Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 sets a time limit for refunding a ticket, but not for paying the fixed compensation. Here is the realistic timeline of a claim, from the letter to the payment, and the deadlines not to miss.
✓ Content checked by the VolClaim editorial team · Last updated: 19 October 2026 · Sources: Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, info.gouv.fr, European Parliament and Council of the European Union
In the event of cancellation, denied boarding or a delay of at least 5 hours, the ticket must be refunded within 7 days (Article 8(1)). See the difference between a refund and compensation.
The regulation sets no time limit for paying the €250 to €600 compensation. In practice, airlines generally reply within a few weeks, but timescales vary between airlines and claims.
VolClaim sends the claim through the right channel, chases the airline, refers the case to the Médiateur Tourisme et Voyage at the right time and follows your claim through to payment by bank transfer, with no upfront costs: 25% incl. VAT only if successful. If court action becomes necessary, our total fee is capped at 50% incl. VAT. It covers all procedural costs (court fees, lawyer, judicial officer), which we advance and bear. If the proceedings fail, you pay nothing. Procedural costs awarded against the airline (legal costs, Article 700 of the French Code of Civil Procedure) are retained by us.
The claim is sent through the official channel, with the supporting documents. Its date starts the following time limits running.
In many cases, the airline accepts, refuses or asks for additional documents within this period. If it accepts, it then asks for bank details for the payment.
If there is no reply or the claim is refused, you can refer the matter free of charge to the Médiateur Tourisme et Voyage. In France, this mediation has been mandatory before going to court since 7 February 2026.
The mediator normally gives an opinion within 90 days. If this fails, court action remains possible, by summons.
In France, you generally have 5 years after the flight to claim. This is a comfortable period, but it is better to act quickly: evidence is easier to gather, and some steps have their own time limits. For example, the Médiateur Tourisme et Voyage must be contacted no later than one year after your written claim to the airline.
On 12 June 2026, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union agreed on a revision of Regulation (EC) No 261/2004. The text provides in particular for a harmonised claim deadline: passengers will have 9 months to submit their compensation claim directly to the airline, with common rules across the Union.
This text is not yet applicable. Once published in the Official Journal of the European Union, it will come into application 12 months and 20 days later, that is, in all likelihood, in the second half of 2027. In the meantime, the current regulation applies in full. All the details: EU261 reform: what will change.
Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 sets no time limit for paying the fixed compensation, unlike the ticket refund (7 days). In practice, airlines generally reply within a few weeks, but timescales vary between airlines and claims.
After 60 days without a reply, or if the claim is refused, you can refer the matter free of charge to the Médiateur Tourisme et Voyage. In France, since 7 February 2026, this mediation is mandatory before you can go to court.
In France, you generally have 5 years after the flight to claim. It is better to act quickly, while evidence is easy to gather.
The agreement of 12 June 2026 provides for a harmonised 9-month time limit for claiming from the airline, but this text is not yet applicable. Until it comes into application, the current regulation applies in full.
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