KLM and Air France delay compensation guide

KLM and Air France belong to the same group, sell each other's flights and share a lot of passengers. For UK travellers, they are often the first leg of a longer journey: a short hop to Amsterdam or Paris, then long-haul onwards. This guide covers both airlines, because the rules and the traps are nearly identical.

Can I claim compensation from KLM or Air France?

You can claim if:

• your flight left a UK or EU airport, or it arrived in the EU on a flight KLM or Air France operated (both are EU airlines, so New York to Amsterdam or Paris is covered);
• you arrived at your final destination three hours or more late, or the flight was cancelled with less than 14 days' notice, or you were denied boarding;
• the cause was within the airline's control.

Both airlines have been on the losing side of important court rulings. Folkerts v Air France (2013) set the rule for connections. van der Lans v KLM (2015) confirmed that technical faults are not usually extraordinary. And Cuadrench Moré v KLM (2012) held that time limits are set by national law. All three came before Brexit, so they are part of UK law too.

How much do KLM and Air France have to pay?

The amount depends on distance, not on the fare.

Flights between two EU airports over 1,500 km are always €400, however far.

Some examples, measured airport to airport:

• Heathrow to Paris Charles de Gaulle, about 345 km: £220.
• Manchester to Amsterdam, about 485 km: £220.
• Amsterdam to Barcelona, about 1,240 km: €250.
• Paris Charles de Gaulle to New York JFK, about 5,835 km: €600.
• Paris Orly to Guadeloupe, about 6,750 km: €400, because Guadeloupe is part of France and the EU, so this counts as a flight inside the EU.

Every passenger on the booking is owed the full amount, including children with their own seat.

The long-haul half-rate rule

On flights over 3,500 km to or from outside the EU, if you arrived between three and four hours late, the airline may pay half: £260 or €300. Four hours or more and the full sum is due.

How do connections through Amsterdam and Paris work?

This is the most common KLM and Air France claim. KLM flies to Amsterdam from many UK regional airports, and Air France connects UK passengers through Paris.

If both flights were on one booking, the test is how late you reached your final destination. The first flight only has to make you miss the connection. That's the Folkerts rule.

The amount is based on the straight-line distance from your first airport to your last.

An example. You book Manchester to Singapore via Amsterdam on one KLM ticket. The Manchester flight leaves 50 minutes late because of a technical fault. You miss the Singapore flight and land six hours late. Manchester to Singapore is about 10,955 km, so the claim is £520 per passenger, even though the flight that went wrong took about an hour.

If you booked the flights separately, each one is judged alone. See our guide to missed connecting flights.

Which company do I claim from?

The airline that operated the delayed flight. KLM and Air France sell seats on each other's flights, on regional subsidiaries, and on partner airlines. The "operated by" line on your booking tells you who it was.

• Operated by KLM or its regional arm: claim from KLM.
• Operated by Air France or its regional arm: claim from Air France.
• Operated by a partner from outside Europe, flying into Europe: the rules may not cover it.

We identify the operating airline from the flight data before the claim goes out.

How do I claim from KLM or Air France?

You can claim directly, for free. If you'd rather not, we send the claim for you from day one with your booking details and a signed authority to act. You never deal with the airline.

We'll need:

• the booking reference and names of everyone on it;
• boarding passes or e-tickets for every flight in the journey;
• photo ID, so the airline can match you to the booking.

How long do they take to reply?

We allow each airline 28 days to respond. If there's no answer, we chase. If the answer is a refusal we disagree with, we reply with the law and the evidence and set a deadline. See how long flight compensation takes.

What if KLM or Air France refuses?

"Technical problem." In van der Lans, a KLM flight was delayed by a faulty part. The EU Court of Justice held that a technical problem arising unexpectedly, not caused by poor maintenance, is still part of the normal running of an airline and not extraordinary. See technical fault delays.

"Air traffic control" or "strike in France." French air traffic control strikes are a real and recurring cause of disruption, and they usually count as extraordinary. A strike by the airline's own pilots or cabin crew usually doesn't (Airhelp v SAS, 2023). See airline strike compensation.

"Weather at Schiphol" or "weather at Paris." Fog and high winds can limit how many aircraft land. That can be extraordinary, but only if it actually caused your delay. We check the airport weather reports for the times of your flight.

Both KLM and Air France are members of AviationADR, a dispute scheme approved by the Civil Aviation Authority. Its decisions bind the airline. If a claim we believe is valid is still refused, we can refer it at no cost to you. For flights from the EU, complaints can also go to the enforcement body of the departure country: in the Netherlands that's the ILT, and in France the DGAC.

How long do I have to claim?

For flights from the UK, six years in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and five years in Scotland. For flights from the Netherlands, France or elsewhere in the EU, it depends on the country where the claim is brought. See claiming for an old delay.

You can see how we handle each airline's claims on our KLM page and Air France page.

Frequently asked questions

I missed my connection at Schiphol. Can I claim from KLM?

Yes, if both flights were on one booking, you arrived at your final destination three hours or more late, and the cause was within KLM's control.

Are KLM and Air France in a dispute scheme?

Yes, both are members of AviationADR, whose decisions are binding on the airline.

My Air France ticket was operated by KLM. Who pays?

KLM, as the operating airline. The airline whose crew and aircraft flew the flight is the one that owes compensation.

Does KLM pay for flights from the US to Amsterdam?

Yes, when KLM operated the flight. As an EU airline, its flights into the EU are covered by EC261.