Air France Missed Connection Compensation

Air France missed connection compensation.

How much can you claim? What happens if you miss your Air France flight?

If you miss a connecting flight operated by Air France, you might be eligible to receive compensation. Your nationality, ticket price, and travel insurance coverage won’t affect your eligibility because Air France is required to follow European Union laws. If compensation is necessary, Air France is obligated to provide it.

You have the option to file a claim yourself or with a flight compensation company.

1. EU Missed Flight Connection Compensation

If you miss your connecting flight with Air France, you may be entitled to compensation.

The laws governing these situations are straightforward.

1.1 Missed Connecting Flight Due to Delay: Compensation 

You arrived at your destination 3+ hours later, and it was due to the fault of Air France.

The delay of your Air France flight caused you to miss your Air France connection. As a result you arrive at your destination more than 3 hours later than scheduled. You may be eligible for compensation under EU regulations if the airline is responsible for the delay. Air France flights are included in these regulations as Air France is a European airline. However, it’s worth noting that there isn’t separate compensation for missed connections on Air France flights, as they fall under the category of flight delay compensation.

To sum it up, you can get Air France flight compensation if:

• You arrive at your destination 3+ hours later than scheduled;
• Delay is due to the fault of Air France;
• Flight is to/from Europe.

The same rules apply to connecting flights. In this case, your destination is your final destination (not a layover airport).

Here’s an example. You have a connecting flight with Air France from Nice (NCE) to Hong Kong (HKG) via Paris (CDG). Your final destination is Hong Kong. Paris Airport is only a layover airport. If you have made it to Hong Kong 3 or more hours later due to the fault of Air France, you will be entitled to compensation for missed connection flight for the whole “Nice – Hong Kong” trip.

Don’t forget to file a compensation claim!

1.2 Missing a Connecting Flight Due to Cancellation

The rules are similar as with flight delays.

If you’re flying to or from Europe, and you reach your final destination 3+ hours later than scheduled, and it’s due to the airline’s fault, you may get flight compensation from Air France. The compensation amount will be either €250, €400, or €600, depending on the distance of your flight.

To sum up, you can get missed connection flight compensation if:

• Your previous flight is cancelled (or delayed) due to the fault of Air France;
• You reach your destination 3+ hours later than scheduled;
• The flight is to/from Europe.

Please note that the airline can only provide compensation for connecting flights and not for self-transfer flights. In case you have booked separate flights with one or several airlines, and one of your flights gets cancelled, the airline will only be responsible for that particular flight, and not the other one.

Here’s an example of a self-transfer flight: you have booked one flight with Air France and another with Vueling. Unfortunately, Air France cancels their flight. Air France will only be responsible for their own flight. You may be able to receive compensation for the cancelled Air France flight, but they will not provide assistance for your Vueling flight.

Want to claim compensation? Make sure you file a compensation claim!

By Europe and EU here on this page (and on this website in general) we mean all EU Member States, the United Kingdom (UK), Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Reunion, Mayotte, Saint Martin (French Antilles), the Azores, Madeira, the Canary Islands, Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland.

2. Extraordinary Circumstances

If your connecting flight is missed due to circumstances outside of the airline’s control (like bad weather, pandemic, natural disasters, or security risks), you usually won’t receive compensation.

But it’s a good idea to confirm any information you get from the airline if you’re unsure. It’s also wise to double-check everything related to refunds and compensation because sometimes airlines may not tell the whole truth to their customers. For example, technical problems with an airplane and Air France staff strikes mostly won’t be considered as something extraordinary.

Or you can seek assistance from a flight compensation company to verify your case and make sure that you get the correct information. Airlines are usually responsible for technical issues with the aircraft, and they cannot be considered as exceptional circumstances. If the airline tells you otherwise, it is probably inaccurate.

3. Right to Care

In many situations, you may have a right to care.

If your flight with Air France is delayed, cancelled, or you are denied boarding, you may be entitled to assistance. This also includes a missed connection due to delay or cancellation. According to the EU Regulation 261/2004, if you are waiting at the airport for your delayed flight, Air France is required to offer you certain services for free.

Plus, in case of a missed connection due to delay or cancellation, Air France is obligated to provide you with a replacement flight free of charge.

• After 3 hours of waiting Air France must offer you free meals and drinks in a reasonable relation to the waiting time, plus two free phone calls, e-mails or faxes.
• In case of an overnight delay, free hotel accommodation must also be offered (+ free transfer).

4. How to Claim Air France Flight Compensation?

To claim Air France flight compensation, you have two options.

1. Contact Air France directly through their customer support center on their website. Keep evidence of your delayed arrival time to support your claim. However, this method may take several months and may require negotiation with Air France.
2. Alternatively, you can seek legal representation for a more straightforward solution. Our partners provide services to handle all aspects of the claim. See below for more information.

Read more:

• How to Claim Air France Compensation?
• Your Air France Compensation Claim Is Rejected. What’s Next?
• Your Air France Refund Is Taking Forever. What Can You Do About It?

4.1 How Long Does It Take?

Typically, it takes a minimum of a couple of months to receive compensation from Air France (or any other airline). However, if your case requires involvement from a national enforcement body or court, the process may extend to an additional few months, sometimes reaching six months or more. These extra months should be added to the standard 2-3 month timeframe.

The duration for receiving compensation can be influenced by various factors. If the airline acknowledges your claim and agrees to promptly pay compensation, the process is usually faster. But if the airline disputes your claim, it may take longer, potentially involving a lengthy legal procedure. Additionally, the complexity of your case can impact the time required to receive compensation, as each claim is unique.

5. How Much Can You Claim?

The compensation amount is fixed and range from €250 to €600.

Here is how you can calculate the amount of Air France flight compensation:

When your destination is within the EU/UK:

When your destination is outside the EU/UK:

There’s one exception. When the distance is 3500 kilometres or more and you reach your destination 3 to 4 hours later, you are entitled to compensation of €300, not €600. If the delay is longer than 4 hours, you will get full compensation of €600.

5.1 Air France Voucher Refund or Cash?

Even though Air France may offer you a voucher for compensation, you have the option to decline it and choose cash or a bank transfer instead. It’s important to know that according to European law, airlines must provide compensation and refunds for delayed or canceled flights in cash or bank transfer, not in voucher form.

6. Connecting Flights

6.1 What Is a Connecting Flight?

A connecting flight means you have to take multiple flights, which includes changing planes at some point during your journey. This is different than a direct flight from point A to point B. Your itinerary will include point C, as you will fly from A to C and then from C to B, and there may be additional stops. The time you spend at the airport between flights is called a layover. If the layover is more than 24 hours, it’s called a stopover.

There are two types of connecting flights:

1. airline-protected transfers,
2. self-transfer flights.

6.2 Airline-Protected Transfer

How to find out if you have an airline-protected transfer?

Consider the following criteria:

1. You have booked a connecting flight either directly through the airline or through a third-party service like Kiwi, Expedia, or eDreams.
2. Your itinerary consists of two or more flights, and you have a single booking reference number for the entire trip. Please note that this reference number should be from the airline’s booking system, not the travel agent’s reference number.
3. When you access the airline’s website to manage your booking, you can view the complete itinerary using this reference number.

6.3 Self Transfer

How to determine if you have a self transfer?

To identify if you have a self transfer, consider the following indicators:

1. If the flights were booked separately, it is classified as a self transfer.
2. Each flight has its own reservation number, it is classified as a self transfer.
3. If you made individual payments for each flight separately, it is considered a self transfer.

To tell the difference between a self transfer and an airline-protected connecting flight can sometimes be challenging. However, one way to distinguish between them is by examining the tickets. If each flight leg has its unique reservation or booking reference number, it is more likely a self transfer. Additionally, online travel agencies like Kiwi, or flight search engines like Skyscanner, often specify if the flight is a self transfer.

7. Missed Connection

When a passenger is unable to catch their connecting flight, it’s called a missed connection.

This usually happens because the passenger was late or the previous flight was canceled or delayed. If the layover time is short, like 1 or 1.5 hours, it’s more likely to miss the next flight.

It is important to know that airlines can provide assistance to passengers who miss their connecting flights. In certain situations, experiencing a delay might even lead to benefits as passengers might be entitled to receive flight compensation of up to 600 euros per person.

Cancelled or delayed flight causes missed connection?

7.1 Airline-Protected Transfer

Choosing an airline-protected transfer is a straightforward and reliable choice for travelers. If there is a delay or cancellation that causes passengers to miss their connecting flight, the airline will take care of it by booking a new flight and, in certain cases, offering compensation.

To address the issue, contact Air France representatives at the airport.

What about refunds and compensation?

If you miss your flight, unfortunately you cannot get a refund. But, you may be eligible to receive compensation if your entire journey falls under the EU Regulation 261/2004. This compensation is the same as what you would receive for flight delays or cancellations.

Don’t forget to file a claim for compensation!

Connecting flight example: You have a connecting flight with Air France from Nice (NCE) to Hong Kong (HKG) via Paris (CDG). Your final destination is Hong Kong. Paris (CDG) is only a layover. This connecting flight is booked from Air France, and all flight legs are under one booking reference number.

7.2 Self Transfer

Self transfer refers to the practice of booking multiple flights individually.

If you happen to miss a connecting flight during a self transfer journey, neither airline will be held responsible for any missed flights or your entire trip. In case any of your flights is over 3 hours delayed, cancelled last-minute, or you are denied boarding, you may be eligible for flight compensation for that particular flight.

However, the airline is not liable for your second flight. If you miss it, you will have to arrange and pay for a new flight on your own.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

EU – Non-EU Flights, Tourists

Air France Delayed Flight > Missed Connection

Flight Cancellations

Other Situations

Have you ever missed a connection? Was it a connecting flight with Air France? Share your experience. Do you have any questions about Air France missed connection compensation policies? Ask in the comments.

Featured photo by Alexandr Podvalny from Pexels