Does EU261 always apply to Air France flights?

Yes. Air France is a French airline — France is an EU member state. EU261/2004 applies to ALL Air France flights regardless of departure airport. Paris CDG–New York: yes. New York–Paris CDG: yes (Air France is EU carrier). Frankfurt–Paris: yes. This means full EU261 rights on every Air France operated flight.

How much compensation can I get from Air France?

€250 for flights under 1,500 km (e.g. Paris–London). €400 for 1,500–3,500 km (e.g. Frankfurt–Paris CDG–Cairo on through-ticket). €600 for flights over 3,500 km (e.g. Paris CDG–New York, Paris CDG–Tokyo). 3+ hours arrival delay required.

Can Air France staff strikes be cited as extraordinary circumstances?

No. CJEU ruling C-28/20 (Airhelp v SAS, 2022) established that strikes by an airline's own employees are NOT extraordinary circumstances. Air France has had several staff strikes. If your flight was delayed due to Air France pilot or cabin crew strikes, you retain full EU261 compensation rights.

How do I claim compensation from Air France?

Via airfrance.com → Customer Service → File a Claim. Include your booking reference (6 chars), flight number (AF + digits), date and actual arrival time. Air France responds in 4–10 weeks. If rejected, escalate to DGAC (Direction Générale de l'Aviation Civile) or your national ADR body.

What if my Air France flight was operated by a partner airline?

Check the operating carrier (shown on your ticket/boarding pass as 'operated by'). If Air France (AF) is the operating carrier, claim against Air France. If a code-share partner operated the flight, claim against the operating carrier. The EU261 obligation rests with the operating carrier.

Air France Compensation: EU261 Always Applies — Up to €600

Compensation Amounts — Air France

Route (example)	Distance	EU261?	Compensation
Paris CDG → London	~340 km	✓ Yes	€250
Frankfurt → Paris CDG → Cairo (1 ticket)	~3,200 km	✓ Yes	€400
Paris CDG → New York JFK	>3,500 km	✓ Yes	€600
New York JFK → Paris CDG	>3,500 km	✓ Yes	€600 (AF is EU carrier)

Air France Strikes — Not Extraordinary Circumstances

Air France has a history of pilot and cabin crew industrial action. Following the landmark CJEU ruling C-28/20 (Airhelp v SAS, 2022), strikes by an airline's own employees are not extraordinary circumstances under EU261.

This means: if your Air France flight was cancelled or delayed because Air France pilots or cabin crew were on strike, you are still entitled to full EU261 compensation. Air France cannot use its own industrial relations failures to avoid paying passengers.

How to Claim from Air France

Confirm the delay

Use FlightAware or the Air France app. Actual arrival time = doors open at destination. For CDG connections: record actual arrival at your final destination, not at CDG.

Submit via Air France's website

airfrance.com → Customer Service → File a Claim. Booking reference, flight number (AF + digits), date, actual arrival time. Specify the cause if known (strike, technical, etc.). Air France responds in 4–10 weeks.

Challenge strike or technical rejections

If Air France cites pilot/cabin crew strike: cite CJEU C-28/20. If they cite technical fault: cite CJEU C-549/07. Both are well-established: neither is extraordinary circumstances.

Escalate via DGAC or national ADR

France's DGAC (Direction Générale de l'Aviation Civile) handles EU261 disputes. German passengers can use SÖP (Air France participates). Court proceedings at your local court are also effective.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does EU261 always apply to Air France?

Yes. Air France is a French EU airline. EU261 applies to every AF-operated flight regardless of departure country.

How much compensation from Air France?

€250 (under 1,500 km), €400 (1,500–3,500 km), €600 (over 3,500 km). 3+ hours arrival delay required.

Can Air France cite staff strikes as extraordinary circumstances?

No. CJEU C-28/20: strikes by own employees are not extraordinary. You retain full EU261 compensation rights if Air France staff struck.

How do I claim from Air France?

airfrance.com → Customer Service → File a Claim. Booking reference, flight number, actual arrival time. 4–10 weeks. Escalate via DGAC or SÖP (Germany) if rejected.

What if Air France operated my flight as a code-share?

Check your boarding pass — the operating carrier (AF + number) is what matters for EU261. If AF operated: claim against Air France. If a partner operated: claim against that airline.