The delay was blamed on a strike. Am I out of luck?

Not necessarily. Ask which strike and by whom: the airline's own staff striking does not excuse payment, while an external air traffic control strike usually does.

How long do I have to claim?

It depends on the country whose courts would hear the case: three years in Germany, five in Spain, six in the UK and Ireland, two in some others. Older flights are often still claimable, so it is worth asking.

Does Air France charge to process a claim?

No. Claiming under EU261 is free and the airline has to handle it, which is exactly why handing 25–35% to an agency is hard to justify.

Guida compagnia aerea

Air France compensation

Air France operates one of Europe's busiest hubs, and French air traffic control strikes make its delay notices worth reading carefully — not every strike excuses payment.

Quick answer

Air France operates one of Europe's busiest hubs, and French air traffic control strikes make its delay notices worth reading carefully — not every strike excuses payment.

Airline: Air France
Main hub: Paris Charles de Gaulle
Potential compensation: €250–€600 per passenger
Route coverage: EU departures; EU-airline arrivals

Air France deve pagare?

Air France vola da aeroporti UE e SEE, quindi il regolamento CE 261/2004 si applica a quelle partenze indipendentemente da dove va il volo. Domestic and European sectors sit in the €250–400 bands; Paris long-haul reaches €600. La maggior parte di quelle rotte rientra nella fascia dei 250 €, con quelle più lunghe che raggiungono i 400 €.

Cosa di solito decide il reclamo

A strike by Air France's own pilots or crew is not an extraordinary circumstance.
A national air traffic control strike usually is — but the airline must show it tried to reroute you.
Connections through Paris on one booking count towards a single arrival delay.
France's DGAC handles complaints when the airline refuses.

Come inviare il tuo reclamo

Air France accepts claims through its online customer service form, in French or English. Attach boarding passes and keep the claim number.

Se rifiutano

Le compagnie aeree spesso rifiutano un primo reclamo con un riferimento generico a circostanze eccezionali. Chiedi loro di indicare la causa specifica e le misure ragionevoli adottate. Se la risposta non è convincente o non arriva entro 14 giorni, fai ricorso all'organismo nazionale di controllo del paese di partenza — per i voli con hub a Paris Charles de Gaulle è l'ente regolatore di quello stato — oppure a uno schema di risoluzione alternativa delle controversie approvato.

Domande frequenti

The delay was blamed on a strike. Am I out of luck?: Not necessarily. Ask which strike and by whom: the airline's own staff striking does not excuse payment, while an external air traffic control strike usually does.
How long do I have to claim?: It depends on the country whose courts would hear the case: three years in Germany, five in Spain, six in the UK and Ireland, two in some others. Older flights are often still claimable, so it is worth asking.
Does Air France charge to process a claim?: No. Claiming under EU261 is free and the airline has to handle it, which is exactly why handing 25–35% to an agency is hard to justify.

Primary sources

Official guidance and legislation used to review this page.

Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 — EUR-Lex
Air passenger rights in the EU — European Commission
Air France official claim information — Air France