Air travel: flight delayed

Verified 01 March 2024 - Legal and Administrative Information Directorate (Prime Minister), Ministry of Transport

Your flight is delayed and you want to know what your airline's obligations are? If they do not respect the schedules of their flights, the company must take care of you and compensate you. We'll tell you what you need to know.

You can receive assistance, and in some cases compensation, if your flight meets certain conditions.

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Departure from France

The flight is concerned, whatever the company.

Compensation applies even in the event of a stopover or connection.

Flights between the mainland and Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, Reunion, Mayotte or the French part of the island of Saint Martin are concerned.

The company owes you assistance if the flight delay is significant.

This delay shall be at least:

  • 2 hours for a flight of 1,500 km or less
  • 3 hours for a flight of more than 1,500 km in the European Union (EU) or for a flight between 1,500 and 3,500 km outside the EU
  • 4 hours for a flight of more than 3,500 km outside the EU

Arrival in France

Departure of a country from the European Union, Norway, Iceland or Switzerland

If you come from a European country (European Union, Norway, Iceland or Switzerland), the flight is concerned, whatever the company.

Assistance shall apply even in the event of a stopover or connection.

Flights between the mainland and Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, Reunion, Mayotte or the French part of the island of Saint Martin are concerned.

The company owes you assistance if the flight delay is significant.

This delay shall be at least:

  • 2 hours for a flight of 1,500 km or less
  • 3 hours for a flight of more than 1,500 km in the European Union (EU) or for a flight between 1,500 and 3,500 km outside the EU
  • 4 hours for a flight of more than 3,500 km outside the EU
Departure from another country
Flight with a European airline to an airport in the European Union, Norway, Iceland or Switzerland

The flight is concerned if you complete the 2 conditions following:

  • You are traveling with a the European Union
  • Your flight is to an airport located in the European Union, Norway, Iceland or Switzerland

Assistance shall apply even if the aircraft is called or has a connection in another country.

Example :

If you take off from the United Kingdom, you are covered by compensation on the dual condition of using a European carrier and landing in a European Union country.

The company owes you assistance if the flight delay is significant.

This delay shall be at least:

  • 2 hours for a flight of 1,500 km or less
  • 3 hours for a flight of more than 1,500 km in the European Union (EU) or for a flight between 1,500 and 3,500 km outside the EU
  • 4 hours for a flight of more than 3,500 km outside the EU
Other situation

Your flight is not concerned by the guarantee of assistance.

However, if you suffer damage due to the delay of your flight (missed connection and repurchase of a ticket for example), you can ask the airline for compensation.

FYI  

You have to justify your harm.

The obligation is on the airline that flies the flight.

This is the case if she sold your ticket directly to you.

This is also the case if you bought it from an intermediary (travel agency for example).

FYI  

Specific rules apply if you're on a tour (also called package trip).

If you are entitled to assistance, the company must take care of for free pending the next flight, the following services:

  • Refreshments
  • Restore
  • 2 communications (phone calls, SMS, emails)
  • Hotel and airport transfer fees if departure cannot take place before the following day

Please note

If support is not provided, the company will reimburse you for the costs that you will have advanced. Keep all receipts to justify them.

You can get used to refund your ticket only if you complete the 2 conditions following:

  • The delay is at least 5 hours
  • You're giving up on your trip.

If the 5-hour delay concerns your connection, you will be able to get a refund for the return flight to your point of departure.

If your flight arrives with 3 hours or more late in relation to the scheduled arrival time, you can be compensated.

The allowance shall be one of the following amounts:

  • €250 for a flight of 1,500 km or less
  • €400 for a flight of more than 1,500 km in the European Union (EU)
  • €400 for a flight between 1,500 and 3,500 km outside the EU
  • €600 for a flight of more than 3,500 km outside the EU

Compensation may be reduced in case of re-routingunder certain conditions.

You are not entitled to compensation if you give up your trip.

You are also not entitled to it in the following cases:

  • You missed a connecting flight due to security screening delays
  • You did not respect the boarding time of the flight.

Warning  

Compensation is not payable if the delay is caused by a exceptional circumstance (e.g. health crisis, weather, air traffic controllers' strike). On the other hand, you can be compensated in case of a strike by company staff.

For compensation, address to the carrier a claim for compensation in RAR: titleContent.

One letter template is available:

Seek compensation from your airline in the event of a long flight delay

FYI  

You have 5 years to claim your compensation.

Compensation must be paid by wire transfer, check or cash.

You can request it in writing in the form of travel vouchers or other services.

If the airline has signed the Mediation Charter, you can to refer to the Ombudsman Tourism and Travel Signatories of the Charter Mediation Tourism and Travelin the following cases:

  • Refusal to compensate you
  • No response within 2 months

You can check if the company has signed the charter and referred the matter to the mediator:

Contact the Ombudsman Tourism and Travel

If the company refuses to compensate you, or if you find that this compensation is insufficient, you can to bring proceedings before the court of justice.

Who shall I contact

You can also make a signaling to the Directorate-General for Civil Aviation (DGCA):

Report to the DGAC a dispute following denied boarding, flight delay or cancelation

FYI  

You must attach a copy of your supporting documents.

Who can help me?

Find who can answer your questions in your region

  • Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)

    By mail

    Directorate-General for Civil Aviation

    50 Henry Farman Street

    75720 Paris Cedex 15

    By telephone

    01 58 09 43 21

  • 0809 540 550 DGCCRF - ResponseConso

    Having trouble following a purchase? Do you have a question about a point of law before buying or ordering?

    You can get an answer from a DGCCRF: titleContent by calling the 0809 540 550.

    Opening hours of the service:

    No surtax number

    • Monday and Tuesday: from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm and from 1:15 pm to 5:15 pm
    • Wednesday: 13:15 to 17:15
    • Thursday: from 8:30 to 12:30
    • Friday: from 8:30 am to 4 pm