Air France Avis 

They lost are bags for 7 days & are refusing to pay us compensation. Disgrace. Customer service was shocking.

We landed in London and 50 people on our flight were missing their luggage. The airline offered no help. We received text updates about our luggage from Air France that were completely fabricated. We could see where our luggage was with our AirTags. After two days we are still without our luggage with no end in sight. Air France customer service does not seem to care at all.

AVOID at all costs!

Due to a delay on our original flight we missed our connecting flight. Left stuck in Pairs airport for 14 hours. Was given €15 that was ment to be enough for food and drink for all that time. When I questioned this I was met with ‘OMG’. The AirFrance staff at the airport were sooooo rude and unhelpful the manger Manuel was just the same. Spoke over me, offered no apology or help. We incurred hundreds pounds worth of expense due to this delay and missed a day of our once in a life time trip in memory of my late brother. Called to chase the compensation and also the refund of expense and the staff on the phone line are just as rude. Had the phone put down on me twice after holding for over 20 mins each time. Was told that there was no way I could make a complaint about the mannerisms of the staff and the way they speak to paying customer. Some serious training need to be undertaken on how all staff speak to customers!!

I would suggest everyone thinks twice before booking with this company as if you have any problems they do not care at all !

Truly awful. the worst airline to try and deal with to resolve any issues or queries about your flights. Expect to wait at least 40 minutes on their customer disservice helpline.

Review:
I am writing this review after seven weeks of attempting to resolve legitimate compensation claims with Air France under EU Regulation 261/2004 and the Montreal Convention. What I have experienced suggests a customer service system where even Air France's own staff acknowledge they cannot provide assistance.

What Happened:
On 5-7 December 2025, I traveled from London to Johannesburg via Paris on Air France flights AF1181/AF990 (booking reference ZICR73). Flight AF1181 was delayed by over 2.5 hours, causing me to miss my connection AF990. I was rebooked via London the following day, arriving at my final destination approximately 23 hours late. My checked baggage was delayed by six days and contained asthma medication and essential work equipment.

What Air France Provided at 3am in Paris CDG after a 3-hour queue:
- A t-shirt and toothbrush
- Emergency food rations in a box branded "www[dot]emergency-food[dot]com"
- An €11 voucher valid only at CDG (nothing open at 3am, invalid at Heathrow)
- Instructions to find and pay for my own hotel accommodation

When I asked an Air France supervisor at Heathrow Terminal 4 whether "an €11 voucher and a t-shirt is enough compensation for a 48-hour delay,"
he smirked and responded "Yes."

Attempting to File a Complaint:
I have attempted to file formal complaints through every available channel:

10 December: Attempted email to published complaint addresses - all emails bounced (addresses appear non-functional)
14 December: Contacted WhatsApp team - directed to online claims portal, assured "Customer Care team will investigate your issues"
14 December: Submitted detailed complaint via portal as directed (case reference C-10507043)
15 December: Submitted supplementary baggage delay claim
19 December: Sent reminder
22 December: Received response from Customer Care: "The topic you mention is not within this department's area of expertise"
14-1 January: WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger teams responded but provided no substantive information beyond "still being processed"
Phone attempts: Called +44 20 766 00 337 on multiple occasions - hold times exceeding one hour, no answer
Louis chat bot: Unable to locate case C-10507043

The WhatsApp Agent's Admission:
On 16 January, the WhatsApp agent stated:

"I do not have the ability to escalate your claim internally or to offer alternative contact details or direct emails beyond what has already been provided. I recognize that this is far from ideal and does not meet your expectations for transparency and responsiveness. I wish I could do more to help resolve this for you, and I regret that the current process does not allow for more direct or efficient support."

This admission reveals that Air France's customer service teams have no power to escalate issues, no access to alternative contact methods, and acknowledge the system does not provide adequate support.

What I Am Owed under EU Regulation 261/2004 and the Montreal Convention:
- €600 compensation for 23-hour delay (EU261/2004)
- €215.96 reimbursement for hotel and meal expenses (receipts provided)
- £1,060 compensation for 6-day baggage delay including health and professional impacts

Total: €815.96 + £1,060

Current Status:
After three weeks of unsuccessful attempts to resolve this directly, I filed with AviationADR (case reference 694a4ec9db0c51adab0c2101) for binding dispute resolution. Air France is a member of AviationADR and their decisions are legally binding.

My Experience Summary:
Three weeks. Eight different contact channels attempted. Multiple hours on hold. Detailed complaints submitted with full documentation. The only substantive information received: "still being processed" and "not within this department's area of expertise."

Air France's own customer service staff acknowledge they cannot provide the assistance needed.

Recommendation to Other Passengers:
If you experience issues with Air France:
- Document everything immediately
- File a Property Irregularity Report at the airport
- Do not spend weeks attempting to contact Air France through normal channels
- Go directly to AviationADR (can be found through the CAAs website) - their decisions are binding on Air France
- Keep all receipts and documentation

Air France's customer service system appears unable to handle substantive complaints. Save yourself the time and frustration.

Date of Experience: 5-7 December 2025
Booking Reference: ZICR73
Case Reference: C-10507043
AviationADR Reference: 694a4ec9db0c51adab0c2101

Delayed outbound from Manchester, an hour flight time delayed 2 hours, operational reasons, missed train connection, lost train tickets booked 2 hours after original arrival time ,new tickets had to be bought, no refund given. Inbound flight had the most miserable old dinosaur cabin crew who clearly didn't like Brits, literally threw a manky sandwich at passengers without napkin as per the outbound flight, as was a tiny water bottle no cup offered by surly old battleaxe. Air France never again! staff clearly don't want to be there, they're much too important to give out a sandwich and drink on an hour's flight with anything resembling politeness

I arrived at the airport just to see my flight is cancelled and hasn’t even arrived
I was devastated because I had to be in England the next day it was really important to me
And it caused a lot of inconvenience
I contacted the airline to get refund/compensation
It has been almost 3 months and have not got a single reply back from
And this is after all the inconvenience I had with them
On that day when my flight was cancelled
It took me 13 hours to get home
When I flew the opposite direction to get to England
And with all of that inconvenient
I still haven’t got a reply from them three months later

The plane coming back to Bangkok ( air france flight) was delayed 40 mn…
Then the conection to Barcelona was lost … knowing that you have to pass again passport control
Boarding pass control and luggage control ( and the machine at luggage control are not very last generation) so with the new civil aviation laws they make you put nearly everything out of your luggage …
When you already spent time ( a lot) to prepare your suitcase !!
MODERN FRANCE …
Always the first …
This time NO !!!
In Portugal and Spain where i live (thanks god) they have those machines
You don t have to remive tablets computers creans etc … from your luggage the nachine read everything
Such a progress !!
And many stress avoid !!

Air France has all the potential to be one of the best airlines in the world, but this potential is completely wasted by what can only be described as chronic disorganisation and a shocking lack of customer care. My last three trips have been disastrous, proving that AF routinely sells tickets with utterly unachievable connection times, leading to chaos and stress.

Trip 1: I missed a connection on the return journey due to the ridiculously short layover offered, leaving me stranded in Paris for 12 hours with my one-year-old daughter at the time.

Trip 2: Five months later, I made the connection, but my checked luggage did not. Since I was traveling with a baby and had only a pram and a changing bag as carry-ons, the lost luggage contained essential baby supplies and all of my stuff. It took four days to get my belongings back. They didn’t refunded me for the costs I had buying the essentials, but the time lost in our trip and the need to pay all that upfront was quite stressful and frustrating.

Trip 3 (The Worst): Most recently, my flight was delayed by over four hours, causing every single passenger to miss their connecting flights. The subsequent handling was disrespectful and highlighted AF's total unawareness of families:

1) My baby’s boarding pass was rejected at the café when trying to claim the mandated food compensation.

2) We arrived in Paris near midnight, and the internet was down, forcing staff to fill out hundreds of hotel vouchers by hand, creating a massive, stressful queue.

3) Some staff were rude and gave travelers, including my husband and me with our exhausted child, the wrong directions for the late-night hotel shuttle stops at CDG. We were left wandering a deserted airport looking for help. It came to a point where passengers were relying on each other to make it to our hotels.

4) When we finally arrived at the assigned hotel, they had no cribs available for the baby. They didn’t even checked that when assigning us to a hotel.

To top off this disrespectful ordeal, I submitted a compensation claim, including a request for food refund (lunch and snacks for me, my husband and my baby) on the 11th September. It has now been almost a month, and I have not received a single response yet, let alone the refund I was forced to spend due to their delay.

If it wasn’t enough the costs and the whole distress facing all that with a baby, I even lost a job interview because of AF’s disruptions.

Until the organisation and customer service improve dramatically, I cannot recommend Air France, especially for families.

First time flying with them and the last.....Wasn't the easiest of flight to & from my destination. Issue with plane coming home, was on the run way for about 1 hour and when was taking off it was touch & go. If you weren't afraid of flying before you will be after flying with Air France.
After a week or so.....i received an email to say that there was a data breach and that my details was leaked !! Never before has all of this happened !! was looking into sueing the airline but it won't help SO it will be the last time i'll ever fly Air France!! IF i could give a minus i would.

I recently flew Premium Economy on Air France from Tokyo Haneda to Paris CDG and was left tearful and humiliated by the lack of care and professionalism shown by the cabin crew. What had been a lovely holiday ended in distress. As a frequent flyer, this was, without question, the worst flight experience I’ve ever had on any airline.
Two hours into the 14-hour journey, we were served a heavy rice and chicken dish—completely inappropriate as a breakfast. No further meals or meaningful refreshments were offered for the next 10 hours. When sweets(of all the things!) were finally distributed, I was overlooked simply because I was standing (for health reasons). I politely asked a crew member for one and was curtly told they were “for business class only,” and that giving me one would prompt requests “from the back.” I was stunned.
Others in Premium Economy had already received these sweets, so the response wasn’t just dismissive—it was inconsistent and discriminatory. I returned to my seat feeling humiliated and undeserving of even basic courtesy.
I paid a significant amount for Premium Economy (for health reasons), expecting a higher standard. What I received was worse than many economy flights I’ve taken. The crew’s attitude, lack of attentiveness, and tone were unacceptable.
To make matters worse, Air France’s response to my complaint was unfinished—gaps left in the template, no reference to the specific issues I raised, and no acknowledgment of the distress I experienced. It was generic, careless, and insulting.
KLM/Air France, I expected better. No passenger—regardless of class, ethnicity or gender—should be made to feel unworthy. I sincerely hope you reflect on this and raise your standards. Horrible, horrible, horrible.

Air France workers in Lome, Togo repeatedly humiliated me distressed me with my own money that i bought my flight with i really don’t recommend. I really appreciate their dictatorship.

If a zero score were possible, this could have one. In general, the check-in process and boarding were as pleasurable as going to the dentist. Unfriendly ground staff during baggage check-in. I had an issue with my bag not being accepted. I was referred to a counter who wanted to solve my issue by sending me back to where I came from. If I had not refused, I would have been stuck there for at least another 10 minutes and been shouted at by a Frenchman. This was in Paris. The flight itself was not full and no one was moved into the empty rows. It seems like if you don't pay for more space, you will not get it. The food was horrid, tasted like a Maggie ready-made meal and a packet of sauce.The only nice thing was the roll and the cheese. This was evident in the amount of wastage many people did not finish their dinner. I slept through breakfast service by about a minute or two. Everyone had their food, and I was asked if I wanted breakfast, to which I replied yes. I am still waiting for my breakfast. Even the cabin assistant served me coffee and never offered me breakfast, and when I asked, it was finished. I think a layover flight in Doha would be more comfortable and a much better experience. I would rather do ten layovers than fly with Air France again. The seat itself is not comfortable as I flew KLM in a similar aircraft and it was more comfortable. If airlines are in trouble and they need to focus on customer experience then this could be the textbook of what not to do.

Our flight was delayed 24 hours by a faulty aircraft causing us to miss our separately booked airport accommodation and flights from Peru to Equador. During the delay the customer service staff say all the right and supportive things advising us to book and pay the connecting flights with a promise of reimbursement. So that's what we did and that's where their promises ended. You cannot speak to anyone, they do not respond to emails and flatly refuse to engage. They are an absolute disgrace and I recommend anyone considering Air France to look for alternatives.

I bought a flight from Spain to Brazil in April, with departure in December 2025. A few weeks after the purchase, I received a notification that my flight had “changed“: these MFs moved it to the next day, making me lose one day of my hard-earned vacations. The cherry on top? They kept selling that same flight at a higher price!!! That’s overbooking and it’s ilegal!!! I’ve sent several claims, that they closed without answering and contacted the customer care via whatsapp – the service is outrageously bad!! I’ve requested a full refund and compensation. Found countless of similar cases online. I’m never flying AF again.

Website will not let me pay. They will let me phone up and pay an extra 30 euros. Feels like a complete scam!!!

I flew from Chile to Napoli, and from Napoli to Chile and the overall experience was good.
My Global 66 account is @JULBAL927
Thanks

Charged me twice for seat selection due to their system error.
After waiting for 25 mins to speak to Customer Services she put the phone down on me when I said that it was not OK for there system to allow that to happen. Still waiting for my refund!

I flew Paris-Lima-Paris in Business and in both legs the seats were full of crumbs and dirt. On the way to Lima, I pulled the retractable table out to have some food served and to my surprise, the table was full of crumbs and spilled yoghurt. Disgusting! In addition, the seats have a design mistake that makes them to get stuck and don't return properly from the 180 degrees position.

First time I flew with AF between Heathrow - CdG - Lima (28/01) and return (09/02). On both directions the crew was fantastic showing excellent hospitality for the passengers, being helpful and smiling all the time.
They definitely made these long fights a great experience.
This made me decide to fly with AF in the future wherever it is possible.
Will also recommend the company to others.
Keep up the fantastic work you do! :)