My Air France Experience with EU Compensation for delayed/missed connection

I hope this $700 is not taxed by federal and state in US. If not taxed, that's not a bad payday for your trouble.

Thank you for taking the time to share. I am glad you persisted and got your compensation. And good to know about the type of file to submit documents and using all names! I would have used my first and last as well to match ticket.

Many years ago when I was 20 weeks pregnant, I had a connection in JFK coming from an 8 hour flight. My checked bag took 1 hour to appear in the carrousel after immigration, and by the time I arrived at the Delta gate (after running through the airport), they had "just" closed the door. Like a couple of minutes. I feel your frustration, Judy B.
I was so out of breath and just burst into tears, all that pregnancy hormones at the peak. They had to call someone to calm me down and check my blood pressure. That plane ended up with some delay getting out of the gate which was frustrating to watch. I finally went to the Delta lounge (they had automatically rebooked me on a flight 4 hours later to SFO). I only got a few miles as compensation for the trouble which they blamed on JFK staff handling suitcases. Fast forward 10 years, my daughter and I had a 2 hour delay leaving SFO with connection at JFK (the reverse itinerary when I was pregnant with her). Thank goodness no need to get our bag or go through security. We huffed and puffed and made it JUST as they were about to close the door. We were the last ones to board. I joke she got experience from the womb.

Joy,
I chuckled when you said your daughter learned in the womb! I had a vague thought that we were entitled to some kind of compensation but when AF put us up overnight in a hotel with meals, I thought that was the extent of their responsibility to us. I have read on this forum about EU compensation for delayed flights and missed connections, etc. but I wasn’t aware that it applied to us. Thank goodness the AF agent at the AF service desk in CDG airport telling us.

Cala, I hope it isn’t taxable, I certainly am not going to volunteer it to the IRS. I will see.

Judy, thanks so much for taking the time to post your cautionary tale. I'd probably not have thought of using my full name either especially since when it's printed on the boarding passes part of it is left off, hahaha.

I'm glad you've got the money...or will get the money soon!

And laughing that the Ibis has a dedicated "Vouchers" desk, hahaha. I've stayed in a couple of Ibis Styles - Edinburgh and Carcassonne - and had good experiences.

Judy, thanks for sharing your airline misadventure. What a fiasco! I’m so glad you finally got your compensation. I’m bookmarking your post in the “lessons to learn” file.
My United flight home from Munich a few years ago was one problem after another but I made the flights and swore never to connect through SFO again.

Cala. Re income taxes, this is considered a form of damage compensation, and not taxable. It is not in lieu of otherwise lost taxable income. And certainly not reported to the US by the EU.

hope this $700 is not taxed by federal and state in US. If not taxed, that's not a bad payday for your troubl

It's not taxed. I received that $700 back in 2024 when my Delta flight was cancelled from Schiphol to MSP, and did not receive any kind of 1099 for it. I had actually booked it through KLM, but Delta operated the flight.

Luckily, I didn't have to go through all the rigmarole Judy did to get the money. I received an email from Delta 2-3 days after I landed at MSP, they asked me for my direct deposit information and it was in there a couple of days later.

I have a policy with Travel Guard for this trip and will call them soon to see if I'm covered under their policy. I certainly paid enough for it! I will let you know what I learn.

Larry, that's what I thought about the payment - it is similar in intent to insurance, it's a payment to make me whole as insurance does.

My room at the Ibis Hotel had wonderful bedding, very luxurious! It was soothing after our exhausting day.

"My room at the Ibis Hotel had wonderful bedding, very luxurious! It was soothing after our exhausting day."

I am not really one who goes for luxury bedding at home but honestly, the first hotel I usually stay at in Paris has beautiful linens and towels and it is so wonderful after a long travel day/days to towel off with those thick towels and get between lovely sheets! I'm glad the Ibis made you feel pampered!

Pam,
It was a surprise to have such wonderful bedding given the basic nature of the hotel. It was clean and the room was organized well to accommodate a transient traveler. I agree with the comment that it would have been nice to have coffee in the room but it did hurry me along to get to breakfast where the plentiful buffet and coffee choices awaited me. My purpose was to get to my departing Delta flight home to Atlanta.

Thanks for sharing your experience. What a hassle over a technicality. Frustrating, but I'm happy your persistence got you the compensation to which you were entitled.

I will add my experience with EU EC 261 compensation, but from Delta. Last Friday (May 8) my flight from Catania, Italy to JFK was cancelled due to being a pilot short (illness), I detailed that in another post, which in the end meant a pleasant weekend in Ortigia.

But, Yes, I was due not only expenses for the two days, but the EC 261 compensation, as was my wife.

First, the airlines are not going to go to great efforts to explicitly tell you you are due compensation, it is something you have to ask for. They do have sheets at all check in desks that explain your rights, but they do not hand out sheets, announce the flight is eligible for compensation, no emails about it, or an offer to help.

A Basic Google search (Delta EU EC 261 compensation) turned up a link to a page on the Delta website that discussed it, and a link to request compensation. But, it is not a claim form or topic specific request. You actually just go to the general feedback page for complaints or where you would mention a helpful employee, or make a comment about service, where you include your confirmation number, name, etc. then just an open comment text box. I was not impressed, nor hopeful that this would be easy.

I included all the information, specifically requested compensation, and submitted Thursday morning, by Thursday afternoon, both my wife and I had a response that payment was authorized with a link for the next step. They use JP Morgan Chase as pay platform, so establish a quick account, provide bank information, and acknowledge. And this morning, Friday, we each had ~$700 in our account.

Like I said, first is knowing your rights, the reasons you are due compensation (delay, cancellation, downgrade, bump, etc) and the level of compensation. Then it is taking the initiative to claim it.

I would gather of the 200 or so passengers affected on my flight, the majority of American passengers probably missed out. Many were probably confused why I was not upset, really even happy, our flight was cancelled, it meant a free weekend in Sicily and we earned about $1400.

Paul, that's interesting that you had to initiate the procedure yourself. Like I said above, when that happened to me back in 2024, Delta actually reached out to me and asked me for my information so that they could reimburse me for the EU violation. It happened within a few days after I got home. I was also able to get refunded for the comfort plus seat that I was not able to use.

Paul,
Each of us 3 friends were talking to 3 different AF agents at the CDG airport service desk and only 1 agent mentioned we were entitled to EU compensation. Otherwise none of us would have known. We each had to initiate the arduous process. The form I had to fill out was on a secure link on the AF website for complaints/refund requests.

Dave,
The money hasn’t hit my bank account yet, I will post when it does. They said it takes a few days and I was informed on May 13th.

Mardee,
Interesting that Delta reached out to you. That’s the way it should be!

Also, a call to Travel Guard is on my to-do list today. I’m curious if I will receive anything from my policy.

I had a good experience two years ago being compensated by Lufthansa.
My flight for Munich was delayed three times and we finally took off just over four hours after the original take off time.
At the first delay, they sent a text with info and a food coupon for the airport.
Then two more texts with info on the delay, and a text encouraging passengers to claim compensation and how to do it…….before we even left the ground!
Plus texts on gates changes.
I was very impressed , put in my claim from home, and received CAN$900 a week later from Lufthansa.
Very efficient.

I believe you can only claim either from the airline or from the EU Passengers rights…..not both.
I may be wrong

Interesting that Delta reached out to you. That’s the way it should be!

I agree, Judy, and legally, I think that the airlines have the onus to initiate the process with the customer. I believe that they have 14 days to contact the customer and offer the refund. They should not make customers have to jump through hoops to get it. That's just ridiculous.

That said, I doubt that you will receive anything on your Travel Guard policy. Although, of course, I hope I'm wrong. But generally, I've found that most insurance policies state that if you are offered money from the airline for any kind of delay or cancellation, then the insurer is not required to pay out to you.

Mardee,
I'm sure you are right about Travel Guard not paying anything since I'm being compensated by Air France.