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Air France said no to your compensation claim

Updated
General information, not legal advice. The outcome depends on the facts of your case.

Your Air France flight between Paris and Oslo, Helsinki, Copenhagen, Stockholm or another Nordic airport was hours late or cancelled, and Air France said no. Or it offered a voucher. A rejection is the airline's view, not a ruling. Air France has to prove its reason, and the EU Court has ruled against it in some of the key cases on delays.

We are not affiliated with Air France and do not act for Air France.

Which rules apply to Air France

Air France SA is a French airline with its hub at Paris Charles de Gaulle. As an EU airline it is covered by Regulation 261/2004 on flights out of the Nordics, on flights back, and on its flights into the EU from outside Europe. If you arrived 3 hours or more late, compensation is €250, €400 or €600 per passenger, depending on distance.

Three EU Court cases against Air France help passengers:

Check who flew the plane

Air France says claims must go to the airline that operated the flight. Since SAS joined SkyTeam in September 2024, many SAS flights from Oslo, including Oslo–Paris and Norwegian domestic routes, also carry an Air France flight number (flysmart24, 9 July 2024). If SAS flew the disrupted leg, the claim goes to SAS. See SAS compensation denied. KLM bookings use the same claim form.

What Air France says, and what the rules say back

"Strikes initiated by third parties." This is one of Air France's own reasons for no compensation, with extreme weather and sudden political instability. A French air traffic control strike can be extraordinary, but Air France must still show it did everything reasonable to get you there, including on other airlines (LE v TAP C-74/19). A strike by its own staff for their own demands is not extraordinary (Airhelp v SAS C-28/20).

The October 2026 crew strike. French pilot and cabin crew unions gave notice of a strike from 17 to 21 October 2026, expected to hit Air France hardest (Travel Extra, 7 October 2026). It is a protest against the government's pension reform, so Air France may call it external. That question has not been decided. Ask exactly who struck, why, and what Air France did to protect your flight. See strike cancellation.

Snow in Paris. On 5 January 2026 France asked airlines to cut 15 % of flights at Charles de Gaulle and Orly after snowfall, and let the airlines choose which ones. If your flight was one of them, ask why that flight was picked.

Technical faults. Ordinary faults are part of normal operations (van der Lans C-257/14). See technical fault.

How to claim from Air France

Does Air France follow the boards?

Not always in Sweden. Råd & Rön's black list of companies ignoring ARN decisions had Air France third with 12 cases in August 2025, and fourth with 17 cases in November 2025, about delayed flights, baggage and extra costs, worth SEK 183,723 in total. It is not named in the February or August 2026 summaries. Air France was not on Norway's list of unpaid board decisions in October 2023. Twice Norway's board ordered Air France to pay cash where it had offered a €50 voucher for a broken seat (flysmart24, 24 June 2025 and 21 May 2026).

Step by step

  1. Reply to Air France in writing, in English. Claim the amount per passenger in cash, and ask for the delay code, the timeline and the evidence behind its reason.
  2. Wait for the answer: about 4 weeks in Sweden and Norway, 6 weeks in Denmark. See airline not responding.
  3. Go to the board for the country where the disruption happened. Air France is French, so in Finland contact ECC Finland before KRIL. In Sweden, ARN may decline a non-resident's complaint about a non-Swedish airline; then use the ECC in your own country. Transportklagenemnda takes any flight to, from or within Norway, via www.reiselivsforum.no. In Denmark, use Trafikstyrelsen with MitID. For a flight from Paris, the French authority handles it and your own country's ECC helps for free. See the Nordic complaint boards.
  4. Court if Air France ignores the decision.

When it is worth it, and when not

Strong: a technical fault, a missed connection in Paris on one booking, a flight that turned back, a cut flight where Air France chose which to cancel, and an offer of only a voucher.

Weaker: a documented French air traffic control strike or airport closure, where Air France rebooked you on the first available flight. Not sure? Try the rejection checker.

Appeal My Flight writes the reply to Air France and the board complaint for €29 per booking, however many passengers. You send it yourself and keep the payout. We cannot promise an outcome.

FAQ

Air France offers a bigger voucher than the cash amount. Should I take it?

That is your choice. The voucher is worth more on paper, but it is valid for one year, cannot be refunded and costs you the right to a ticket refund. You are entitled to cash.

My flight had an AF number but SAS flew it. Who pays?

SAS, as the operating airline. Check "operated by" on your booking.

Our flight took off and returned to the gate. Is that a delay or a cancellation?

If you were moved to another flight, it counts as a cancellation. The EU Court decided that in a case against Air France (C-83/10).

Got the airline's reply? Paste it into the rejection checker and see what EU court rulings say about their excuse.