Passenger Rights

Your rights in case of cancellations, delays, downgrading, and denied boarding. Implementation of European regulations 261/2004.

Read in PDF format

If you prefer, you can read the PDF version of your rights to assistance and compensation.

Open PDF

When you’re eligible

The rights referred to in this text apply specifically to the following circumstances:

  • You have a confirmed reservation on the flight;
  • You are fully checked in at the time indicated or, if no time is indicated, not later than 45 minutes before the time of departure;
  • You are travelling on a fare available directly or indirectly to the public, or on a ticket issued under a frequent flyer programme;
  • You are travelling on a flight departing from an airport in the EU, or on a flight operated by a Community air carrier departing from an airport in a third country to an airport in the EU, unless local legal regulation applies in that third country.

1. Cancellation

1.1 Cancellation assistance

If your flight is cancelled, you may choose to:

  • reroute to your final destination under comparable transport conditions as soon as possible as indicated by the carrier, or at a later date at your convenience, subject to seat availability; or
  • obtain a refund for the unused segment(s) and the segment(s) already completed if you decide not to continue your journey and instead return to your point of departure as indicated on the ticket.

In addition, you will receive a complimentary:

  • meals and refreshments voucher in reasonable relation to the waiting time;
  • hotel accommodation if a stay becomes necessary (transport to/from the airport and hotel included);
  • 1 prepaid phone card or the cost of 2 telephone calls (limited to 5 minutes each), or 2 fax messages or 2 e-mails.

1.2 Cancellation compensation

If the flight is cancelled, you are entitled to compensation, except in the following cases:

  • If the cancellation is caused by extraordinary circumstances that could not have been avoided and the airline has taken all reasonable measures to avoid the cancellation.
  • If you are informed of the cancellation at least 2 weeks before the scheduled departure.
  • If you are informed of the cancellation between 2 weeks and 7 days before the scheduled departure, and you have a new flight which allows you to depart no more than 2 hours before the scheduled departure time and to arrive at your final destination less than 4 hours after your scheduled arrival time.
  • If you are informed of the cancellation less than 7 days before the scheduled departure, and you have a new flight which allows you to depart no more than 1 hour before the scheduled departure time and to arrive at your final destination less than 2 hours after your scheduled arrival time.

This cancellation compensation cannot be paid at the airport and therefore you need to contact our customer service team (see section 5). You can choose between compensation as a non-refundable transportation credit voucher or cash compensation.

Non-refundable transportation credit voucher amounts:

AFlights of 1500 km or lessEUR 350*
BFlights within the EU of more than 1500 km, and all other flights between 1500 and 3500 kmEUR 500*
CAll other flightsEUR 800*

Cash compensation amounts:

AFlights of 1500 km or lessEUR 250*
BFlights within the EU of more than 1500 km, and all other flights between 1500 and 3500 kmEUR 400*
CAll other flightsEUR 600*

* This compensation may be reduced by 50% if the arrival time of the alternative flight does not exceed the scheduled arrival time of the flight originally booked by 2 hours (flights falling under A), 3 hours (flights falling under B) or 4 hours (flights falling under C).

This compensation scheme is based on EU Regulation 261/2004. If you are departing from an airport outside the EU (but to a destination in an EU country), local regulations and other compensation schemes may apply. For more information, please contact our customer service team (ref. section 5).

2. Delay

2.1 Delay assistance

The assistance as described in this section is provided in the event that a flight is delayed beyond its scheduled time of departure for 2 hours or more.

You will be offered free of charge:

  • meals and/or refreshments in reasonable relation to the waiting time;
  • hotel accommodation in cases where an overnight stay or a stay in addition to that which you originally intended becomes necessary (transport included),
  • 1 prepaid phone card or the cost of 2 telephone calls (limited to 5 minutes each), or 2 fax messages or 2 e-mails.

If the flight is delayed by at least 5 hours and you do not wish to continue your journey, you can obtain a refund for the unused segment(s) and the segment(s) already completed. If applicable, you can be rerouted at our expense to your point of departure as indicated on the ticket.

2.2 Delay compensation

If your arrival has been delayed by 3 hours or more compared to the scheduled arrival time, you are entitled to compensation, except if the delay is caused by extraordinary circumstances which could not have been anticipated by the airline and if the airline has taken all reasonable measures to avoid the delay.

The compensation cannot be paid at the airport and therefore you need to contact our customer service team (ref. section 5). You can choose between compensation offered in non-refundable transportation credit voucher or cash compensation.

Non-refundable transportation credit voucher amounts:

AFlights of 1500 km or lessEUR 350*
BFlights within the EU of more than 1500 km, and all other flights between 1500 and 3500 kmEUR 500*
CAll other flightsEUR 800*

Cash compensation amounts:

AFlights of 1500 km or lessEUR 250*
BFlights within the EU of more than 1500 km, and all other flights between 1500 and 3500 kmEUR 400*
CAll other flightsEUR 600*

* This compensation may be reduced by 50% for flights of more than 3500 km if the arrival time of the delayed flight is between 3 and 4 hours after the scheduled arrival time.

This compensation scheme is based on EU Regulation 261/2004. If you are departing from an airport outside the EU (but to a destination in an EU country,) local regulations and other compensation schemes may apply. For more information, please contact our customer service team (ref. section 5).

3. Denied boarding

If the number of volunteers for offloading is insufficient and you are denied boarding against your will, assistance and compensation will be provided to you, if you have complied with the check-in rules described above. You will not be eligible for this assistance and compensation if your denial of boarding is related to health, safety, security reasons, or due to inadequate travel documents.

3.1 Denied boarding assistance

If you are denied boarding, you may choose to:

  • reroute to your final destination under comparable transport conditions as soon as possible as indicated by the carrier, or at a later date at your convenience, subject to seat availability; or
  • obtain a refund for the unused segment(s) and the segment(s) already completed if you decide not to continue your journey and instead return to your point of departure as indicated on the ticket.

In addition, you will receive a complimentary:

  • meals and refreshments voucher in reasonable relation to the waiting time;
  • hotel accommodation in cases where a stay becomes necessary (transport to/from the airport and hotel included);
  • 1 prepaid phone card or the cost of 2 telephone calls (limited to 5 minutes each), or 2 fax messages or 2 e-mails.

3.2 Denied boarding compensation

If you are denied boarding, compensation will be provided to you, unless your denial of boarding is related to health, safety, security reasons, or due to inadequate travel documents. The compensation will be issued at the airport.

You can choose between non-refundable transportation credit voucher or cash compensation.

Non-refundable transportation credit voucher amounts:

AFlights of 1500 km or lessEUR 350*
BFlights within the EU of more than 1500 km, and all other flights between 1500 and 3500 kmEUR 500*
CAll other flightsEUR 800*

Cash compensation amounts:

AFlights of 1500 km or lessEUR 250*
BFlights within the EU of more than 1500 km, and all other flights between 1500 and 3500 kmEUR 400*
CAll other flightsEUR 600*

* This compensation may be reduced by 50% if the arrival time of the alternative flight does not exceed the scheduled arrival time of the flight originally booked by 2 hours (flights falling under A), 3 hours (flights falling under B) or 4 hours (flights falling under C).

This compensation scheme is based on EU Regulation 261/2004. If you are departing from an airport outside the EU (but to a destination in an EU country), local regulations and other compensation schemes may apply. For more information, please contact our customer service team (ref. section 5).

4. Downgrading

If you are involuntarily placed in a lower class than that for which your ticket was purchased, you may request reimbursement of:

A. 30% of the ticket price for all flights of 1500 km or less, or

B. 50% of the ticket price for all flights within the EU of more than 1500 km, and all other flights between 1500 and 3500 km, or

C. 75% of the ticket price for all other flights.

5. Requests, claims, and other inquiries

As described above, you may not wish to pursue your initial travel plans because:

  • your flight is cancelled, or
  • your flight is delayed for at least 5 hours, or
  • you have been denied boarding against your will.

If so, you can obtain a refund for the unused segment(s) and the segment(s) already completed through our customer service, whose contact details are provided in the "Contact us" section of our website.

All requests for reimbursement and compensation must be addressed to the carrier that actually operated the flight or was supposed to operate the flight.

If you wish to get in touch with Air France or KLM regarding a reimbursement request, a compensation claim or with any other inquiry, please contact our customer service team, whose contact details are specified in the “Contact us” section of our website.

6. National designated bodies

Each EU member state has designated a body responsible for the enforcement of the compensation and assistance rules as outlined in this Notice.

See the contact details

If you want to claim compensation for your flight disruption, without having to pay a handling fee to a third party, the European Commission advises passengers to contact directly the carrier and not submit your claim through a claim agency. (Contact details are available through the website of the airline operating the flight).

This Notice is required by Regulation 261/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union.

Updated in November 2024