INDEMNISEVOL · READER RESOURCES
EU 261 glossary for passengers in France
These terms help you read an airline’s reply and ask for the appropriate remedy. They describe different rights and procedures, which should not be treated as interchangeable.
Fixed compensation
A standard amount under EU 261 for a qualifying disruption, usually €250, €400 or €600. Eligibility and possible reductions depend on the circumstances; compensation is not a refund of the ticket price.
Ticket refund
Repayment of the qualifying unused journey, and in some situations parts already flown when the trip no longer serves its original purpose. Choosing a refund can change the airline’s remaining obligations to transport you.
Re-routing
An alternative journey to your final destination under comparable transport conditions. Departure and arrival times of the offered alternative can affect compensation.
Right to care
Practical assistance such as refreshments, meals and, where applicable, accommodation and transfers while you wait. Conditions depend on the disruption; care can be owed even where extraordinary circumstances exclude fixed compensation.
Operating carrier
The airline that actually operates or intends to operate the flight. It may differ from the company that sold your ticket or appears as a marketing carrier on a codeshare booking.
Extraordinary circumstances
An exception the airline may rely on where the disruption could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken. The label is not enough: the facts, causal connection and measures taken need examination.
DGAC
France’s civil aviation authority. Its passenger-rights enforcement role is separate from resolving or paying your individual compensation claim.
Consumer mediation
An out-of-court process intended to find an amicable solution after a complaint to the airline. In France, mediation can be a required preliminary step before court proceedings, subject to the applicable exceptions.
Limitation period
A legal deadline for bringing a claim. It is different from a mediator’s submission rules. Applicable law, the remedy sought and relevant dates matter; avoid assuming one deadline covers every aviation dispute.