Air France Refund: Everything You Need to Know

Would you like to learn more about refunds in order to receive compensation from Air France? Good news: you have rights as an air passenger, and we’re here to provide you with all the necessary information!

As a renowned airline, Air France is required to meet certain obligations towards its passengers in the event of a problem occurring on one of its flights. Whether you have been faced with a delay, a flight cancellation, or even denied boarding, your rights as a passenger are protected by European legislation.

We know that a flight problem can quickly disrupt your plans. However, thanks to our comprehensive guide on Air France refunds, you will be well equipped to deal with such situations and obtain the compensation you are entitled to. Here are all the details about:

• the compensation process
• the potential amounts you may be entitled to depending on the nature of your incident.

Air passenger rights regarding compensation

People who suffer major harm on a flight now have the possibility to be reimbursed thanks to European Regulation No. 261/2004. However, to be eligible for any compensation, certain criteria must be taken into account.

First of all, it is important to understand that you can only claim compensation if and only if it concerns a European airline (such as Air France) with which you experienced the issue.

Moreover, it should be noted that the European regulation has clearly specified the exceptional circumstances that may release airlines from financial obligations towards passengers. This applies if it turns out that the airline is not responsible for the incident, whether it concerns an Air France flight cancellation, a denied boarding, or a delayed flight.

Is it difficult to get a refund from Air France?

People who suffer major harm on a flight now have the possibility to be reimbursed thanks to the current European Regulation (EC) No. 261/2004. However, to be eligible for any compensation, certain criteria must be taken into account. First of all, it is important to understand that you can only claim compensation if and only if it concerns a European airline such as Air France with which you experienced the issue.
It should be noted that European regulation has clearly outlined the exceptional circumstances that can release airlines, such as Air France, from financial obligations towards passengers. The most important point here is that the airline must not be responsible for the incident, whether it concerns a cancellation of an Air France flight, denied boarding, or a delay.

It’s not that difficult to obtain your compensation, especially by going through Indemniflight.

Conditions that do not entitle you to a refund

However, here are the reasons why you may not be entitled to a refund from Air France, as mentioned in European regulation:

• Weather-related conditions.
• An air traffic control strike.
• Extraordinary events such as political instability, airspace restrictions…

Conditions under which you may be eligible for a refund

On the other hand, you may easily be eligible for compensation for the damage suffered if the Air France flight you took was delayed or canceled for the following reasons:

• A technical malfunction.
• A strike by employees, pilots, etc.

So, if your flight meets these conditions, you can naturally submit a request for a refund from Air France.

Indemniflight services and the steps to follow to get reimbursed

You can use our services for an Air France refund by submitting your file on our website. It will only take a few minutes!

Once you’ve completed our form, our team carefully reviews your case and identifies the circumstances that led to the issue. Then, Indemniflight will get back to you within 48 hours of your submission.

Finally, we take the necessary steps with Air France to enforce your rights. If your request is eligible for compensation, we do our utmost to ensure you receive what you’re owed.

Possible amounts

According to European regulation, your refund from Air France is determined based on the distance of your journey.

You may receive compensation of up to €800 per passenger, depending on the travel distance. The same applies to the amount of compensation, which can reach up to €600 per passenger, also based on the journey distance.

Air France flight cancellation: when are you entitled to a refund?

You are entitled to compensation in the event of a flight canceled by Air France, except in the following cases:

• If the decision to cancel the Air France flight was made due to unavoidable events such as poor weather conditions, political instability, a strike, or security risks.
• If the decision to cancel the flight was communicated to you at least two weeks before the scheduled departure time.
• If the decision to cancel the flight was communicated between 7 and 14 days before the scheduled departure, and the airline offered you an alternative flight departing no more than 2 hours before the original time and arriving at your final destination less than 4 hours after the original arrival time.
• If the decision to cancel your flight was communicated less than 7 days before the scheduled departure date, and Air France offered you an alternative flight departing no more than 1 hour before the original departure time and arriving at your final destination less than 2 hours after the original arrival time.

Payment methods and reimbursement amounts

The reimbursement of an Air France ticket is made by check or bank transfer. It can also be issued in the form of a compensation voucher if you prefer. The reimbursement is not issued at the airport. You must make the request via Air France customer service, or preferably through Indemniflight.

The amounts of the compensation voucher (non-refundable) are as follows:

• Type A flights. For flights up to 1,500 km, you are entitled to €350.
• Type B flights. For flights over 1,500 km within the European Union and all other flights between 1,500 km and 3,500 km, you are entitled to €500.
• Type C flights. For non-EU flights over 3,500 km, you are entitled to €800.

The amounts of the compensation are as follows:

• Type A flights. For flights up to 1,500 km, you are entitled to €250.
• Type B flights. For flights over 1,500 km within the European Union and all other flights between 1,500 km and 3,500 km, you are entitled to €400.
• Type C flights. For non-EU flights over 3,500 km, you are entitled to €600.

What happens in the event of denied boarding?

A reimbursement that we recover from Air France will be issued to you by check or bank transfer. It may also be in the form of a compensation voucher with your consent, if you are denied boarding. However, reimbursement is not granted if your denial of boarding is due to health, safety, or security reasons, or due to improper travel documents.

The amounts of the compensation voucher (non-refundable) are as follows:

• Type A flights. For flights up to 1,500 km, you are entitled to €350.
• Type B flights. For flights over 1,500 km within the European Union and all other flights between 1,500 km and 3,500 km, you are entitled to €500.
• Type C flights. For non-EU flights over 3,500 km, you are entitled to €800.

The compensation amounts are as follows:

• Type A flights. For flights up to 1,500 km, you are entitled to €250.
• Type B flights. For flights over 1,500 km within the European Union and all other flights between 1,500 km and 3,500 km, you are entitled to €400.
• Type C flights. For non-EU flights over 3,500 km, you are entitled to €600.

Air France reimbursement for flight delays

For example, if your flight is delayed by less than 3 hours compared to the originally scheduled arrival time, there is no point in submitting a claim for a delayed flight to receive compensation.

However, if your Air France flight was delayed by 3 hours or more compared to the originally scheduled arrival time, you can request a reimbursement of your Air France ticket.

The amounts of the compensation voucher (non-refundable) are as follows:

• Type A flights. For flights up to 1,500 km, you are entitled to €350.
• Type B flights. For flights over 1,500 km within the European Union and all other flights between 1,500 km and 3,500 km, you are entitled to €500.
• Type C flights. For non-EU flights over 3,500 km with a delay of more than 4 hours, you are entitled to €800.

The compensation amounts are as follows:

• Type A flights. For flights up to 1,500 km, you are entitled to €250.
• Type B flights. For flights over 1,500 km within the European Union and all other flights between 1,500 km and 3,500 km, you are entitled to €400.
• Type C flights. For non-EU flights over 3,500 km with a delay of more than 4 hours, you are entitled to €600.

Good to know

However, regarding the Air France reimbursement for flight cancellations and denied boarding, it should be noted that both the compensation voucher and the financial compensation may be reduced by 50% if the replacement flight’s arrival time does not exceed the original arrival time by more than 2 hours (Type A flights), 3 hours (Type B flights), or 4 hours (Type C flights).

For flight delay reimbursements with Air France, the compensation voucher and the financial compensation may be reduced by 50% if the delayed flight arrives between 3 and 4 hours after the original scheduled arrival time.

Ticket reimbursement in case of downgrading

You can request a reimbursement from Air France if you are involuntarily placed in a lower travel class than the one indicated on your ticket.

In this case, you will be entitled to an Air France reimbursement of:

• 30% for any journey of 1,500 km or less.
• 50% for any flight over 1,500 km within the European Union and any other flight between 1,500 km and 3,500 km.
• 75% of the ticket price for any non-European Union flight over 3,500 km.

And that’s not all — Air France will also grant you a non-refundable commercial compensation based on the difference in travel class.

What should you remember about an Air France refund?

Air France ticket refunds are subject to strict regulations aimed at protecting both passenger rights and the airline’s interests. The claims procedure is designed to be efficient and convenient, ensuring fair and equitable compensation in the event of travel disruption.

We strongly encourage you to get in touch with our team if you experienced a delay, cancellation, or any other incident during your trip with Air France. Our expertise in claims handling and our commitment to defending your rights as a passenger will guide and assist you in obtaining the compensation you deserve.