Cancelled Or Delayed Flight Or Train: What Compensation?
During the summer holidays, millions of French people take advantage of their time off to visit the Hexagon or to travel abroad. Whether your destination is in France or outside its borders, trips are not always without challenges. We will explain in detail what you need to do in case of a canceled or delayed flight or train.
My train is delayed on arrival.
If you have chosen to travel by train on a TGV Inouï or an Intercités chartered by SNCF and your train shows a delay of 30 minutes or more upon arrival, you can benefit from the 30-minute Guarantee or G30.
In practice, you simply need to fill out an online form on the website g30-billet-direct.sncf.com to receive compensation in the form of a voucher. For delays exceeding one hour, you can even request financial compensation in the form of a bank transfer to your account.
Note: if you are traveling with another railway company, note that comparable claim forms are available for download on the Trenitalia and Renfe websites.
Warning: you are not entitled to compensation if the train delay is due to extraordinary circumstances or circumstances beyond the control of the railway company, such as a medical emergency on board the train, a suicide, an act of sabotage, extreme weather conditions, or a natural disaster.
My train was canceled or delayed
If your train has been canceled or its departure has been delayed by more than an hour, the SNCF or the European railway company with which you are traveling has certain obligations towards you, in accordance with European regulation 2021/782 on rail passengers' rights.
This regulation applies in the 27 member countries of the European Union and imposes obligations regarding information, assistance, and compensation for travelers.
Specifically, in case of train cancellation or delay of more than an hour, you must be properly informed about the incident. You should also receive, as much as possible, free assistance, which includes:
• meals and refreshments.
• accommodation for up to three nights if necessary.
• a means to inform your relatives of your situation if the delay or cancellation of the train prevents the continuation of the journey on the same day.
You should also be able to benefit from the following two options:
• either cancel your trip and receive a full refund, including the return ticket price in case of a round-trip ticket.
• or continue your journey and be rerouted to your destination by another train at no additional cost.
I missed my train connection
During a rail journey, it is not uncommon for problems to escalate following an initial delay or the cancellation of a train.
At the request of a traveler, the train conductor must certify on the ticket that the first train was delayed and caused a missed connection or that it was canceled as applicable. This generally allows taking the next available train at no additional cost.
This option also applies during international travel, in accordance with the European Agreement on the Continuation of Journey or AJC. Inquire about the conditions to be met with the staff of the first delayed train or at the station.
If you meet the conditions of the AJC, you will be able to board the next available train. However, you will not be guaranteed a seat on this replacement train.
My flight was delayed or canceled
If you have chosen to fly and encounter a problem during an air trip, European law guarantees you a flat-rate compensation. You are entitled to compensation in case of cancellation or delay of more than 3 hours, provided you use a European carrier or travel through a European country.
Even if your destination is outside Europe, you can be compensated if your departure country is in Europe. You are also entitled to compensation if you use a European airline to travel from abroad to a destination within Europe.
The European countries concerned by this obligation of assistance and compensation are the member countries of the European Union as well as Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland. Attention: some French overseas territories such as New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Saint-Barthélemy, and Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon are not concerned!
When European law applies, travelers can claim a flat-rate compensation:
• €250 for flights less than 1500 km.
• €400 for flights within the European Union or between 1500 km and 3500 km.
• €600 for flights over 3500 km.
Attention: you do not receive this compensation if the delay is due to an exceptional circumstance such as weather conditions, a health crisis, or an air traffic controllers' strike. However, you can be compensated if it is a strike by the airline's staff.
Good to know
You can get a refund for your plane ticket if your flight is delayed by at least 5 hours and you give up your trip.
If you choose rerouting, the airline is also obliged to cover all your hotel and meal expenses until you reach your final destination.
When this assistance is not directly provided by the airline, the latter must reimburse the expenses you have advanced. Remember to keep all receipts to justify your expenses.
