Passenger Rights

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

When you’re eligible

The rights referred to in this text apply in particular in 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.

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1. Cancellation

1.1 Cancellation assistance

If your flight is cancelled, you may choose between:

  • rerouting 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 the availability of seats; and
  • reimbursement for the part or parts of your journey that were not made, and for the part or parts already made if the flight no longer serves any useful purpose, taking into consideration the original flight plan, and also a return flight to the first point of departure as noted on the ticket (if applicable.)

In addition, you will receive free of charge:

  • meals and 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.

1.2 Cancellation compensation

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

  • Unavoidable special circumstances leading to the cancellation, and the airline has taken all reasonable measures to avoid it;
  • If you have been notified of the flight cancellation at least 2 weeks before the scheduled departure time;
  • If you receive a flight cancellation notice within 7 to 14 days before the scheduled departure time, and we have recommended an alternative itinerary to you, guaranteeing that the new itinerary will not depart more than 2 hours earlier and arrive no later than 4 hours later than the original travel schedule.
  • If you receive a flight cancellation notice within 7 days before the scheduled departure time, and we have recommended an alternative itinerary to you, guaranteeing that the new itinerary will not depart more than 1 hour earlier and arrive no later than 2 hours later than the original travel schedule.

This cancellation compensation cannot be paid at the airport and therefore you need to contact Customer Care (see section 5.) You can choose between compensation offered in non-refundable transportation credit voucher and cash compensation.

The non-refundable transportation credit voucher amounts are as follows:

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*
CFlights not falling under A or BEUR 800*

The cash compensation amounts are as follows:

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*
CFlights not falling under A or BEUR 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 Customer Care (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 you do not wish to continue with your initial travel plans when there is a delay of at least 5 hours, you may opt for reimbursement for the part or parts of the journey not made and for the part or parts already made if the flight no longer serves any useful purpose, taking into consideration the original flight plan. You may also opt for a return flight to the first point of departure as noted on the ticket (if applicable.)

2.2 Delay compensation

If you have been delayed at arrival equal or more than 3 hours, after 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 Customer Care (see section 5.) You can choose between compensation offered in non-refundable transportation credit voucher and cash compensation.

The non-refundable transportation credit voucher amounts are as follows:

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*
CFlights not falling under A or BEUR 800*

And the cash compensation amounts are as follows:

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*
CFlights not falling under A or BEUR 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 Customer Care (section 5.)

3. Denied boarding

In the event of an overbooked flight, the airline will call for volunteers who are prepared to surrender their confirmed reservation in exchange for an agreed compensation in Transportation Credit Vouchers. We will also offer the appropriate assistance as described in section 3.1 below.

If not enough volunteers can be found and you are denied boarding against your will, you are entitled to denied boarding assistance and compensation providing you have met the latest check-in time requirements. You are not entitled to this if there are reasonable grounds to deny boarding, such as reasons of health, safety, security or inadequate travel documentation.

3.1 Denied boarding assistance

You may choose between:

  • rerouting to your final destination under comparable transport conditions as soon as possible as indicated by the airline, or at a later date at your convenience, subject to the availability of seats; and
  • reimbursement for the part or parts of your journey that were not made, and for the part or parts already made if the flight no longer serves any useful purpose, taking into consideration the original flight plan, and also a return flight to the first point of departure as noted on the ticket (if applicable.)

In addition, you will receive free of charge:

  • meals and 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.

3.2 Denied boarding compensation

If you have been denied boarding against your will, compensation will be offered at the airport. You can choose between non-refundable transportation credit voucher and cash compensation.

The non-refundable transportation credit voucher amounts are as follows:

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*
CFlights not falling under A or BEUR 800*

And the refundable credit voucher (cash) amounts are as follows:

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*
CFlights not falling under A or BEUR 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 Customer Care (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 flight price for all flights of 1500 km or less, or

B. 50% of the flight 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 flight price for all flights not falling under A or B.

5. Requests, claims, and other inquiries

As described above, if you do 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.

You may request reimbursement for the part or parts of the journey you have not made and for the part or parts already made if the flight no longer serves any useful purpose, taking into consideration your original flight plan.

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 us using one of the options stated below.

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 to do it at 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.

Version 5, updated July 2021