What’s the real reason for my flight delay?

Photo of author

By Christopher Elliott

David Ludt’s flight to Strasbourg is delayed because of a mechanical problem and then canceled because of weather. Now Air France is refusing his ticket refund request. Is he out of luck?

Question

In late December, my Air France flight from Paris to Strasbourg was delayed because of an electrical problem. We returned to the terminal 2-1/2 hours later only to find ourselves stuck in a mess of weather delays and cancellations — with having to wait in a two-hour-long line multiple times — only to have each subsequent flight canceled.

After being scheduled for a flight the next day, we returned to the airport only to find our new flight delayed three more hours. We then opted to take advantage of a deal Air France was offering to travelers to cancel their tickets for a full refund.

We wound up taking a train to Strasbourg.

I sent an e-mail to Air France in late January, detailing the above events and requesting a refund for the tickets, as well as reimbursement for the one night of lodging in Strasbourg that I had to forfeit due to the mechanical failure of the plane. I received an autoresponder, but nothing else. A month later, I emailed again — same answer.

Today I received a form-letter reply from Air France that said my flight was canceled because of weather. It stated that it isn’t responsible for my expenses. They didn’t even bother to read my letter. Can you help me with this refund? — David Ludt, Shrewsbury, Mass.

Answer

Air France should have refunded your ticket promptly. When a flight is canceled — no matter what the reason — the airline owes you either a full refund or a new flight of its choosing.

Unfortunately, the airline isn’t required to refund you for any expenses incurred because of the delay. This includes the lost night in a Stasbourg hotel.

Under EU law, however, you’re owed cash compensation for your mechanical delay. The airline should have also paid for a hotel in Paris, as well as offered you meal vouchers. (Related: Is this enough compensation? A mechanical flight delay, an automatic mileage credit.)

battleface delivers insurance that doesn’t quit when circumstances change. We provide specialty travel insurance services and benefits to travelers visiting or working internationally, including in the world’s most hard to reach places. Currently selling in 54 countries and growing, our mission is to deliver simple solutions to travelers worldwide heading out on their next adventure.

Air France appears to have cleverly dodged EU law by labeling this as a weather delay, which is half true. Your flight was originally delayed because of a mechanical problem but then canceled because of weather, by your account. Had Air France designated the flight a mechanical delay, then it would have owed its passengers very generous compensation. (Here’s what to do if your flight gets delayed or canceled.)

Having access to a copy of EU 261 at the time of your delay may have made a difference. Politely confronting a ticket agent with the information that your flight was delayed for mechanical reasons and that the law required it to compensate you might have given your story a happier end. (Related: Are airlines bending the truth about weather delays?)

When your airline doesn’t listen to you — as it appears Air France did — then you can also appeal your case to a manager.

I contacted the airline on your behalf. Air France apologized and refunded your ticket.

Photo of author

Christopher Elliott

Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers consumers to solve their problems and helps those who can't. He's the author of numerous books on consumer advocacy and writes three nationally syndicated columns. He also publishes the Elliott Report, a news site for consumers, and Elliott Confidential, a critically acclaimed newsletter about customer service. If you have a consumer problem you can't solve, contact him directly through his advocacy website. You can also follow him on X, Facebook, and LinkedIn, or sign up for his daily newsletter. He is based in Panamá City.

Related Posts