You'll be eligible for rerouting or reimbursement. Passengers also receive meals and hotel rooms if necessary.
Updated May 24, 2024 9:48 a.m. PDT · 4 min read Written by Anya Kartashova Anya Kartashova
10xTravel, Forbes Advisor, FlyerTalk, Fodor's, MileValue, Reward Expert
Anya Kartashova is a freelance writer and full-time traveler based in Salt Lake City. She has written about travel rewards and personal finance for FrugalTravelGuy, Fodor's, FlyerTalk, 10xTravel and Reward Expert. Her goal is to visit every country in the world by offsetting the cost with points and miles.
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Giselle M. Cancio is a former editor for the travel rewards team at NerdWallet. She has traveled to over 30 states and 20 countries, redeeming points and miles for almost a decade. She has over eight years of experience in journalism and content development across many topics.
She has juggled many roles in her career: writer, editor, social media manager, producer, on-camera host, videographer and photographer. She has been published in several media outlets and was selected to report from the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
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The bags are packed and you’re ready to go on your dream trip via a flight on Air France. Then, you get a notification that Air France has canceled your flight.
What should you do? What are your rights?
Here’s a guide to Air France’s cancellation policies and cancellation compensation.
It's important to know why and when the flight was canceled, as compensation and assistance policies can change.
Air France and other airlines can cancel flights for many reasons, including:
Issues with staffing. Pilots and flight attendants might not be in the correct place to staff a flight, or there might be another staffing issue, possibly involving cleaning, baggage loading or others.
Maintenance. An issue with the plane or any onboard systems can cause a cancellation or delay. A problem might take an extended time to fix or a part might not be immediately available.
Weather. Inclement weather such as severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, blizzards or hurricanes can cause ripple effects throughout the skies and on the ground, forcing delays and cancellations.
Airport operations and air traffic control. Sometimes to control air traffic volume, airlines must delay or cancel flights.
Late-arriving aircraft. A delayed flight can cause that plane’s next flight to be delayed or canceled.
Security. Issues inside and around an airport involving security breaches or long security lines can cause airlines to cancel flights.
Some of these situations, such as maintenance, staffing and late-arriving aircraft, are within the airline's control. Others, like weather, air traffic control, and security, might not be.
Air France has different policies for assistance and compensation if a flight is canceled.
If an Air France flight is canceled, passengers can choose:
Rerouting to your final destination under comparable conditions as soon as possible or at a later date if seats are available.
Reimbursement for parts of the trip that weren't made.Passengers also receive:
Meals and refreshments, based on how long you have to wait. A hotel room if you have to stay overnight. Prepaid phone call to notify someone about the cancellation.If Air France cancels your flight and you don’t want to take the trip anymore, you can request a refund from the My Bookings section of the website or app. You can log in to your account or look up your flight with your booking reference number. You can also use the online form if you can't access either of those options.
Policies for refunds depend on the laws and regulations of the county where you booked the ticket.
If your flight was canceled ahead of time and you want to postpone your trip, contact Air France customer service to change the booking. Note, you have to do this before the date the flight was due to depart.
If Air France cancels your flight, it’s important to understand EU regulation 261/2004 of the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, sometimes called the passenger bill of rights. It was adopted in 2004 and establishes standard rules about what airlines must do for passengers if a flight is delayed or canceled, or if the passenger is denied boarding.
To qualify, the flight must depart or arrive from an EU member state, Iceland, Norway or Switzerland. Remember, the United Kingdom isn't part of the EU, so the regulations don't apply there.
The airline must also be licensed in an EU country, as Air France is.
These rules don’t apply if the cancellation was 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 cancellation.”
Weather, air traffic control issues and similar events fall into this category.
According to Air France, EU 261 applies if:
You have a confirmed reservation on a flight.You are checked in by the deadline to check-in or at least 45 minutes before departure time if no time is listed.
You are traveling on a frequent flyer ticket or a fare available to the public. You are traveling on a flight departing from an airport within the European Union.If you booked your ticket with a credit card that provides travel insurance, there are built-in protections.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account the type of card being reviewed (such as cash back, travel or balance transfer) and the card's rates, fees, rewards and other features.
on Chase's website
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account the type of card being reviewed (such as cash back, travel or balance transfer) and the card's rates, fees, rewards and other features.
on Chase's website
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account the type of card being reviewed (such as cash back, travel or balance transfer) and the card's rates, fees, rewards and other features.
on American Express' website
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account the type of card being reviewed (such as cash back, travel or balance transfer) and the card's rates, fees, rewards and other features.
on Chase's website
Annual fee Travel protections (not a comprehensive list)• Trip delay: Up to $500 per ticket for delays more than 12 hours.
• Trip cancellation: Up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $40,000 per 12-month period.
• Trip interruption: Up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $40,000 per 12-month period.
• Baggage delay: Up to $100 per day for five days.
• Lost luggage: Up to $3,000 per passenger.
• Trip delay: Up to $500 per ticket for delays more than 6 hours.
• Trip cancellation: Up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $40,000 per 12-month period.
• Trip interruption: Up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $40,000 per 12-month period.
• Baggage delay: Up to $100 per day for five days.
• Lost luggage: Up to $3,000 per passenger.
• Trip delay: Up to $500 per trip for delays more than 6 hours.
• Trip cancellation: Up to $10,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $20,000 per 12-month period.
• Trip interruption: Up to $10,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $20,000 per 12-month period.
• Lost luggage: Up to $3,000 per passenger.
• Trip delay: Up to $500 per ticket for delays more than 12 hours.
• Trip cancellation: Up to $10,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $20,000 per 12-month period.
• Trip interruption: Up to $10,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $20,000 per 12-month period.
• Baggage delay: Up to $100 per day for five days.
• Lost luggage: Up to $3,000 per passenger.
Learn more Read Review Read Review Read Review Read ReviewDifferent cards have different requirements to access included protections, such as a minimum six-hour delay or a cancellation outside the carrier’s control.
For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® card offers trip delay reimbursement for a delay of more than six hours or a delay that requires an overnight stay. In this case, you would be covered for unreimbursed expenses, such as meals and lodging, up to $500 per ticket.
If Air France cancels a flight, passengers may be entitled to financial compensation, either in the form of a voucher for future travel or in cash. That compensation depends on the length of the flight and varies from €350 to €800 ($380 to $868) in credit or €250 to €600 ($271 to $651) in cash.
The compensation cannot be paid out at the airport, it will be handled by customer care .
You will need your booking number to make a claim.
If your ticket is booked through a codeshare agreement, you might have two booking numbers. One is for the airline you booked your ticket with and the other is for the airline operating the flight. Depending on the airline, you might need the booking number of the airline operating the flight when applying for compensation.
You won’t get compensation if the new flight you are rescheduled on departs and arrives close to the original times.
If Air France notifies you about a cancellation between two weeks and seven days before your departure, to receive compensation, the new flights must be more than two hours before the previously scheduled departure time and more than four hours after the arrival time.
If Air France contacts you about a cancellation less than seven days before departure, that window changes to more than an hour before the previously scheduled departure time and two hours after the arrival time.
You can also claim reasonable expenses incurred because of the delay or cancellation. Remember to save receipts for things like airport parking, additional meals or other costs.
Airline apps are great for information about flight schedules, boarding passes and gate locations. They also provide notifications about schedule changes or cancellations.
Usually, if a flight is canceled, Air France automatically rebooks passengers on the next available flight.
Before your flight, download the Air France app .
If you receive a notification of any kind of flight delay or cancellation, take a screenshot of the message. You should also take screenshots of your boarding passes if boarding times or schedules change. The information could be useful documentation when you file compensation claims.
Also, make sure Air France has your best contact information so you can be notified of any delays or cancellations.
Air France is part of SkyTeam , a global alliance of airlines that flies to over 1,000 destinations.
SkyTeam member airlines Aerolineas Argentinas. AeroMexico. Air Europa. Air France. China Airlines. China Eastern. Czech Airlines. Delta Air Lines. Garuda Indonesia. ITA Airways. Kenya AIrways. Korean Air. MEA (Middle East Airlines). Vietnam Airlines. Virgin Atlantic. Xiamen Air.It’s important to know which airline is operating the flight you are booked on since it is possible to book a ticket involving several airlines. An Air France ticket could be on flights operated by Delta Air Lines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, ITA Airways or others.
Only the airline that operates the flight or was scheduled to operate the flight is responsible if the flight is canceled.
If there is a flight delay of more than two hours or Air France denies you boarding because a flight is overbooked, you are entitled to compensation and accommodations.
If Air France cancels a flight because of something within the airline's control, passengers are entitled to assistance and compensation based on when the flight was canceled, its length, and the origin or destination.
EU 261 governs many of these policies and passengers must apply for the compensation, as it isn't automatic.
To view rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express , see this page .Insurance Benefit: Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance
The maximum benefit amount for Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance is $10,000 per Covered Trip and $20,000 per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period.
Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.Insurance Benefit: Trip Delay Insurance
Up to $500 per Covered Trip that is delayed for more than 6 hours; and 2 claims per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period.
Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :
Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card No annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve® Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card About the authorYou’re following Anya Kartashova
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Anya is a freelance writer whose work has been published on FrugalTravelGuy, Fodor's, FlyerTalk, 10xTravel and Reward Expert. See full bio.
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