Air France (code AF) is the national airline of France, part of the Air France-KLM group, and a European Union airline. Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 applies to all its flights departing from the EU and those arriving in the EU, including connections through Paris.
When you receive compensation from Air France
- The flight arrived at its final destination with at least a 3-hour delay (arrival time counts, not departure time).
- The flight was cancelled and you were notified less than 14 days before departure.
- You were denied boarding (overbooking) or missed a connection within a single booking due to a delayed flight.
- Amounts: €250 for up to 1,500 km, €400 between 1,500 and 3,500 km (and for all EU flights over 1,500 km), €600 for over 3,500 km.
- You do not receive compensation if the delay was caused by weather, an air traffic control strike, or other extraordinary circumstances. Technical defects and airline staff strikes are not considered extraordinary circumstances.
- In Romania, you have 3 years from the flight date to claim your money.
How to claim money from Air France
Air France requires you to submit the claim directly via their form, and they only pay into your account. Steps:
- Complete the Air France claim form: https://wwws.airfrance.fr/en/claim
- Select the type of claim (delayed flight, cancelled, or denied boarding) and enter your booking code or ticket number, flight number, and date.
- Attach your boarding pass (or booking confirmation) and write your IBAN in your name. Payment is made via bank transfer directly to your account (art. 12.6).
- Ask for cash, not vouchers or Flying Blue miles, unless you want something else. The Regulation entitles you to cash.
- Air France has 28 days to respond to you.
- If they refuse or do not respond within 28 days, you can file a complaint with ANPC for flights departing from Romania; for flights from other countries, contact the national body of the departure country (the official list is on the European Commission website). In France, the national body is DGAC.
Can I use a company or a lawyer?
Air France's conditions (art. 12) state that a company or a lawyer can claim the money for you only after you have submitted the claim yourself and 28 days have passed without a response. Also, Air France states that they do not accept the assignment of the right to compensation. The CJEU ruled in 2024 (case C-11/23) that the regulation does not allow clauses that prohibit the transfer of these rights, but Air France continues to apply them. The simplest and fastest way is to submit the claim yourself, following the steps above.
Sources, verified on October 17, 2026: Air France general conditions of carriage, art. 12.3–12.6 (version from December 28, 2024) and CJEU ruling C-11/23.