. The airline must comply within 7 days. However, you will no longer be eligible for any compensation related to the Air France flight cancellation.
If you also wait for a rebooking solution for more than 5 hours without success, you may withdraw. You must then request a refund for your airline ticket.
If you did not receive any notification of the flight cancellation until arriving at the airport, you can approach the Air France staff to find out the status of your flight. You can also visit the Air France website to check your flight status. There is a “flash info” section that presents the daily traffic forecast.
You can also enter your flight number in the designated field to check in real time whether your flight will depart or not. In addition to these solutions, you can also get information by phone. You may call the airline or send your flight number by SMS to find out if your flight is cancelled.
What Compensation Amount Can You Claim for a Cancelled Air France Flight?
For a cancelled flight with Paris as the destination or point of departure, the compensation amount depends on the distance traveled and the type of service affected. Make sure to meet the eligibility criteria to maximize your chances of receiving compensation. You can use the following breakdown to estimate your compensation amount:
– Short-haul flights (e.g., Milan-Paris) entitle you to €250;
– Medium-haul flights (e.g., Athens-Toulouse) entitle you to €400;
– Long-haul flights (e.g., Paris – Rio de Janeiro) entitle you to €600.
Indemniflight Helps You Claim Compensation for a Cancelled Air France Flight
The compensation claim process is quite complex. If you contact the airline directly, you may not be successful. Indeed, like most airlines, they often seek loopholes to avoid paying what is owed.
Airlines often hide behind extraordinary circumstances to avoid fulfilling their obligations. However, you can entrust your case to an expert like Indemniflight. We have teams well-versed in aviation law.
Using the Services of Indemniflight
After submitting your case for free on our website, we take care of asserting your rights effectively with Air France. If the airline refuses to comply, we may take legal action depending on the strength of your case.
Additionally, we keep you informed of your case’s progress. In case of success, we retain 35% of the compensation received. The advantage of our service is that you won’t have to pay anything while we defend your case against the airline. The same applies if your case is not successful.
In summary, compensation for a cancelled Air France flight is possible under certain conditions. Rather than exhausting yourself physically and financially trying to assert your rights with the French airline, you can rely on Indemniflight. We will effectively defend your rights—especially since your success is directly linked to ours.
About Air France
Founded in 1933, Air France is the leading French airline. Since 2004, Air France, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, and Transavia have formed the Air France-KLM group. Air France has thus become one of the world’s largest air carriers in terms of revenue and passenger numbers.
Air France’s operations are divided as follows:
- Passenger air transport, which is its core business,
- cargo,
- aircraft maintenance and repair.
Air France is also active in related sectors such as catering (in-flight services) through its subsidiary Servair and services through Air France Consulting.
In 2015, Air France-KLM recorded €20.54 billion in revenue from its Passenger activity. The Cargo segment generated €2.42 billion, and €1.58 billion came from Maintenance services.
In short, if your Air France flight was cancelled or delayed, you have rights under European regulations to request compensation. Be sure to keep all your documents, such as your ticket and booking confirmations, to support your claim.
If the airline refuses, don’t hesitate to seek the help of experts like Indemniflight to maximize your chances of success. Also, be sure to regularly check your flight’s status, especially in the event of delays, so that you can take swift action and defend your passenger rights.
Simplify the process and let us help you recover what you are rightfully owed!
Learn more about a Delayed Air France flight.
Learn more about an Air France claim.
Learn more about an Air France refund.
Learn more about an Air France strike.
